Journey's End (Frameless Print)

Yading Valley, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: In the two years I spent making a documentary with the Mosuo, China’s last matriarchal society, I was both witness and participant in the social happenings that typically mark the course of the year of village life– plantings and harvests, weddings and births, and even the odd funeral.

But it was while in attendance at the funeral of a young man who had died an untimely death that I witnessed the "daba”, Mosuo shamans who chanted and encouraged the spirit of the young man to undertake a journey that all spirits must take. They chanted without break an entire day-and-night, in hopes that his spirit would hear their cries and leave his home for the road. 

According to Mosuo oral tradition, when someone passes away, their spirit must embark on a journey to the place of their ancestors. The path to this sacred location can be treacherous, and the spirits of the departed must overcome formidable obstacles to reach the valley where their ancestors reside. For those who make it, there in the valley will their spirit find peace and repose for eternity. I asked the daba if this valley of the ancestors was a real location. To my surprise, they happily disclosed that it was the valley of Yading, nestled in the shadow of the three holy mountains of Chenrézig, Chanadorje, and Jampayang.

Years after, when I was in-between work, I found an opportunity to visit the valley. High up on the Tibetan plateau, it had since become a tourist destination, sought after for its pristine views and its crisp air. Even so, much of it was as I imagined. In the still of a cool October afternoon, I sat down and watched a horse grazing in the shadow of the towering mountains. A stream trickled nearby, the passage of water over rock sounded like the giggling of children and women. The sun glowed behind a single cloud, a gentle wind descended into the valley, and I wondered if that young man’s spirit found the peace he was denied in life. 

About this print:
Designed for frameless presentation. Gicleé inks on museum-grade, 0.43mm, 100% premium cotton archival paper. Mounted on 1/16 inch, ultra-thick matte board for rigidity. Acid free. Smooth-matte surface provides a beautiful organic texture and excellent viewing from any angle.

Note:
A 0.4 inch, white border runs along the perimeter of the image. Does not come framed.