30 degrees north of the equator: The mysterious chain that circles the Earth

Author: Xu Fan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: During this journey, we will encounter the pyramids on the Giza desert in Egypt, along with the Sphinx, the lion-bodied human-headed statue that has always stood beside them. We will awaken pharaohs or princesses who have been asleep for thousands of years, listening to them recount the stories of early human civilization, half-buried and half-revealed in the sands. We will interpret the myths of "half human, half lion" and explore how lifeless stones came to be the face of a lion. We will also step into the Indian subcontinent, transcending life and death, and witness the incredible Indian yoga practices that touch upon the inevitable yet often avoided topic of death in our lives. After searching for a long time in the sacred Tibet, high enough to make breathing difficult and blue enough to confuse the senses, we will encounter the giant Leshan Buddha, which embodies the saying, "Mountains are Buddhas, and Buddhas are mountains." We will also visit the Leshan Giant Buddha, located in the heart of the giant Buddha, symbolizing the idea that "the mind is the Buddha." Additionally, we will explore the Taoist sacred site of Wudang Mountain, the "mountain of immortals and Buddha land" Mount Emei, the "lotus Buddha land" Mount Jiuhua, and the "sea and sky Buddha land" Mount Putuo. The 30th parallel north not onlys sacred sites of Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity but alsos the sacred Taoist and Buddhist sites of China on such a large scale. It is as if a sudden blow awakens us from our bewildered lives, and in the moment our eyes "sparkle with gold," our illusions vanish.
Furthermore, natural mysteries or cultural enigmas that "ring in a chain" along the 30th parallel north, such as the Sanxingdui and the geode pit in Sichuan, the Huashan maze in Anhui, the "Devil's Triangle" in Poyang Lake in Jiangxi, and the Qiantang River tide in Zhejiang, will leave us marveling at the mysteries of nature and the power of civilization, triggering our questions about life. Along the 30th parallel north, we will also encounter the "Devil's Sea" in Japan, the Mayan and Inca civilizations that seem to have come and gone without a trace, the Bermuda Triangle, the lost continent of Atlantis, the lively Easter Island, the of love, the Stonehenge standing like a question mark in the wilderness, the Mediterranean that cannot be unveiled, the mysterious murals in the heart of the Sahara Desert, and the nearly identical flood legends that have spread across many parts of the world. Finally, we will explore the Noah's Ark, which has been said to have saved humanity and has captivated our souls for thousands of years.
Near this parallel, the world's major rivers—such as the Nile, the Tigris and Euphrates, the Yangtze, and the Mississippi—all seem to have agreed to flow into the sea at the same latitude. There are countless other wonders and marvels along this line. It can be said that the 30th parallel north is a mysterious line on Earth, a miracle jointly created by nature and the ancestors of humanity, one that brings long-standing pain and unease. Only by believing in miracles—because the reason miracles are miracles is that we lack imagination and creativity—can we deepen our understanding of them. With sufficient cultural heritage, we can discover miracles in the world, thus finding long-lasting comfort for our souls. The truth tells us that a person who doubts everything may suddenly believe everything. Only by believing in miracles can we create those miracles we have long dreamed of.