Lurong Jichen is a Thangka painter based in Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, and he also won quite a few awards such as the golden award for Chinese arts and crafts at the International Fine Art Exhibition.

Seeing the lack of supply for pilgrims and tourists in some parts of the Meili Snow Mountain, Lurong raised money and set up a service station in 2015, supplying passers-by with butter tea, roasted barley flour and biscuits.

In 2019, Lurong moved the supply station to Dakang Lasa. With 4,000-meter elevation, the new place is around 100 km away from the Chalitong bridge.

“At this no-man's land, lack of supplies to the pilgrims or tourists is deadly at times. It is harsher for us to serve them at a higher spot, but the bigger the altitude is, the more they need help.” Lurong said.

Various shops making butter tea and roasted barley flour in the area have joined hands with Lurong in supplying the pilgrims. Lurong paid the shop owners by cash.

"I will keep on running the supply station until the good roads and decent lodges are available in the area," said Lurong.

Source: xgll.com.cn; trans-editing by Wang Shixue