Nine Dragon Heads

Nine Dragon Heads makes an attempt and stimulation to leave better heritage in the future from the environmental and spiritual viewpoint.  Human beings have repeated evelopment with enormous domination and control about environment. There is no doubt that human beings are superior in every respect.  

Ultimately if we are asked a question when the mankind will disappear, we may answer "the day will not be far distant." No matter how peculiar men may be, we must deeply realize that men are also the product of appropriate environment and the part of huge nature.

Can men lead a life with understanding and respect about the world of nature?

Can men maintain a life peacefully and fairly for the long survival of mankind?

What decide this future of human is the mutual relation between human and human, human and circumstances.

NINE DRAGON HEADS changes close-minded 'I' into open-minded 'I' and urges to reconsider equilibrium relation between human and environment through the art holding in common human's infinite imagination, experience, and ideas.

NINE DRAGON HEADS expects to have a new understanding of human nature and world through the art as long as men. We anticipate that we can leave healthier environment-the heritage of future-to posterity through the curable function of art.

Open Air Symposium

Period: 3rd ~19th. August

Venue : Yunnan – Tibet - Nepal

Responsible for their own art works (Video, Drawing, Installation,Performance...etc) and can choose the working area freely during on journey ( 3^rd~19^th. August ). Artist might works impromptu at the Trail Trip because In the circumstances it would be difficult to find enough time to prepare work

Selecting List

Bernhard Gerber(CH),  Charlotte Parallel (NZ). Christophe Doucet(FR), Daniela de Maddalena(CH), Denizhan Ozer(TK), Felix Pedersen (DK), Fredi Luedi (CH), Gabriel Adams (USA) , Helen Lykke-Moeller (DK), Henrik Broch-Lips (DK),  Kam Yeon Hee (KR), Kelli Sharp (AU),  Lee Byeong Wook & OULIM (KR),  Pang Hyo Sung (KR),  Park Byoung Uk (KR),  Steen Rasmussen (DK), Susanne Muller (CH).  Yoko Kajio (JP/AU), Yoo Joung Hye (KR),

Conference

Period:  17th. August

Venue : National Museum ( Kathmandu. NEPAL )

Presentation on Topic of Nomadic Party 2

Available Equipmet : Internet WIBRO . Beam Projector

Document Show & Artist Talk

Period:  3rd, Sept

Venue :  ARKO Artist House ( Seoul, KOREA )

Artists to make Document Show & Presentations on their work (approx 10mins each) and free talk

Available Equipmet : Internet WIBRO . Beam Projector

Performance

Period: 4th ~ 18th . August

Venue : Druing the Tirp / Nepal National Museum

Main Sites Along The Route

Ancient Tea-Horse Road

According to Tibetan classics, people of the Tibetan. Ethnic group in western Sichuan Province and northwestern Yunnan Province had access to famous types of tea from the Central Plains during the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279), people of Yunnan and Sichuan provinces exchanged tea for Tibetan horses.On one hand, the effects of tea in promoting digestion and eliminating grease from eating too much meat lured many Tibetans. Not only the nobles, but also the general populace took delight in drinking tea. On the other hand, horses were also very important for the Han people. The result was the flourishing of the tea-horse trade. Is most favored by the Tibetan people. Since the butter tea made

P u-erh tea is highly esteemed both in taste and color, it was named after its producing area -- Pu-erh County in Yunnan Province, which is one of the cradles of China's "tea culture". During the Tang Dynasty, Pu-erh tea was grown in areas flanking the Lancang River. It was described as having a bitter taste at first, then sweet.Inorder to preserve Pu-erh tea and to facilitate its trade with merchants travelling the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, a method was developed which led to the steaming of Pu-erh Tea and then compressing it into various shapes - usually a type of bowl shape or a "brick". This type of tea is known as Tuocha Tea. The word Tuocha sometimes spelled "Tuo Cha", or "Tuo Tea", the meaning is block of tea. Tuocha Tea can also be known by different names such as "beeng cha" (or "bing cha" or "ping cha"), and "fang cha". These names simply refer to the type of shape into which the Tuocha Tea is pressed - eg bing cha is "biscuit shaped" and fang cha is "square shaped".

