WOODEN TREASURES

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

China | Monday, November 7, 2011 | 5 photos

I took these photos upon my arrival in the surprisingly hidden treasure city of DEGE in the Western side of the Sichuan province, at the starting point of the Sichuan-Tibetan highway headed to Lhasa. Few people know that it is here conserved and printed the 90% of Tibetan, Buddhist and Indian holy scripture. "This bright cultural pearl is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Tibetan people living in snow realm." It is constantly circambulated by pilgrims arriving from all over the country. They follow the Ancient Tea Route, the road that from around a thousand years ago, was a trade link from Yunnan, one of the first tea-producing regions: to India via Burma; to Tibet; and to central China via Sichuan Province. In addition to tea, the mule caravans carried salt. People and horses carried heavy loads. Today they are still carrying their prayers and hope.
When I take photographs, while traveling - which is my passion - I always try to look for the hidden spirit of the place and for the story of the people which are suddenly and constantly writing it before our eyes. Thank you.