Ascend the Nine-Story Pagoda and Overlook the Soulful Sanctuary of Gannan

📍Address: Mirarepa Pagoda, Anduo Hezuo Monastery. Located at the intersection of Na'wu Road and Tieba Road, Hezuo City, Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province, 3 km from the city center. 🚗Transportation: From Lanzhou, it's about a 2.5-hour drive, entirely on expressways and provincial roads. There is a parking lot at the entrance to the pagoda (CNY 5/visit). By public transport, take bus No. 1 from Hezuo Bus Station to "Pagoda Station," or a 10-minute taxi ride. Chartered car or group tour recommendation: If you are traveling the Gannan loop (e.g., Labrang Monastery, Zhagana), chartering a car is recommended. 👍️Must-see attractions: 1. Architectural aesthetics: The 40m-high, red, Tibetan-style, nine-story pagoda with its gleaming golden roof is one of only two such structures in Tibet. 2. Interior highlights: The Jampa Buddha Hall (first floor) houses a Tibetan Maitreya Buddha, majestic and solemn, flanked by statues of historical figures such as Songtsen Gampo and Princess Wencheng. The Tantric floors (sixth to eighth floors) feature rare statues of wrathful Dharma protectors such as Hayagriva, showcasing Tibetan esoteric Buddhism's philosophy of using desire to control desire. The rooftop mandala (ninth floor), a three-dimensional mural symbolizing the Buddhist cosmos, is open only to those with karmic connections. 3. Cultural fusion: The four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism (Gelug, Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu) are enshrined together in the pagoda, making it a "museum of sects." 🎟️Tickets: CNY 20/person (only the interior of the pagoda requires a ticket). Opening hours: 08:00–18:00, subject to change during the off-season. Taboos: Remove shoes before entering, no photography, do not point at Buddha statues, and women should avoid short skirts. 💗Other tips: Milarepa led a legendary life. Persecuted by his family in his youth, he practiced Bon religion for revenge. Later, he converted to Buddhism and practiced austerities for nine years on Mount Kailash, using "tummo" (inner heat) to ward off the cold and transmit teachings. He became the only master in the history of Tibetan Buddhism to spread the Dharma through song. The pagoda was originally built in 1777, destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, and rebuilt in 1988 according to ancient methods, taking four years to restore its former glory.