During the World War II, when Myanmar fell into the hands of the Japanese, the Yunnan-Myanmar Highway -- then China's only international thoroughfare -- was cut off. The Ancient Tea-Horse Road, extending from Lijiang in Yunnan, to Kangding in Xikang, and then to Tibet and even further into India, was revived and became a major trade route. With the opening of the Yunnan-Tibetan and Sichuan-Tibetan highways in the 1960s, the road declined. Some sections of the famous road, however, are still used for transport purposes. Today, the road comes to the fore again with the development of tourism in Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, as well as in the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

The road passes through subtropical forests and picturesque lakes and turbulent rivers, such as Lancang, Nujiang, Minjiang and Yarlung Zangbo. Heading west from the Hengduan Mountains, one has to cross many peaks -- each towering 4,000-5,000 meters above sea level. But tea and horses have blazed a trail despite the challenges posed by mountains and forests. Roads devoted to the tea-horse trade linked ethnic groups living in areas near the roads, making them members of the great Chinese nation.

Six major routes

Chinese expert researching the Ancient Tea-Horse Road recently found a complete map of the road drawn more than 150 years ago by a French missionary. The map reveals that the road traversed a series of towering mountains, with rivers flowing in between from south to the north. Roughly speaking, there were 6 main routes:

Route One:
Begins in Xishuangbanna and Simao, home of Pu-erh tea via Kunming to other Province in China into Beijing.

Route Two:
Begins in Pu-erh (via Simao, Jinhong, Menghai to Daluo) in Yunnan Province into Burma, then from Burma into Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Hongkong.

Route Three:
Begins in Pu-erh via Lijiang, TigerLeaping Gorge into Tibet, then from Lhasa into Nepal and India.

Route Four:
Begins in Pu-erh via Jiangcheng in Yunnan into Vietman, then from Vietman into Tibet and Europe.

Route Five:
Begins in Pu-erh via Simao, Lanchang, Menglian in Yunnan into Burma.

Route Six:
Begins in Pu-erh via Mengla in Yunnan into Burma. Tens of thousands of traveling horses and yaks created a definite path with their hoofs on the once-indiscernible road. Today, although even such traces of the ancient road are fading away, its cultural and historic values remain.

Nine Dragon HeadsTrip Overview

Route 3 :  Lijiang -TigerLeaping Gorge –Shangrila –Yanjing –Lhasa –Himalaya base camp—Kathmandu

Beginning in the 10^th century AD, a vibrant trade route linked China, India and Burma, crossing a landscape as diverse as the traders who followed it. As these traders stopped at outposts along their route, they exchanged not only commercial goods, but also cultural traditions. In southwest China’s Yunnan province, this route, which was called the Tea and Horse Caravan Trail, transported blocks of tea from Sichuan and Yunnan to trade for horses bred in Tibet. Traces of Tibetan, Indian and Burmese cultural influences can still be found in this area. On this journey, we retrace a portion of the fabled Ancient Tea & Horse Caravan Trail, which, though no longer in use, still retains many of its historical remnants, villages and local ethnic minority communities. Incorporating parts of our classic Yunnan trip, South of the Clouds, this journey immerses travelers in the rural areas of the Caravan Trail. we pass through rolling hills and pine forests, visiting mythic 1,200-year-old grottoes, which trace back to the very beginnings of Buddhism in China, and an ancient trading post. We also follow the same paths used by 10^th century merchants to a former salt mine and key stop for the caravans, all the while dining and staying with local Bai ethnic minority villagers.

Yunnan

Yunnan—which literally means “South of the Clouds” due to its location just south of the lofty Tibet-Qinghai Plateau—is home to some of the most diverse cultures, ecology, and terrain in China. With verdant low-lying valleys, spectacular white-capped mountains, rustic towns and villages, and a lively mix of ethnic minority communities, Yunnan has long inspired poets and travelers.  On this journey, explore Yunnan’s diversity and classic sights, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lijiang. Navigate through villages and meet Bai, Naxi, and Tibetan ethnic minority communities. We visit an ancient trading post along the Tea & Horse Caravan Trail; explore the region's botanic and geological wonders at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; and conclude in Shangri-La, where we witness the fascinating and deeply spiritual Tibetan world.

