【Homepage Feature】Gemu's Tears – Lugu Lake, a "World Beyond the World"

Family Trip

This is my first time being featured on the homepage. I'd like to thank the editors at Mafengwo for their recognition, and all the fellow travelers who supported my travelogue! Thank you all! The roses are in full bloom.

If any of you need my help, feel free to send me a private message. I'll respond as soon as I see it.

【My Reservation】Words Before the Trip

On September 23, 2015, I made a reservation with myself for this travelogue. At the time, I said:

October 1st – October 4th, I plan to visit Lugu Lake. Before setting out, I typed these words:

I'm hoping for a stroke of luck – a grand feast of stars!

Legend has it that the beautiful Goddess Gemu fell in love with her "Axia" (lover), the god Warukana. On the night of their rendezvous, lost in passion, the god mounted his divine horse just as dawn was breaking. When the light came, he could no longer return. The reins tightened, and the divine horse left a deep hoof print in the earth. The god on horseback transformed into the Warukana Mountain, looking back to the east. The goddess's sorrowful tears filled the hoof print, and she herself turned into Gemu Mountain. This is the legend of Lugu Lake – a lake filled with tears.

In this life, how many things must we see? How many landscapes must we remember?

The setting sun finally broke through the clouds, but it could not break through the longing within my heart.

The clouds in the sky have changed their forms countless times – how can I ever see clearly this fleeting world?

I see a heart's persistence, stubbornly clinging to a silhouette.

I see a love's devotion, steadfastly shaping a dream.

The Gesang flowers swaying in the wind, their enchanting colors,

Transform into a intoxicating rainbow!

Grasping a small boat,

In the glow of sunset,

Beneath the starry sky,

I see – see the world, see you!

Must-Read for Friends Driving from Chengdu to Lugu Lake!

Now let's begin the detailed account of this Lugu Lake trip.

【Time】 : Departed at 2:00 AM on October 1, 2015 – Arrived home at 7:00 PM on October 5, 2015

【Transport】 : Self-driving in a sedan (departed early on October 1st to avoid peak traffic)

【Route】 : Chongzhou – Xichang – Yanyuan – Lugu Lake – Yanyuan – Xichang – Chongzhou (round trip + lake circuit + Qionghai Lake in Xichang)

【Latest Road Conditions】 :

1. Chongzhou – Xichang: Entirely on expressway, about 6 hours (no traffic jams, no speeding), good road conditions.
2. Xichang – Yanyuan – Lugu Lake: Entirely mountain roads, about 6 hours (no traffic jams). The roads have very sharp, narrow turns. There's about 1 km of gravelly, rough road on the way to Yanyuan – a regular sedan can pass slowly without issue. When crossing the mountains from Xichang to Yanyuan, be extremely cautious on shaded curves.

【Weather】 : I checked the weather forecast before leaving – it was completely inaccurate! (It predicted rain and overcast skies every day. In reality, it only drizzled for about 12 hours on the road. When we arrived at Lugu Lake, the weather suddenly cleared up. Three consecutive days of bright sunshine – we were incredibly lucky.) Lugu Lake has a plateau climate with large temperature differences between day and night. Generally, it's sunny in the morning, cloudy in the afternoon, and clear again late at night. Even if it rains, it doesn't last long – the sun comes out right after. On the last night, while shooting sunset at Dazu Village, a light drizzle passed, and then we saw a rainbow. So don't worry too much about the weather at Lugu Lake, especially if you plan to stay for two or three days – your chances of clear skies increase dramatically. You can totally ignore the forecast and take your chances! (laughs) But I still recommend bringing enough clothes, especially if you're a photographer planning to shoot the stars – the temperature difference between morning and evening is significant.

About the Background Music

I originally wanted to use Bandari's The World Beyond the World for my time-lapse video, but after listening to it a few times, it felt a bit too melancholic. While searching for songs, I stumbled upon this long-lost classic – Alan Tam's The World Beyond the World – and decisively used it as the background music for this travelogue. Maybe this song isn't perfectly suited for Lugu Lake, but it's perfect for travel, especially for those who are tired from work and life and want to find a place to relax and rediscover their inner harbor.

The video soundtrack ultimately chose Ivan Torrent's Human Legacy.

