Plum Blossoms at 4,415 Meters — For Master Mei Yueqiang, on His 97th Birthday

August 29. Day 8 of my journey through Tibet.

I stopped along National Highway 317 in Gaize County — elevation 4,415 meters.

Today is the birthday of Master Mei Yueqiang, the great guqin master of the Mei School. His studio was named Yiyun Zhai — "the chamber that moves clouds" — for he believed that opening the window, sitting by it, and playing the qin could make the clouds shift.

In his memory, I took out my qin and played Plum Blossoms — Mei Hua San Nong.

There is a saying about Tibet: "The air is thin, but faith runs deep."

Outside: the mountains and clouds of Ali Prefecture.

Today, I too played the qin — and moved the clouds of Ali.