Lijiang The world famous Old Town of Lijiang is located in Lijiang City. It is a UNESCO Heritage Site. The town has a history going back more than 800 years and was once a confluence for trade along the old tea horse road. The Lijiang old town is famous for its orderly system of waterways and bridges. The old town of Lijiang differs from other ancient Chinese cities in architecture, history and the culture of its traditional residents the Nakhi people, therefore people there are called pàng jīn gē, pàng jīn mèi, male and female respectively.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is a canyon on the Yangtze River – locally called the Golden Sands River – located 60 km north of Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China. It is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site. Around 15 km in length, the gorge is located where the river passes between 5,596 metre Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and 5,396 m Haba Xueshan in a series of rapids under steep 2000 metre cliffs. Legend says that in order to escape from a hunter, a tiger jumped across the river at the narrowest point (still 25 metres wide), hence the name. Administratively, the river in this area forms the border between Yulong Naxi Autonomous County of Lijiang City and Shangri-La County of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.

Tiger Leaping Gorge is a contender for the world's deepest river canyon, depending on the exact definition used. The inhabitants of the gorge are primarily the indigenous Naxi people, who live in a handful of small hamlets.

Tibet

Tibet (Tibetan) is a plateau region in Asia, north of the Himalayas. It is home to the indigenous Tibetan people, and to some other ethnic groups such as Monpas and Lhobas, and is inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people. Tibet is the highest region on earth, with an average elevation of 4,900 metres (16,000 ft). It is sometimes referred to as the roof of the world . During Tibet's history, starting from the 7th century, it has existed as a unified empire and as a region of separate self-governing territories, vassal states, and Chinese provinces. In the interregnums, various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, secular nobles, and foreign rulers have vied for power in Tibet. The latest religious struggle marked the ascendancy of the Dalai Lamas to power in western Tibet in the 17th century, though his rule was often merely nominal with real power resting in the hands of various regents and viceroys. Today, most of cultural Tibet is ruled as autonomous areas in the People's Republic of China.

Shangri-La is a primarily Tibetan county in northwestern Yunnan Province in southwest China and the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture  The county was formerly called Zhongdian County (Chinese: Zhōngdiàn Xiàn) but was renamed in 2001 after the fictional land of Shangri-La in the 1933 James Hilton novel Lost Horizon, in an effort to promote tourism in the area. The local Tibetan population refers to it by the name Gyalthang (Tibetan) . "Shangri-La" or "Zhongdian" may also refer to Jiantang Town (Jiàntáng Zhèn), the capital of the county

Yan Jing The Salt Well and Salt Fields in the Himalaya - The Mekong River Valley -

The village of Yanjing was the first stop on the ancient Tea Leaf Trail from Southwest Yunnan to Lhasa.

The population of the area is mostly Naxi, a tribe with an assimilated Tibetan lifestyle but old individual traditons and rites. In a narrow upstream valley of the Mekong / Lancang River, there is a well deep into the earth, right beside the river, where salt water can be scooped out. The water is carried to a set of man-made platforms, like rice terrace fields, spread out to dry in the wind and sunshine and the salt is then used as merchandise in the barter trade along the narrow valleys of this Himalaya Area, all the way toward Lhasa. The use of horses from Tibet, the only way of transporting commodities locally, ads to the attractiveness of the rugged scenery.

After the rainy season, the platforms nearest to the river are usually destroyed by the flood waters and have to be rebuilt. The well has a high wall around to protect it from the floodwaters of the river. Its salty content is proof of the emergence of Himalaya Mountains from the seabed many many many thousand years ago.
The hard labour of the salt fields is carried out by the womanfolk, since the men are mostly out in the trading caravans. One woman is married to all the brothers of a family. The woman's work of carrying the water and salt packages is very hard. Sometimes they even collect salt from "icicles" that form below the platforms. This is the most purest salt they have and used for religious ceremonies. Yet these people are very very poor and some can not even afford special cloths for their own wedding ceremony.

