“We call the sacred mountain Ani       Kawagarbo, which means “Grandpa Kawagarbo.” Since he is our grandpa, how can you climb up onto his head? He has given us everything in our lives. Our cattle and sheep feed on the mountain’s meadows. Every drop of water we drink comes from the melted snow of the mountain. If we show disrespect to this sacred mountain, the deities will leave and disasters will occur,” said Nyima. He is a Tibetan poet who has founded a non-governmental organization called “Kawagarbo Culture Research Society” with local villagers, and is one of the most active local campaigners for the protection of Kawagarbo.
    Far in front of me, beyond Lancang River Valley is the sacred mountain of Kawagarbo. In the sunset, the snow-white peak of this sacred mountain stands still on the top of the long and dark ranges, holy and sublime. All around me, long and narrow Buddhist flags flutter everywhere, wreathed in smoke. The secular world’s respect to the divine world was shown in the hinterland of the Hengduan Mountains and along the Lancang River on the border of Yunnan and Tibet, which makes us excited.
    In ancient Chinese maps, this snowy mountain is called “Meili”. However in the Tibetan language, it is called “Kawagarbo,” which means “the steep and grand snowy peak in the river valley.”
    There are sacred mountains everywhere in the Tibetan region. The villages have their sacred mountains while a community also has its own. However, it is said that there are eight sacred mountains that are recognized throughout the Tibetan region. I donÕt know exactly which mountains they are, since different people tell me different names. But one thing is certain: Compared to the Himalayas and Gangrin Poche, Kawagarbo has the lowest latitude and altitude, and is also the one provoking the most heated debates in mountaineering circles.
    In the eyes of explorers, the idea that nothing is impossible has been challenged by the dignity of culture at the foot of the sacred mountain of Kawagarbo.