Bage Mani Stone Wall: The Great Wall of Faith Stretching Across the Zaxika Grassland

The "Great Wall" of Belief

1.Located deep within the vast Zaxika: Grassland in Changsha Gongma Township, Shiqu County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, the Bage Mani Stone Wall is a breathtaking testament to Tibetan spiritual devotion. Stretching approximately 1.7 kilometers in length, it is renowned as the longest Mani stone wall in the world. Unlike the Great Wall of China which was built for defense, this "Great Wall" is built entirely of prayer stones, constructed solely for the purpose of accumulating merit and praying for peace. It sits at an altitude of about 4,200 meters, nestled at the foot of the sacred Zhajiapangxiu Mountain and near the confluence of the Zhaqu and Mamuo rivers, appearing like a magnificent dragon resting on the plateau.

A Living Library of Stone

2.The structure of the Bage Mani: Wall is an architectural marvel. It is approximately 2 to 3 meters wide and 2.5 to 3.5 meters high, built entirely by stacking stone tablets without the use of any mortar or adhesive. These billions of stones are carved with the six-syllable mantra ("Om Mani Padme Hum"), and remarkably, the wall contains the complete contents of the Buddhist classics "Kangyur" and "Tengyur", as well as the "Fortunate Aeon Sutra" (Xianjie Jing), making it a literal "Library of Stone Scriptures" open to the sky,. Embedded within the wall are over 3,000 stone statues of Buddhas and deities, and hundreds of window-like niches (roughly every three meters) housing exquisite painted clay or stone statues known as "Tsha-Tsha",.

History and Legend

The wall's history dates back to the early Qing Dynasty, around 1640. It was founded by the First Bage Rinpoche, Sangdeng Pengcuo, who is said to have received a vision from Padmasambhava to place the first Mani stone at this auspicious site. Over the centuries, successive Bage Living Buddhas and countless believers have continued to expand it. The wall is also steeped in local legend. One story tells of a young man who built a section known as the "Wall of Goodness" to release the soul of his lover who drowned in the river, while another section, the "Wall of Evil," was built by a repentant man who had harmed his friend for money, symbolizing the turning from evil to good.

A Dynamic Pilgrimage Site

3.What makes the Bage Mani Stone: Wall truly unique is that it is a "living" monument. To this day, local herdsmen and pilgrims continue to add new carved stones to the wall, causing it to grow and evolve constantly,. Along the length of the wall, there are 108 stupas (Chortens) of various sizes distributed at intervals, creating a rhythmic skyline against the vast grassland,. Visitors will often see devout believers performing full-body prostrations or walking clockwise around the wall, spinning prayer wheels and chanting mantras. The atmosphere is one of profound peace and unwavering faith, offering a deep insight into the spiritual life of the "Sun Tribe" on the high plateau.