Lovers' Cliff

　　    Legend has it that Lovers' Cliff was a sacred place where couples would make vows of love. Among the rocky cliffs lies a smooth slab as clean as a blackboard. After falling in love, couples would carve their names on this slab, symbolizing eternal love and growing old together. What was once a deeply romantic and mystical tradition, however, later became a site where many took their own lives for love. They carved their names or beautiful declarations of love onto the cliff walls, believing it would ensure a lifetime together. But cruel reality often clashed with these beautiful wishes—many, faced with life’s hardships, lost their resolve and veered from their original path. During the flood season of the Shaliu River, young men and women jumped off the cliff to their deaths, turning what was once a beautiful Lovers' Cliff into a tragic site of lost lives. Later, to bring peace to those souls lost for love and to prevent such tragedies from recurring, prayer flags were erected at Lovers' Cliff, along with a blessing sculpture (the Buddha's Hand). The main feature of the sculpture is a Buddha's hand in the abhaya mudra, holding a vajra pestle. It stands 17.2 meters tall with a base diameter of 3 meters. The main figure itself is 4.5 meters high, with a base height of 3 meters, making the total height 7.5 meters.

　　     Originally, there were no prayer flags or Buddha's Hand sculptures on Lovers' Cliff. It is said that the spot where the flags and sculpture were erected is highly sacred, which is related to local religious beliefs. Strangely enough, ever since then, no similar tragedies have occurred on Lovers' Cliff. We truly must be grateful to those who acted with compassion and mercy.     Gangcha is a place where multiple ethnic groups live together, mainly including Tibetans, Mongolians, Hui, Tu, Salar, and Han people. Ethnic minorities make up over 70% of the county’s population. On this magical land, people of all ethnicities respect one another, live in unity and friendship, and develop together. The majestic and magnificent nature has shaped the broad-minded, hardworking, and bold character of the people of Gangcha, giving them distinct characteristics of plateau dwellers. Each ethnic group has its own religious beliefs. Among them, Tibetans, Tu, and Mongolians, as well as some Han people, follow Buddhism, while the Hui and Salar people practice Islam.