About Photography

The photos from this trip were taken with a Nikon D7000 and an iPhone 6. The 16:9 images, some square photos, and the time-lapse video that follows were all shot with the iPhone 6. The regular photos are from the Nikon D7000.

Personally, I think the light pollution at Lugu Lake is still quite strong. The Milky Way appeared relatively early in autumn, but the roadside lights were almost always on, and there were many passing vehicles. By the time most guesthouses turned off their lights, the moon had already risen (it was just a few days after the Mid-Autumn Festival; the best time to shoot the Milky Way is before the 4th day and after the 28th day of the lunar calendar). Combined with my limited skills, I still didn't get any star photos I was satisfied with on this trip. (So disappointed!)

The following video is my first time-lapse work, completed with the iPhone 6. Although the image quality isn't satisfactory and the post-processing flexibility is far behind what a camera can offer, it still took a lot of time and effort to create. If you can watch it patiently, you'll still be able to feel the breathtaking beauty of Lugu Lake – the surging clouds, the rising sun, and the setting moon. So I strongly suggest you turn off the background music and enjoy it slowly.

To turn off the background music, click the player button on the cover image, as shown below.

About Accommodation

When I started booking online on September 21st, I found that most of the good guesthouses were already full. I had originally planned to stay one night at Lige Village. First, the room prices during the holiday were ridiculously high. Second, there were basically no rooms available online (I later realized that rooms were actually available, but most weren't listed online – you know what I mean). (grinning) With no other choice, I turned to the all-powerful Guiyuan for help. With his assistance, I successfully booked one night at the Gonga Homestay on October 1st, and then booked two nights at the "Our World, Our Home" guesthouse online. Both guesthouses are in Dazu Village, not far from each other. Given the holiday season, finding cost-effective accommodation was the best we could do.

Here's a map of the Lugu Lake route, with our accommodation locations marked.

The Gonga Homestay – a triple room for 320 yuan during the holiday – was quite a good deal.

"Our World, Our Home" – the owner is from Heilongjiang. We chatted a bit. He came to Lugu Lake, fell in love with it, and opened this guesthouse here, living a peaceful and comfortable life. Nice, nice – I'm so envious!

Sitting on the balcony and enjoying the lake view is also a great option.

Main Text

Lugu Lake Trip – Day 1: October 1st, 2:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Dazu Village, Lover's Beach

We chose to depart at 2:00 AM to avoid the peak traffic. Later, when we arrived at Lugu Lake, we heard that a friend who left at 7:00 AM was still stuck in traffic near Qionglai at 11:00 AM – proof that our decision was brilliant.

It drizzled on and off the whole way. Around 7:40 AM, we arrived at Xichang, and the rain seemed to stop. But within five minutes, it started drizzling again, and the rain grew heavier. My mood sank to the bottom. Luckily, I had brought these spicy travel essentials: beef, gizzards, chicken wings, squid – each one spicy and delicious. They filled our stomachs and temporarily distracted me from the rainy annoyance. Truly a must-have for home and travel! (smile)

By the way, these snacks were made by a friend of mine – they're available for delivery! (wink) If you want to try them, you can ask me for the contact number.

The journey continued in silence... At 2:00 PM, after another six hours of winding mountain roads, we finally arrived at Lugu Lake. The sky began to clear, and the clouds gradually dispersed. Our luck was extraordinary! (laughs)

The peak capped with white clouds is Goddess Gemu Peak.

This is Lugu Lake's unique mode of transportation – the "pig-trough boat." In the Mosuo language, it's called "Rigu."

Isolated from the outside world, the only boat on the lake is this unique Mosuo "pig-trough boat." You'll see many of these small boats in the photos to come.

People with shared interests can't sit still when faced with the beauty of Lugu Lake! (smile) Even after driving for 12 hours straight (on this trip, it was me, my wife, my mom, my younger sister, and my daughter – five people in total. I didn't trust them to drive, so the entire driving responsibility fell on me. (so sleepy)) I still couldn't resist the allure of the scenery. So after a short rest, I decided to head to Lover's Beach.

A hardworking Mosuo auntie.

Lover's Beach is very close to Dazu Village – about a 10-minute walk. I'm not sure if it belongs to the same village.

Sunlight spilled across the lake surface, shimmering like a dream.