Lhasa is the administrative capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China and the second most populous city on the Tibetan Plateau, after Xining. At an altitude of 3,490 metres (11,450 ft), Lhasa is one of the highest cities in the world. It contains many culturally significant Tibetan Buddhist sites such as the Jokhang, Potala and Norbulingka palaces. Lhasa is part of a township-level prefecture, the Lhasa Prefecture, consisting of 7 small counties: Lhünzhub County, Damxung County, Nyêmo County, Qüxü County, Doilungdêqên County, Dagzê County and Maizhokunggar County. Lhasa literally means "place of the gods", although ancient Tibetan documents and inscriptions demonstrate that the place was called Rasa, which means "goat's place", until the early 7th centry

Nepal

Nepal officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by

the Republic of India. With an area of 147,181 square kilometres (56,827 sq mi) and a population of approximately 30 million, Nepal is the world's 93rd largest country by land mass^[ and the 41st most populous country. Kathmandu is the nation's capital and the country's largest metropolis. Nepal has a rich geography. The mountainous north has eight of the world's ten tallest mountains, including the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest, called Sagarmatha in Nepali. It contains more than 240 peaks over 20,000 ft (6,096 m) above sea level. The fertile and humid south is heavily urbanized. By some measures, Hinduism is practised by a larger majority of people in Nepal than in any other nation. Buddhism, though a minority faith in the country, is linked historically with Nepal as the birthplace of the Buddha. There are 3 different buddhist traditions: Himalayan Buddhism, Buddhism of Kathmandu Valley (mostly Mahayana and Vajrayana), and also the Theravada Buddhism.

Himalaya Range (Sanskrit: literally, "abode of snow", Hindi/Sanskrit ) the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. By extension, it is also the name of a massive mountain system that includes the Karakoram, the Hindu Kush, and other, lesser, ranges that extend out from the Pamir Knot. Together, the Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest, and home to the world's highest peaks, the Eight-thousanders, which include Mount Everest and K2. To comprehend the enormous scale of this mountain range, consider that Aconcagua, in the Andes, at 6,962 metres (22,841 ft) is the highest peak outside Asia, whereas the Himalayan system includes over 100 mountains exceeding 7,200 m (23,622 ft) Some of the world's major rivers, the Ganges, Indus, Brahmaputra, Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Red River (Asia), Xunjiang, Chao Phraya, Irrawaddy River, Amu Darya, Syr Darya, Tarim River and Yellow River, rise in the Himalayas, and their combined drainage basin is home to some 3 billion people (almost half of Earth's population) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, People's Republic of China, India, Nepal, Burma, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Malaysia and Pakistan.

Kodari, The town of Kodari lies on the Nepal-China border. Besides being a place of interesting and unique natural beauty, it has an important historical background tracing back to ancient times. For those who are planning to travel from Nepal to China (or vice versa) by heading through Kodari, you will become a part of history. Kodari was originally a base point for the trans-Himalayan caravan route or what some people describe as the Nepali version of the Silk Road. Merchants who were bound for Lhasa would have to pass through here then would proceed to head north from Kodari and cross the Kuti pass before turning east to begin the perilous journey over the Tibetan plateau. Today, this border village is still an important trading center between China (Tibet) and Nepal. The 144 kilometer Arniko Highway connecting Kathmandu with Kodari is not just a useful path but it is also very beautiful. The route passes through magnificent river gorges and splendid mountain scenery.
Three kilometers short of Kodari is one of the famous hot water springs called Tatopani (tato= hot and pani=water). People travel here from all over Nepal to rest their tired bodies in the hot water for its therapeutic value and also for the relaxing atmosphere.

Himalaya Base Camp - one of the most beautiful places in the world – the small town of Tingry –where we got a first good look at the highest mountain range in the world, and got to see the brightest stars ever.

There are two major way to start the Expedition, the one way, you must fly to beautiful & traditional city Lhasa & another way you must drive from KTM via Zangmu/Nylam, tingry & base camp(5200m). The visit to Lhasa, the overland journey across the Tibetan Plateau, the trek in the footsteps of Mallory and a climb with awesome views of Everest, are the ingredients of a very special expedition. It will also give a life-long impression of Tibet and its people and an insight and deep respect for the achievements of the early Everest pioneers.

Kathmandu is the capital and largest metropolitan city of Nepal. The city is the urban core of the Kathmandu Valley in the Himalayas, which also contains two sister cities namely Patan or Lalitpur, 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) to its southeast (an ancient city of fine arts and crafts) and Bhaktapur, 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) to its east (city of devotees).Kathmandu is not only the capital of the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal but also the headquarters of the Central Region (Madhyamanchal) among the five development regions constituted by the 14 administrative zones of Nepal located at the central part of the country. The Central region has three zones namely, Bagmati, Narayani and Janakpur. Kathmandu is located in the Bagmati Zone.

