Shangri-La
Zhongdian was named officially Shangri-La in 2001. Shangri-La is a name that has worked its way into the English language. Synonymous with utopia, the word was first used in 1933, coined by the English author James Hilton in his novel Lost Horizon. Shangri-La was a fictitious paradise, characterized by towering snow-capped mountains, lush forests, vast gorges and idyllic lakes. The beautiful scenery described by Hilton made the name stick in popular memory and arouses a certain curiosity and mystery whenever it is heard. With the endless kilometers of backcountry just waiting to be discovered, this region offers unique hiking and horse trekking chances to those who get the chance to make the journey down to northern Yunnan. At an altitude of 3,200m, Shangri-La is the start of the doorstep of Tibet.
Zhongdian was named officially Shangri-La in 2001. Shangri-La is a name that has worked its way into the English language. Synonymous with utopia, the word was first used in 1933, coined by the English author James Hilton in his novel Lost Horizon. Shangri-La was a fictitious paradise, characterized by towering snow-capped mountains, lush forests, vast gorges and idyllic lakes. The beautiful scenery described by Hilton made the name stick in popular memory and arouses a certain curiosity and mystery whenever it is heard. With the endless kilometers of backcountry just waiting to be discovered, this region offers unique hiking and horse trekking chances to those who get the chance to make the journey down to northern Yunnan. At an altitude of 3,200m, Shangri-La is the start of the doorstep of Tibet.
Dukezong Ancient Town
a Tibetan town located in Shangri-la, offers sanctuary to all those seeking refuge from the busy city life. The authentic Tibetan dwellings in Dukezong, gilded prayer halls and pagodas, and lanterns of various shapes lighting the way along narrow, winding lanes are permeated with the grace as well as the mystique of antiquity that enchants visitors the moment they set foot in it. Dukezong was a key stop on the Ancient Tea-horse Road and a focal point for Han-Tibetan exchanges. It is the largest and best-preserved Tibetan city among China 147 Tibetan counties. It is also site of the largest ancient Tibetan community. There was human life in Shangri-La at the Paleolithic Age, and a tribal society inhabited it during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 BC). It was in the 7th century that the Tubo Regime conquered Deqin, and then built Dukezong. As one of the oldest towns in the region, it is also known as the 'footstep of Shangri-La'. According to Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, there is a lost city called Shambhala in the Snow Mountains, shaped like an eight-petal lotus flower. The 1.6-square-kilometer Dukezong Town is also laid out in this design. All 1,084 of its houses radiate out from Turtle Hill at the center, arranged in conformity with Tibetan Buddhist geomantic theory. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
a Tibetan town located in Shangri-la, offers sanctuary to all those seeking refuge from the busy city life. The authentic Tibetan dwellings in Dukezong, gilded prayer halls and pagodas, and lanterns of various shapes lighting the way along narrow, winding lanes are permeated with the grace as well as the mystique of antiquity that enchants visitors the moment they set foot in it. Dukezong was a key stop on the Ancient Tea-horse Road and a focal point for Han-Tibetan exchanges. It is the largest and best-preserved Tibetan city among China 147 Tibetan counties. It is also site of the largest ancient Tibetan community. There was human life in Shangri-La at the Paleolithic Age, and a tribal society inhabited it during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 BC). It was in the 7th century that the Tubo Regime conquered Deqin, and then built Dukezong. As one of the oldest towns in the region, it is also known as the 'footstep of Shangri-La'. According to Tibetan Buddhist scriptures, there is a lost city called Shambhala in the Snow Mountains, shaped like an eight-petal lotus flower. The 1.6-square-kilometer Dukezong Town is also laid out in this design. All 1,084 of its houses radiate out from Turtle Hill at the center, arranged in conformity with Tibetan Buddhist geomantic theory. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
Tortoise Hill (Guishan) Park
Built in the very center of the Old Town this monastery with the largest prayer wheel, over 80 feet high lights up the night sky like a dazzling jewel. It offers a wonderful vantage point for looking over the city. If you have about 10 friends with you, the prayer wheel which is like known you’ve ever seen can be spun but only in a clockwise direction as religious tradition dictates. In Shangri-la,local residents and tourists turn a huge prayer wheel in Dukezong ancient city of Shangri-la County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 12, 2010. The 21-meter-tall, 60-ton prayer wheel have attracted lots of people to visit. An eye-catching 24-meter (80-foot) tall golden prayer wheel sits on a hill. Though it was built recently for the sake of tourism, it has become an authentic item because local Buddhists now climb the hill to spin it to submit their prayers. You can twirl it, too, but do it only clockwise, as religious tradition dictates. more at: www.tour-yunnan.com
Built in the very center of the Old Town this monastery with the largest prayer wheel, over 80 feet high lights up the night sky like a dazzling jewel. It offers a wonderful vantage point for looking over the city. If you have about 10 friends with you, the prayer wheel which is like known you’ve ever seen can be spun but only in a clockwise direction as religious tradition dictates. In Shangri-la,local residents and tourists turn a huge prayer wheel in Dukezong ancient city of Shangri-la County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, March 12, 2010. The 21-meter-tall, 60-ton prayer wheel have attracted lots of people to visit. An eye-catching 24-meter (80-foot) tall golden prayer wheel sits on a hill. Though it was built recently for the sake of tourism, it has become an authentic item because local Buddhists now climb the hill to spin it to submit their prayers. You can twirl it, too, but do it only clockwise, as religious tradition dictates. more at: www.tour-yunnan.com
Songzanlin Monastery