A decaying "Rigu" was casually abandoned in the lake, unintentionally becoming a beautiful part of the scenery.

There's a beautiful place in my heart – blue sky, white clouds, clean lake water.

But when I stood there myself, it still felt like a dream!

At dusk, Lover's Beach began to show its enchanting colors.

How I wish I could sit quietly here every evening and watch the sunset.

Or maybe stand like a tree – half serene in the earth, half dancing in the wind – to fully appreciate the scenery here.

But I know I'm destined to be just one of the countless passersby.

Night fell quickly. The fiery sunset clouds I had hoped for didn't appear. The clouds were thick, and the stars were faintly visible. It seemed that shooting the stars tonight was hopeless.

About Lugu Lake's Cuisine

Dazu Village is lively at night. Some say Lugu Lake has basically taken on the characteristics of Lijiang. Well, half of it already belongs to Lijiang, right? (rolls eyes)

There are restaurants and bars of all kinds everywhere.

Let me briefly introduce the delicacies I tried at Lugu Lake. I won't comment on things I didn't try or didn't like. (rolls eyes) The best Mosuo dish is zhū biāo ròu (cured pork belly), and the best drink is guāng dāng jiǔ (a type of rice wine). The owner's homemade guāng dāng jiǔ will really make you unable to put down your cup – until you go "guāng dāng" and fall over! Haha!

This barbecue, clearly a Xichang style, has its own special feature: the pork belly is grilled without any seasoning – just plain white meat. But it's incredibly fragrant! (wink) Why? Can anyone tell me?

But the most delicious and soul-stirring meal of our entire Lugu Lake trip was at this place. (super thumbs up)

Don't think it's not busy – this was after we waited for over an hour. The owner is very particular about the preparation of each dish. When we arrived, it was very crowded, and the owner directly said they couldn't serve us right then because each dish takes a long time to make. (super thumbs up) Fine! Even if this is a marketing strategy, I'll buy it! I'm quite picky about food too! (smile)

And it was really delicious! (wink) Truly soul-stirring!

Hand-grabbed ribs, QQ noodles, dried beef, secret-recipe lotus root (so good I forgot the name), (sweat) a plate of cold pig ear salad, and a pot of "soul-crushing" wine – every dish showed the chef's dedication. It was so good I couldn't stop! So if you're at Dazu Village in Lugu Lake, I strongly recommend you try this place!

For breakfast, most guesthouses offer it, but I especially recommend a place in Lugu Lake town called "Water Town Beef and Lamb Rice Noodles." The flavor is amazing – rich broth, delicious taste. The prices are very affordable: 10 yuan for a small bowl, 12 yuan for a large bowl. Generous portions with plenty of beef. During our three mornings at Lugu Lake, I ate there twice. (wink)

The green leaves are mint – very tasty.

You can add various seasonings yourself. If you're not afraid of spicy food, go for it. The whole chili pepper at the top of the picture is both spicy and fragrant – I don't know how many times hotter it is than Thai bird's eye chili. (grinning)

Lugu Lake Trip – Day 2: October 2nd, 6:00 AM – 11:00 PM – Lige Village, Nisai Village

I had done my homework before leaving: sunrise was around 6:40 AM. So I got up before 6:00 AM and drove to the Lige Island viewing platform to wait for the sunrise. Today's planned route was Lige, Nisai, Xiaoluoshui, and then back to Dazu Village near Lover's Beach to watch the sunset (Lover's Beach and Goddess Bay are both great spots for sunset viewing).

In the dawn sky, a few reluctant stars still lingered.

Lige Island before dawn – waiting is also a pleasure of travel.

This panoramic image was created by stitching together four photos – used for the cover image.

The clouds gradually turned red by the rising sun.

The distant mountains also showed beautiful layers under the morning sunlight.

The entire sky turned red. If the mountains hadn't blocked the view, I believe we would have seen the sun rising from the lake surface.

The beautiful heart-shaped bay. With an ultra-wide-angle lens, you can capture the entire heart-shaped bay of Lige from this angle. With a regular lens, you'll need to stitch multiple photos.

At this moment, I could only hold my breath and quietly enjoy this moving beauty.

The sun finally burst over the mountain peak, radiating thousands of rays.

An aperture of F22 made the sun's rays radiate in all directions, but it also significantly reduced image quality. I tried many times – only apertures above F18 can produce this ray effect. However, too small an aperture also reduces the texture of the image.

