Animaqingxueshan Legend
01 · Historical Records
The Anye Maqen myth has a very ancient origin. According to the Gadam Book, the Record of the Tibetan Royal Lineage and the Dunhuang Tibetan Historical Documents, from the rise of Bon under the first Tibetan king Nyatri Tsenpo, Anye Maqen was called Manian Bora and given a divine colour, that is, the day Bon arose was the time the Anye Maqen myth and legend originated. The influence of Anye Maqen mountain relies on the spread of its myth and legend and its religious worship, spreading to all Tibetan areas of the country and to Australia, America, India and Italy; from May to September each year believers from all over the world flock to the sacred mountain to worship.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Anye Maqen mountain, called Maqen Gangri in Tibetan, is six thousand two hundred and eighty-two metres above sea level, a spur of the Kunlun mountains, in the north-west of Maqin county of the Golog Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai. The mountain is lofty and magnificent, its ice peaks towering and its scenery splendid. In the eyes of the Tibetan people Anye Maqen is one of the twenty-one sacred snow mountains of the snow-land Tibetan area, one of the nine venerable sacred mountains of the world, one of the nine creation deities, and also the soul mountain of the Bodhisattva Guanyin and the death-soul deity of the protector of the snow-land Tibetan area and of King Gesar. Anye Maqen literally means the great ancestral Ma deity. The content of the Anye Maqen myth is mainly the personification of the mountain, appearing as a hero, benefiting the people and removing evil to do good. It is said that the Anye Maqen mountain deity wears a hat with a red tassel, a silver coat of mail, rides a jade dragon white horse, holds a spear in his right hand, a banner in his left, hangs a precious sword at his waist and carries a bow and arrows. By day he patrols the void and the human world, making clouds and rain and sending thunder and lightning, bringing good fortune or disaster, rewarding and punishing men and gods and watching enemies. As the great mountain deity of the Yellow river basin, the Maqen mountain deity has a vast spirit kingdom and a powerful military group, like a secular ruler; the Maqen mountain deity is the supreme head of this kingdom, called the great king and great chief.
The Legend of the Maqen Mountain Deity's Image
The legend of the mountain deity in silver mail riding a jade dragon white horse and patrolling the void by day.
The Legend of the Spirit Kingdom and Military Group
The legend of the Maqen mountain deity as the supreme head of a kingdom with a vast spirit realm.
The Custom of Worshipping the Sacred Mountain
The custom in which believers flock to the sacred mountain to worship from May to September each year.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
As the great mountain deity of the Yellow river basin, the Maqen mountain deity has a vast spirit kingdom and a powerful military group, like a secular ruler; the Maqen mountain deity is the supreme head of this kingdom, called the great king and great chief, and he also has a consort, princesses, sons, ministers, generals and countless soldiers.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
He governs the life and death, fortune and misfortune of the people of the north-eastern Qinghai-Tibet plateau and rules all the mountain deities and demons and monsters of the north-eastern plateau, protecting the people's safety. The sacred mountain holds a deep deposit of Tibetan culture and has rich cultural and artistic value.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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