Gangshika Snow Mountain

Gangshika Snow Mountain

Gangshika Snow Mountain

Gangshika rises above the Cold Dragon Mountain, and Gangshika itself is the highest peak of the Cold Dragon Mountain, with an elevation of 5254.5

meters. The snow-capped peak lies 40 kilometers to the northwest of the county town.

Gangshika, the most solemn and majestic poem on the land of Menyuan, is hailed as the foremost peak around Xining in the western Qinghai region. Towering into the sky, it displays a grand, masculine presence, exerting a powerful magnetic allure in the realm of nature and in the hearts of believers.

The upper part of the main peak of Gangshika features a gently sloping terrain composed of Tertiary sandstone and conglomerate. Visually, its hard, horizontally layered rock strata form highly captivating terraced towers. These solid pagoda-like structures are embedded firmly within its majestic body. Atop these towers, the eternally glistening glaciers — forged over millennia — shine with a primordial radiance. Amid the ethereal mist, translucent icicles dangle from ice caves, while towering transparent ice towers, ice stalagmites, and ice mushrooms stand proudly. Ever-present clouds and mists weave through the forest of ice towers, fierce winds whistle through unpredictably, sudden snowfalls descend without warning, and its solitary presence atop the earth greets the first rays of sunlight and bids farewell to the last glow of twilight. All of this implies natural revelations and profound mysteries.

This is a sacred mountain filled with mythological stories and historical legends. According to local Tibetan beliefs, Gangshika is the progenitor of the thirteen great sacred mountains of the Huare Tibetan region and is also known as Ani Gangshika, meaning the most revered among all snowy peaks. It is a holy mountain in the eyes of both Mongolian and Tibetan people. In the legends of Kunlun mythology, it is one of the three palaces of the Queen Mother of the West. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, the Queen Mother holds grand feasts for the deities here. During the time of Zhang Gui of the Former Liang, a temple to the Queen Mother of the West was established on its summit. During the Changqing era of Emperor Muzong of the Tang Dynasty, envoy Liu Yuanding, who negotiated peace with the local Tubo people, and during the Hongwu era of the Ming Dynasty, Marquis Mu Ying of Xiping, among others, all came here to pay homage to the Queen Mother of the West.

To this day, every year on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, local herders hold grand sacrificial ceremonies to express their gratitude to the Queen Mother of the West and the Gangshika mountain deity. In addition to wearing pointed hats, circling the mountain while kowtowing, burning juniper incense, and chanting scriptures, there is also a unique ritual: crafting a giant paper bird, 1.5 meters high and over 3 meters long, called “Xia Jie Qiang Qiong” (meaning King of All Birds) in Tibetan, which is then released into the sky from a high place. Li Shangyin once wrote in his famous poem “Untitled”: “The way to Mount Penglai is not far; the bluebird diligently goes to bring news.” This giant paper bird represents the Queen Mother’s messenger, the “Bluebird.” By releasing it, people hope the bluebird will carry their wishes and prayers. To create an atmosphere of harmony between humans and deities, after the mountain worship ceremony, grand performances of song and dance, archery, and horse racing are held at the foot of the mountain to entertain the gods. Folklore says that divine lights often appear atop Gangshika.