In the distance, Daluoshui Village bathed in the morning light.

This photo is a composite of two images taken at different times but from roughly the same position. My method is simple: first, adjust both photos in Lightroom, then import them into Photoshop, use the transform tool to align them, add a mask, and brush out the sky area. The result is a photo with the pre-sunrise colorful sky and the ground still in night mode. Simple, right? That's my amateur-level Photoshop – experts can skip this. (shy)

The legendary divine horse? (grinning) Did your hoof print create Lugu Lake?

Walking along this path lined with prayer plaques leads to Lige Island.

The sky was really blue, the water was really blue, the clouds were really white – so white they reminded me of Teacher Wu Qing's poem:

The white clouds in the sky are so white

Really, very white, very white, extremely white

Very, very, very, very white

Especially white, exceptionally white

Incredibly white

Darn white

Almost dead white

Ah—

Blink

Truly, every step is a new view.

"Rigu" boats can be seen everywhere.

Taking these small boats generally costs 20–30 yuan per person. Prices vary by location, depending on whether you're going to an island or just boating on the lake. Lugu Lake has many islands. The most famous are Lige Island, Liwubi Island, and Hewawu Island, known as the "Three Penglai Islands."

The water was crystal clear, showing the bottom.

A small boat that drifted into the frame.

Gesang flowers were in full bloom everywhere. Gesang flowers, also known as Gesang Meiduo, mean "beautiful time" or "happiness" (Gesang) and "flower" (Meiduo) in Tibetan. So Gesang flowers are also called happiness flowers.

Pick a Gesang Meiduo – may you always be blessed with good fortune and happiness!

Open your arms and embrace the blue sky, white clouds, and all the beauty!

Scenery along the lake road.

Prayer flags fluttering in the wind. They are called prayer flags because they are printed with Buddhist scriptures. For believers in Tibetan Buddhism, each flutter of the flag in the wind is like reciting a sutra once, constantly conveying people's wishes to the gods and seeking their blessings. Thus, prayer flags become the纽带 (link) between gods and humans. Where the wind flag stands, the gods are present, and people's prayers are present. The wind flag carries people's beautiful wishes.

Walking down this winding path leads to another beautiful scene.

But there wasn't enough time – three days isn't enough to cover every scenic spot at Lugu Lake.

I could only capture the famous "Lover's Trees" of Lugu Lake from the lake road with my camera.

A small village hidden in a mountain hollow.

It really felt like stepping into a paradise.

I've heard that late autumn is the most beautiful time in Nisai Village. Standing here, I could imagine the scene of golden leaves everywhere.

As the American explorer Joseph Rock said: "Lugu Lake is truly a place fit for gods to live."

Would you like to live in a house like this? Isn't this what they call "facing the sea, with spring flowers blooming"?

Luyuan Cliff, the end of Xiaoluoshui Village. After passing through Xiaoluoshui Village, you've returned from Lijiang to Sichuan.

Yang Erche Namu's home – one side is Yunnan, the other is Sichuan. The ticket is said to be 30 yuan – I didn't go in. (rolls eyes)

A small boat floating above the white clouds – I really don't know what words to use to describe this scenery.

Just enjoy it quietly, and let every image stay in your heart forever!

Taking a hot air balloon to overlook Lugu Lake must be a great experience. Unfortunately, it didn't take off for various reasons. Oh well, 88 – I still need to rush back to watch the sunset. (so disappointed)

I had wanted to shoot a video of the hot air balloon flying over Lugu Lake, but...

There were still no fiery sunset clouds tonight... But I noticed the clouds were thinning out, so maybe there was hope for the stars! (wink)

After drinking guāng dāng jiǔ, the sky was full of stars. In a dark spot, I could see the Milky Way hanging on the horizon with the naked eye. I quickly set up my camera for a shot. The light pollution was quite strong, but for someone with no immunity to the stars, it was still stunning enough!

I tried a few different spots but couldn't find a good position. I packed up my backpack and walked to Lover's Beach alone.

But everywhere was brightly lit during the National Day holiday. I thought the lakeside at Lover's Beach would be ideal, but it was full of tents and food stalls. I regretted drinking guāng dāng jiǔ earlier – otherwise, I could have driven towards Lige. Sigh... I just took a few mediocre shots.

