On the vast plateau of Ali Prefecture in Tibet stands a sacred mountain revered by multiple religions as the “center of the world” — Mount Kailash. This snow-capped peak, standing at an elevation of 6,656 meters, captivates with its unique pyramid-like shape and has become a spiritual sanctuary across Asia and the globe due to its profound religious and cultural significance and mystical legends.
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Mount Kailash in the River of History: From the Zhangzhung Civilization to Modern Pilgrimage
The Spiritual Core of the Zhangzhung Civilization and Bon Religion
Approximately 3,500 years ago, Bon, one of the world's oldest religions, originated in the Ali region of Tibet, venerating Mount Kailash as the center of the world and the birthplace of religion. During the Zhangzhung Dynasty (approximately 10th century BCE to 7th century CE), Mount Kailash was revered as the “Nine-Layered Mountain of Yungdrung,” symbolizing the nine layers of the universe.
The birthplace of Bon religion's founder, Shenrab Miwo, “Womo Longren,” is located near Mount Kailash, making it a sacred site for Bon. During the Zhangzhung Dynasty, Mount Kailash served as the political, religious, and cultural center. In the Bon religion's cosmology, Mount Kailash is regarded as the “world axis” connecting the three realms of heaven, earth, and humanity. The Bon religion divides the universe into three realms: the upper realm is the divine realm (heaven), the middle realm is the human realm (earth), and the lower realm is the water realm (underwater). Mount Kailash resembles a cross-shaped vajra, situated at the center of the human realm, with its peak reaching the divine realm and its base extending into the Lu realm, possessing the unique function of connecting the three realms of the universe. This has established Mount Kailash's special status within Bon religion.
The Eastward Spread of Buddhism and the Changing Status of the Sacred Mountain
Over the course of history, the religious status of Mount Kailash has undergone significant changes. In the 7th century, the Tibetan Empire rose to power and unified the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and Buddhism began to spread from India to Tibet. Buddhism and Bon religion engaged in prolonged religious competition in the Mount Kailash region. By the 10th century, Buddhism had gradually established its dominant position over Mount Kailash through a series of religious activities and mythological constructions.
Modern Tibetan Buddhism blends the cultural elements of both religions, distinguishing it from Hinduism and Chinese Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism retains many local cultural characteristics.
According to Tibetan texts, the Buddhist master Milarepa and the Bon master Naropa engaged in a famous “spiritual duel” at Mount Kailash, with Milarepa emerging victorious. This event is seen as a symbolic representation of Buddhism replacing Bon as the dominant religion at Mount Kailash. The outcome of this religious competition not only altered the religious attributes of Mount Kailash but also profoundly influenced the religious landscape of the entire Tibetan region.
A Modern Sacred Site Where Multiple Religions Coexist
Over time, Mount Kailash has gradually become a sacred site revered by multiple religions. Today, Mount Kailash is unanimously recognized by the four major religions—Bon, Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism—as the “center of the world.” This cross-religious and cross-cultural recognition has made Mount Kailash a unique spiritual sanctuary in Asia and even the world.
Geographically, Mount Kailash is located within the Ba Ga Town of Pulan County, Tibet Autonomous Region, China. To its south lie the sacred lakes of Mapam Yumco and La'ang Co, while its northern slopes mark the source of the Shiquan River, the upper reaches of the Indus River. The majestic scenery and unique geographical location of this sacred mountain have made it a spiritual bond connecting neighboring nations.
The Natural Wonders of Mount Kailash: Geological Structure and Climatic Characteristics
Unique Geological Structure and Formation Process
The peak we commonly refer to as Mount Kailash is the main peak of the Gangdise Mountains, located in the western part of the Gangdise Mountain Range, facing the Namcha Barwa Peak of the Himalayas to the south.
From a geological perspective, the formation of Mount Kailash was a long and complex process. Collision began approximately 65 million years ago during the mid-Cretaceous period and continued until around 5,500 years ago. Following the collision, the mountain began to rise. The zircon in its granodiorite has been dated to approximately 48.3 million years old, indicating that Mount Kailash was also influenced by the collision of the Eurasian continent.
The mountain structure of Mount Kailash is unique, with a hard granite base supporting nearly 2,000 meters of horizontal rock layers composed of alternating conglomerate and sandstone. Over the years, weathering and glacial erosion have shaped the rock layers into tiered steps leading to the summit, with accumulated snow and ice further emphasizing the parallel lines.
At the same time, the powerful retrogressive erosion of glaciers continuously erodes the peak and its shoulders from different directions, precisely carving each side of the mountain and every valley, giving Mount Kailash its sharp, angular appearance. This unique geological structure and erosion process have shaped Mount Kailash's distinctive pyramid-like form and layered appearance.
In the magical process of natural formation, Mount Kailash has a giant gorge extending from its summit, combined with the layered appearance of the mountain body and the snowy landscape of the peak, which resembles the Buddhist “swastika” symbol. This is also an important feature that adds a mystical aura to Mount Kailash.
Climate Characteristics and Special Meteorological Phenomena
The Ali Region, where Mount Kailash is located, belongs to the high-altitude subarctic arid climate zone and exhibits typical high-altitude climate characteristics. The region receives ample sunlight, has significant daily temperature fluctuations, and experiences relatively large annual temperature variations, with low temperatures and scarce precipitation.
According to meteorological data, the annual average temperature in the Mount Kailash region is approximately 3°C, with extreme high temperatures reaching up to 26.5°C and extreme low temperatures dropping as low as -27.5°C. The annual sunshine duration is approximately 3,153.2 hours, the annual frost period lasts 213 days, and the annual precipitation is 172.8 millimeters, with 40% of it concentrated in August.
One of the most mysterious climate phenomena of Mount Kailash is its unique snow distribution. The sunlit side of the mountain is perpetually covered in snow, while the backside remains snow-free year-round. Even if snow does cover it, it melts immediately upon exposure to sunlight, defying the conventional patterns of nature. This anomalous phenomenon adds an extra layer of mystery to Mount Kailash.
Mount Kailash and Crystal
In Sanskrit, Mount Kailash is also known as “Kelasa,” which means crystal. Although it is called the “Crystal Peak,” there are currently no crystal rough stones from Mount Kailash available on the market. Instead, some crystals are sourced from the Himalayan mountain range.
Nevertheless, as an important religious site, crystal gems are still transported to this location, or local masters are invited to bless the crystals. Due to the unique Tibetan Buddhist culture, local jewelry and accessories also differ from those in other regions, such as jewelry featuring the “Six-Syllable Mantra” or carvings representing the God of Wealth.
These unique crystal jewelry carvings serve as important mediums for absorbing good fortune, repelling negative energy, and resisting unfavorable magnetic fields.