The city’s rich history is nearly 2000 years old, as inferred from an inscription in the valley. Its religious affiliations are dominantly Hindu followed by Buddhism. People of other religious beliefs also live in Kathmandu giving it a cosmopolitan culture. Kathmandu is now the premier cultural and economic hub of Nepal and is considered to have the most advanced infrastructure among urban areas in Nepal. From the point of view of tourism, economy and cultural heritage, the sister cities of Patan(lalitpur) and Bhaktapur are integral to Kathmandu. Even the cultural heritage recognition under the World Heritage list of the UNESCO has recognized all the monuments in the three urban agglomerates as one unit under the title “Kathmandu Valley-UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Details Schedules

August

2^nd ~3^rd

Arrival on Kunming Airport (Yunnan. China)

Guide meeting / Hotel Room Arragement - Fu Sheng Garden Hotel www.fshyhotel.com

4^th

09:00~ Check Out

11:00~ Flight to Jijiang …by China Airline

12:00~ Arrival Jijiang ( Hotel-Room arrangement )

14:00~ Survey to Ancient Castle, Jade Dragon Mountains,

5^th

09:00~ Chech Out / Go to Tiger Leaping Gorge-….by BUS 

12:00~ Arrival “Sang-Kyodujin” ( Front of Tiger Leaping Gorge )

15:00~ Survey ( 2 Hours )

17:00~ Hotel Room Arragement

6th

09:00~ Check Out / Go to Shangri-la….by BUS

11:00~ Survey to Ancient Castle & Visit JangJok Village….by Horse Ridding

15:00~ Go to Deqin …by BUS  / Sun Set at Meri Snow Mountain

17:00~ Hotel Room Arrangement

7^th

07:00~ Breakfast with Sun-Rise at Meri Snow Montain

09:00~ Cheak Out / Go to Yan Jing ..by Jeep

12:00~ Arrival at Yan Jing ( Solt Farm)

15:00~ Survey ( 2 Hours )

17:00~ Hot Spring ( Room Arrangement)

8th

09:00~ Check Out

10:00~ Survey ( 2 Hours ) Solt Farm

14:00~ Go to Mangkang – ..by Jeep

17:00~ Arrival Zogang / Hotel ( Room Arrangement)

9^th

09:00~ Check Out

Zogang- Basu- Rawu…..by Jeep

17:00~ Arrival at Rawu Lake ( Wacheon Village- Hotel Room Arrangement )

10^th

09:00~ Check Out / Go to Poumi -..by Jeep

10:00~ Survey ( 2 Hours )

17:00~ Arrival Peijin / Hotel Room Arrangement

11^th

09:00~ Check Out

10:00~ Go to Lhasa ..by Jeep  

14:00~ Survey ( 2 Hours )

17:00~ Arrival Lhasa / Hotel Room Arrangement

12^th

09:00~ Survey

Potala Palace, Jo Kang Temple, Sera Temple....Market etc

13^th

09:00~ Check Out

10:00~ Go to Shigatse by Jeep

11:00~ Survey to Temple , Lake.

17:00~ Arrival Shigatse / Hotel Room Arrangement

14^th

09:00~ Check Out

10:00~ Go to Tingri …by Jeep

11:00~ Survey to Temple, Market.

17:00~ Arrival Tingri / Hotel Room Arrangement

15^th

09:00~ Check Out / Go to Himalaya Base Camp …by Jeep

15:00~ Treking ( 1 Hour )

17:00~ Back to Tingri

16^th

09:00~ Check out / Go to Kodari ( border ) ….by Jeep .

13:00~ Room Arrangement

           Relax ( Equarizing for Altitude )

17^th

08:00~ Check Out / Go to Kathmandu …By BUS

12:00~ Arrival at Kathmandu / Hotel Room Arrangement.

07:00~ Survey to Palaces, Temples, Market ..etc

18^th

09:00~ Set Up

18:00~ Conference (at National Musem. Napal )

22:00~ Farewell Party

19^th

Individual Departure

Video Link :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSveCk7ZPmA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rgc0TF0aj_M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7LcYhJ9G8c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoothAtha5g

http://www.tagstory.com/video/video_post.aspx?media_id=V000166964