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Part II Day 1 - Taking in the Beauty of Potala Palace
Last update: 30 October 2010 9:22AM (GMT+08:00)
Reported by Sherwin Ng.
Part 2: Tibet Day 1
Entering the Potala Palace is not an easy task.
Tour groups are required to enter through the East gate, where all water, liquid, and oxygen cans are prohibited. You have to go through a scanner just like in the airport. Having passed that, another security gate awaits further up.
The trek will not kill anyone, but the absence of our water bottles and oxygen tanks make everyone tire and out of breath easily. You need to walk as if you are underwater, climbing up the flights and flights of steps. Then, you reach the third guard gates. Thankfully for us, the landforms were evidently clear even before you reach the top.
From behind, the Chastity Dragon vein enters from Hai (亥), the direction of the Heavenly Emperor star. Look right across from that you will see another Chastity Star opening its canopy to release a vein from Si (巳) - the direction of the Heavenly Screen. Both these stars together belong to the 'Emperor's Bright Hall' constellation. And if the name didn't already tip you off - this formation creates emperors.
Where's the emperor, you ask? The Dalai Lama, of course. Furthermore, Tibetan Buddhism as a religion itself is a powerful presence in the world today. At the Southwest direction, patiently sits a Sky Horse star - at this location, the Entering Earth Eye classics call this the 'Prime Minister Horse', supporting the emperor in the Northwest.
Potala Palace itself sits on a little hill, which is in fact, the Meridian Star from the Northwest Dragon. Right in front of it is a special Table Mountain - the 'Five Stars Prostrating'. If you look closely, you will see that this mountain actually contains all Five Elements - Huge Door, Greedy Wolf, Military Arts, Literary Arts, and Chastity! Master of the Five Elements indeed.
As to why the current Dalai Lama had to travel out from his palace - the direction of the Chastity Star opening canopy at the Si (巳) clashes with his BaZi.
Fire Dragon Opening Canopy
Halfway down the Potala Palace, Joey spots a temple directly under the Si (巳) canopy opening. Deciding that the place would be worth a Feng Shui visit, we decided to change our after-lunch destination to this place - Pharongkha temple - instead of the intended Summer Palace of the Dalai Lama.
A nicely tarred road allowed our bus to climb up the steep ascent. That was great, if not we would all have to walk all the way up - and in this low oxygen altitude and searing sun. Once the bus got us at the temple, we still had to hike (slowly) all the way behind to where the vein was. Higher up, under the blazing sun, you could see the vein stopping to form a sunken meridian spot. When measured out towards the opposite Table Mountain, you will find the Goat direction - Wei (未), a Graveyard direction, signature of many powerful spiritual sites. Interestingly, the Water Mouth for this entire structure is guarded by a Shimmering Star within the Left Embrace.
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This shimmering star is a large white boulder, which later we discovered, had a cave inside it, thanks to our Tibetan student Gyatso. This was a very famous cave to the Tibetans, as 1500 years ago the emperor and his two queens meditated in this cave. Subsequently, rock formations of certain Buddhas appeared inside this cave (yes, we saw them with our own eyes!)
Of course, there is a Feng Shui explanation as to why this phenomenon occurred. The white boulder sits along the path of the meridian vein, and in fact - the cave itself is the spot. Hence the purity of the Qi here caused these wonderful phenomena to occur.
Want to guess the facing direction of this cave? No prizes for guessing Wei (未) Goat, the most spiritual of all four graveyards. Due to the Fire Stars in the vicinity, and the Qi Mouth at South 2, Horse, many other mystical rock formations can be found around here, and temples are built around these discoveries. After all, Horse and Goat together are known as 'Sun and Moon', another indication of spiritual awareness.
An unassuming hut sat along the path of the Dragon vein as well. But this was no ordinary hut, according to Gyatso. A long time ago, Lama Tsongkapa, the founder of the Yellow Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism, first observed his initiation of the 8 Buddhist Precepts in this very hut. Coincidence? Doubtfully.
And yes - it also faces Wei (未).
Reported by Sherwin Ng.
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