is the largest Tibetan Buddhism monastery in Yunnan Province. Covering an area of 30 hectares, it looks like a mini Kumbum (Ta Er) Monastery. It is located on a mountain slope 5km from the county town of Shangri-La. Since the 5th Dalai Lama chose the site through divination in 1679, the monastery has grown into the most important community of its kind in Yunnan. Naturally, throughout its history spanning 325 years there have been ups and downs – the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), for instance, saw the lamasery almost completely destroyed - but the strong faith of the people in Shangri-La has always prevailed, and today Songzanlin once again houses more than 700 monks and lamas. Built in the style of Potala Palace in Lhasa, the magnificent monastery complex resides on top of a hill and consists of the two Zhacang and Jikang lamaseries - which take on the form of five-story Tibetan watchtowers - five gates, numerous sub-lamaseries and hundreds of rooms for the monks. Walking up the 146 steps that lead to the main prayer hall is a tiring exercise at 3,300m above sea level, but it allows you to trace mentally the pilgrimage route that generations of devout Buddhists living on the plateau take on their knees and foreheads every year. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
is the largest Tibetan Buddhism monastery in Yunnan Province. Covering an area of 30 hectares, it looks like a mini Kumbum (Ta Er) Monastery. It is located on a mountain slope 5km from the county town of Shangri-La. Since the 5th Dalai Lama chose the site through divination in 1679, the monastery has grown into the most important community of its kind in Yunnan. Naturally, throughout its history spanning 325 years there have been ups and downs – the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), for instance, saw the lamasery almost completely destroyed - but the strong faith of the people in Shangri-La has always prevailed, and today Songzanlin once again houses more than 700 monks and lamas. Built in the style of Potala Palace in Lhasa, the magnificent monastery complex resides on top of a hill and consists of the two Zhacang and Jikang lamaseries - which take on the form of five-story Tibetan watchtowers - five gates, numerous sub-lamaseries and hundreds of rooms for the monks. Walking up the 146 steps that lead to the main prayer hall is a tiring exercise at 3,300m above sea level, but it allows you to trace mentally the pilgrimage route that generations of devout Buddhists living on the plateau take on their knees and foreheads every year. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
Napahai Natural Reserve
is 3,270m above sea level and covers 660 square kilometers. It is about 8km northwest of Shangri-La town in Yunnan Province. It is both an ideal field for herdsmen and a paradise for many species of birds. This is, in the true sense, a seasonal lake. When summer comes, snow on the adjacent mountains melts and flows down into about ten rivers forming a vast lake. In the dry season, Napahai becomes a boundless green grassland - the best time for herding sheep cattle. Every Steptember the lake again turns into a temporary habitat for migratory birds, such as bar-headed geese, wild ducks and black-necked cranes which is one of the 12 rarest bird species in the world. During this period, the lake becomes an ideal place for ornithologists from around the world. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
is 3,270m above sea level and covers 660 square kilometers. It is about 8km northwest of Shangri-La town in Yunnan Province. It is both an ideal field for herdsmen and a paradise for many species of birds. This is, in the true sense, a seasonal lake. When summer comes, snow on the adjacent mountains melts and flows down into about ten rivers forming a vast lake. In the dry season, Napahai becomes a boundless green grassland - the best time for herding sheep cattle. Every Steptember the lake again turns into a temporary habitat for migratory birds, such as bar-headed geese, wild ducks and black-necked cranes which is one of the 12 rarest bird species in the world. During this period, the lake becomes an ideal place for ornithologists from around the world. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge is located on the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La. The gorge is formed by two famous snow mountains - Haba Snow Mountain on the north and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on the south. The river is squeezed by two snow mountains (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain). And in the middle of the river, there is a giant rock. It is said that once a tiger wanted to jump across the river, and the rock help it to reach the opposite bank. Thus the rock named Tiger Leaping Rock. And the gorge named Tiger Leaping Gorge. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
Tiger Leaping Gorge is located on the way from Lijiang to Shangri-La. The gorge is formed by two famous snow mountains - Haba Snow Mountain on the north and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on the south. The river is squeezed by two snow mountains (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain). And in the middle of the river, there is a giant rock. It is said that once a tiger wanted to jump across the river, and the rock help it to reach the opposite bank. Thus the rock named Tiger Leaping Rock. And the gorge named Tiger Leaping Gorge. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
Meili Snow Mountain
Meili Snow Mountain towers over the landscape in the west of Deqin County (Shangri-la) in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Also known as 'Prince Snow Mountain', it is the most sacred mountain the in the world. Meili Mountain has long been famous for Kang Karpo Peak, Yunnan's tallest mountain - 6,740m above sea level. Among one of the eight sacred mountains the Tibetans worship, it looks like gilded when the sun rises. There are 13 lesser peaks around it, each more than 6,000m above sea level. Legend has it that Kang Karpo Peak is the incarnation of a Tibetan God who helped the local people drive the evil spirit away. more at: www.topchinatravel.com
Meili Snow Mountain towers over the landscape in the west of Deqin County (Shangri-la) in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. Also known as 'Prince Snow Mountain', it is the most sacred mountain the in the world. Meili Mountain has long been famous for Kang Karpo Peak, Yunnan's tallest mountain - 6,740m above sea level. Among one of the eight sacred mountains the Tibetans worship, it looks like gilded when the sun rises. There are 13 lesser peaks around it, each more than 6,000m above sea level. Legend has it that Kang Karpo Peak is the incarnation of a Tibetan God who helped the local people drive the evil spirit away. more at: www.topchinatravel.com