The strong light pollution even caused lens flare. At first, I thought I had captured a night rainbow! (chuckles)

Gazing at the starry sky beneath the Milky Way – I don't know when I became a star-chasing uncle. (shocked)

This is the third time I've captured the stars (the first was from Niubei Mountain, the second was at Hongyuan – Xichang and Sanya don't count). I still miss the stars above the sea of clouds at Niubei Mountain. I regret that my photography skills were too poor back then (they're still pretty poor now) to get a good star photo. So I will definitely go back to Niubei Mountain. Here's a link to last year's Niubei trip: http://www.mafengwo.cn/i/3252749.html. If you haven't been to Niubei Mountain, take a look when you have time – it's truly breathtaking.

A white cloud drifted across the night sky. The moonlight grew stronger, and the Milky Way faded until it was invisible. My star photography attempt ended in complete failure. (So disappointed that I didn't get any satisfying star photos.) Goodnight, Lover's Beach!

Lugu Lake Trip – Day 3: October 3rd, 7:00 AM – 9:00 PM – Grass Sea, Goddess Bay

The sky was overcast when I woke up. I drove to Lugu Lake town for a bowl of Water Town beef rice noodles, then headed to the Grass Sea. Although the clouds finally parted to reveal a patch of blue sky, the atmosphere still felt oppressive. On the way to the Grass Sea, it even drizzled a bit.

The Grass Sea probably isn't at its most beautiful during this season.

A few yellowing trees in the distance added a touch of autumn to the Grass Sea.

The sky began to clear.

Luowa Pier – it's said to be an excellent spot for both sunrise and sunset, but I didn't have a chance to try it. After returning home, I looked it up: Luowa Peninsula, where the pier is located, is a very important dividing line. On one side of the peninsula is the famous Grass Sea, and on the other side is the "Bright Sea" – meaning any water surface without reeds is called the Bright Sea. Because of this, the scenery from this pier is very special – one side is a world of green grass, and the other is crystal-clear lake water.

Mosuo architecture at Luowa Pier.

The Lama Temple near the Marriage Bridge. The number of tourists at Lugu Lake had noticeably increased today, so I could only photograph the upper half of the temple to avoid the crowds.

The Marriage Bridge is where Mosuo men and women date. As for what "walking marriage" means, I'm sure I don't need to explain it here – if you don't know, just ask Baidu. (rolls eyes)

Various Mosuo trinkets sold at the head of the Marriage Bridge. Compared to other attractions, the Marriage Bridge area is more commercialized.

All kinds of Mosuo specialty products are available here.

Eating sunflower seeds like this was a first for me.

The Marriage Bridge was so crowded that we left in a hurry without even finishing our walk.

Goddess Bay – the perfect place to watch the sunset at Lugu Lake.

Because of its location, accessible only by a single road, and the huge number of vehicles today, traffic was extremely congested. But with such beautiful scenery, the traffic jam was worth it.

Although I saw signs prohibiting stalls on the lakeshore, there were still quite a few vendors. I'm really worried that one day this clear lake water will disappear...

Goddess Bay isn't large, but its crystal-clear water and blue sky with white clouds create a unique beauty.

The wind was strong. Strolling in this small bay, I actually felt like I was by the sea.

You were recording the scenery, not knowing that you were the most beautiful scenery of all.

I had planned to wait for the sunset at Goddess Bay, but considering that the "ladies" needed to rest, and Lover's Beach was also a good spot, I decided to return to Dazu Village.

Back in Dazu, the sky began to show "Jesus light" (crepuscular rays). Today's sunset must be amazing! (laughs) On the last night, what surprise would Lugu Lake give me?

The clouds kept changing their forms and colors.

Just as it was about to set behind the mountain, the setting sun finally broke through the thick clouds, emitting its final radiance. At that moment, I felt I had waited too long, too long. On the last night, Lugu Lake finally showed me its most beautiful side.

After the sunset faded, the clouds in the sky began their performance.

My heart drifted with the sea breeze, like a seagull cutting through the silence, like the setting sun drifting with the waves. At this moment, if a seagull flew by, it would be perfect. (wink) Later, I found out that seagulls really do come in winter!

Maybe on some winter day, I'll stand here again, waiting for a seagull to fly by in the sunset.

These photos were so numerous that I had trouble choosing when editing. I'll just randomly share a few – enjoy them slowly. I'm truly at a loss for words to describe this magnificent scene.

Just as the sky was turning reddest, a few raindrops suddenly fell.

Then I turned around and saw a rainbow. It seemed that Lugu Lake was determined to show me all its beauty, one by one.

The final divine light.

The sky gradually lost its color. Night would soon fall. Since darkness comes, light is not far behind.

Lugu Lake Trip – Day 4: October 4th, 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM – Xiaoluoshui, Yanyuan, Xichang

Light came quickly. Another sunrise was approaching.

Today I would leave this place. I got up early again, wanting to record as much of Lugu Lake as possible.

I drove towards Lige. On the way, I met a young man from Jiangsu who was studying in Chengdu – Jiang Yu (I think that was his name; I didn't ask at the time, we just added each other on QQ). Seeing him walking alone with a tripod on his back, I picked him up in my car. Together, we witnessed the sunrise on the lake road near Nisai Village. Unfortunately, I didn't get a photo of him. Brother, if you happen to see this travelogue, could you send me a cool photo of yourself to include as a permanent memory? (smile)

Many people took small boats to Bird Island to watch the sunrise.

The clouds were too thick – by this time, the sun had actually already risen.

When the sun finally burst through the clouds, it had lost its gentle morning warmth, but it was still beautiful – one word: beautiful!

On the way back to the guesthouse, I climbed Luyuan Cliff again. Different light, different scenery. I greedily pressed the shutter, frantically recording every beautiful moment.

The tree in front of Yang Erche Namu's house looked particularly dreamy in the morning light.

Back at the guesthouse for breakfast, I wanted to capture the view outside the window. A white horse appeared in the courtyard. How could everything feel so perfect?

Even the moon was reluctant to leave – how could I bear to leave so early?

While there was still time, I quickly recorded a time-lapse of the moon.

The closer it came to leaving, the harder it was to say goodbye.

With such beautiful weather, such beautiful flowers, and such beautiful people, I had to take a few more photos.

My younger sister was captivated,

My younger sister went wild,

My daughter was happy,

Even my mom let loose – what reason was there not to stay a little longer?

Let's take another walk to Lover's Beach.

On the way, I met three adorable geese, always posing together, inseparable.

Facing the sun, chasing dreams.

Today, Lover's Beach was exceptionally beautiful.

Pick up a small pebble,

Make a wish, and toss it into the lake.

Pick up the camera, press the shutter, freeze time, stop aging.

I had to say goodbye to Lugu Lake.

One last look at the blue sky and white clouds here.

Back at the guesthouse to pick up the car, I passed this small intersection. It's said that this dirt road leads all the way to Daocheng Yading – I'm very curious about the scenery beyond the mountains.

I don't know when I'll be able to be willful and do a hiking crossing.

Farewell, Lugu Lake – let me leave behind a silhouette of myself!

This travelogue marks the end of my Lugu Lake trip. Afterwards, we went to Xichang. If you've read my Xichang travelogue, you might have guessed that I'd go eat barbecue in Xichang. That's right – how can you go to Xichang without trying Old Gui's barbecue and drunken shrimp? What was especially touching was that I had contacted Old Gui before going, and he specifically saved a portion of his family's Qionghai shrimp for us – a very unique preparation, incredibly delicious, and very touching. (smile)

The Xichang part of the trip was also very exciting. Since I've already written a travelogue about Xichang before (here's the link for those who haven't seen it: http://www.mafengwo.cn/i/3300610.html), I won't repeat it here. Maybe I'll organize and update it when I have time. If you have a chance to go to Xichang, I especially recommend Old Gui's Barbecue at Laohaiting – it's delicious.

Written at the "End"

It's been a while since I returned from Lugu Lake, and I'm still intoxicated by it. It wasn't until Mafengwo sent me a message reminding me that I still had this reserved travelogue to complete that I quickly turned on my computer to edit photos and write. I thought it would be finished in a short time, but work was busy, life was busy, and I kept putting it off until today.

As the old saying goes, the original intention of writing this travelogue is to record the bits and pieces of my journey, so that in the future, when I'm old and forgetful, it will bring back...