Sights in Shangri-La

Built along the mountainside, the ancient city of Dukezong was modeled after the Buddhist ideal of Shambhala, meaning "a castle built on stone" and "a moonlit city." The city's pavement is undulating, paved with age-old stones that followed the natural topography. Deep horse hoof prints still remain on the stone paving, a testament to the caravans' past.

Built during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Guishan Park is nestled against the mountainside. Atop the mountain stands the three-story Chaoyang Tower, offering panoramic views of Sun and Moon City. At the foot of the mountain lies an ancient well, providing clear, sweet drinking water for the entire town. Many years ago, groups of young women would flock to the park each morning, carrying their backs to water, creating a beautiful scene in the ancient city. The park's most distinctive buildings are the Guishan Temple and its prayer wheels.

The Central Town Hall, commonly known as the "Scripture Hall," differs from the architectural style of Songzanlin Monastery. Its main building stands three stories tall, with a unique design that blends Han and Tibetan architectural styles. The hall served as the center for meetings, gatherings, and religious activities for the entire Tibetan community. Atop Dagui Mountain, located next to the Sutra Hall, stands Chaoyang Tower, the highest point in Central Town. From the tower, one can overlook the entire city.

From a distance, Ganden Songzanlin Monastery resembles the Potala Palace in Tibet, earning it the nickname "Little Potala Palace." Built in 1679, the monastery, nestled against a mountainside and facing a lake, exudes grandeur, solemnity, and mystery, making it the premier monastery of Tibetan Buddhism in Yunnan. The monastery boasts sturdy, thick walls and five gates. The main hall, a five-story Tibetan-style carved building, can accommodate 1,600 people for meditation and chanting. Inside, bronze statues of the Fifth and Seventh Dalai Lamas are enshrined, along with numerous Buddhist statues, palm-leaf sutras, thangkas painted in multicolored gold, golden lamps, and heirloom ritual implements. The monastery currently houses over 700 monks. Every year from the 26th to the 29th day of the 12th month of the Tibetan calendar, Tibetans celebrate the Gedong Festival, featuring a masked dance, creating a mysterious and fervent atmosphere.

Napahai Nature Reserve is the largest spring pasture in northwest Yunnan. Every May, Napahai is covered in lush green grass. From June to July, a variety of wildflowers bloom, creating a picturesque scene of cattle and sheep grazing in the wind-blown grass. In August, herds of horses and cattle graze on the grasslands, and wild boars occasionally scamper past. As autumn and winter arrive, the grasslands blaze with golden color, snow-capped peaks reflected in the lakes. Black-necked cranes, yellow ducks, and barn-headed geese frolic in the grass and on the water, bringing life to the vast, ethereal grasslands. Atop the mountains northwest of Napahai lie the ruins of the Gunqin Ancient Temple. Climbing the ruins offers a breathtaking view of the Napa grassland, a truly enchanting experience.

Pudacuo National Park, a key component of the Three Parallel Rivers World Heritage Site and a key part of the Ramsar International Wetland Area, comprises two ecotourism areas: Bitahai and Shudu Lake. It's a pollution-free fairytale world filled with chirping birds, fragrant flowers, clear waters, and breathtaking scenery. Pudacuo is also a paradise for photography enthusiasts, offering a unique scenery each season. In spring, alpine meadows bloom with flowers, in summer, the mountains are blanketed in lush greenery, in autumn, dense forests shimmer with vibrant colors, and in winter, the lake's azure waters beneath a blanket of snow offer breathtaking views.

Bita Lake is the highest lake in Yunnan Province. Legend has it that a goddess accidentally dropped her mirror while dressing, shattering it into a series of plateau lakes. Bita Lake is one of these, a most beautiful mirror inlaid with emeralds. Every June and July, Bita Lake offers a unique spectacle: "Drunken Cuckoo Fish." It's said that even old bears in the forest come under the moonlight to catch the intoxicated fish. Renowned writer Feng Mu once described this scene, and since then, the "Drunken Cuckoo Fish" phenomenon has become world-famous.

While not as large as Napahai and Bitahai, Shudu Lake offers a more peaceful and immersive experience. Surrounded by mountains, Shudu Lake sits at an altitude of 3,705 meters. Its pristine forests are well-preserved, and the water is so clear that you can see golden "Shudu schizothorax" (fish with a cracked belly) in the water. Wild ducks, lynx, and other animals also inhabit the area. The scenery is most beautiful from July to September, but weather can be unpredictable, so bring rain gear.

Feilai Temple was built during the Ming Dynasty (1614 AD), boasting a history of 385 years. The temple comprises the Zisun Hall, Guansheng Hall, Haichao Hall, two side halls, two ear halls, and four auxiliary halls. Its layout embodies the integration of the three religions. The Haichao Hall, the temple's main hall, boasts breathtakingly exquisite architectural sculptures. Facing Mount Kawagebo, Feilai Temple boasts a monument commemorating the martyrdom of the Chinese and Japanese climbers on Meili Snow Mountain, a pagoda, and adjacent to the Feilai Temple Observation Deck, offering panoramic views of the Meili Snow Mountain.

Meili Snow Mountain, also known as the Prince of Snow Mountains, boasts 13 peaks (known as the "Thirteen Peaks of the Prince") with an average elevation of over 6,000 meters, along with four major glaciers: Mingyong, Si Nong, Niu Ba, and Nong Song. Its main peak, Kawagebo, is the highest peak in Yunnan. Considered sacred by Tibetans, Meili Snow Mountain attracts pilgrims annually. Its alpine lakes, lush forests, exotic flowers and trees, and diverse wildlife create a unique snowy landscape. November is the best time to visit Meili to witness the golden sunset.

Dongzhulin Temple, built in 1667 during the Qing Dynasty, was originally named Chongchongcuogang Temple, meaning "Temple by the Crane Lake." It is one of the Thirteen Great Temples of Kham. Destroyed during the Cultural Revolution, it was rebuilt in 1985. Located in the leeward valley of the Baimang Snow Mountain and an extension of the Jinsha River valley, the temple boasts "no cold in winter and no scorching heat in summer." A large thangka, 8.5 meters long and 5.2 meters wide, depicting a guardian deity woven from multicolored silk threads, is exhibited annually during the rites for worship.

Yubeng is a small Tibetan village at the foot of Mount Meili, boasting stunning scenery and a sparse population. Since ancient times, only a single horse and horse post road has connected it to the outside world, making it akin to the "paradise" described by Tao Yuanming. The Yubeng Waterfall is also a sacred site of Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Baimang Snow Mountain is the largest and highest nature reserve in Yunnan Province. It boasts a well-preserved primeval boreal forest, primarily composed of tall coniferous trees. The peaks are capped with snow year-round. The climb typically begins at Benzilan in the Jinsha River Gorge and continues downhill at Fengxuekou, at 4,500 meters.

Baishuitai, called "Shibuzhi" in the Naxi language, means a gradually growing flower. The terrace's shape is cascading from bottom to top, with white water overflowing from the edge, resembling a blossom in full bloom. This is China's largest spring terrace, one of the birthplaces of Naxi Dongba culture, and a sacred site for Naxi Dongba believers. Every year on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the Naxi people hold the "Chao Baishui" festival, where they gather from all directions to sing, dance, picnic, and pray to the gods for a good harvest.

Located at the junction of Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet provinces, the scenic area is within the Hongshan Scenic Area of ​​the Three Parallel Rivers National Park and serves as the core of the scenic area. The Shangri-La Grand Canyon, formerly known as the "Birang Canyon," now comprises two sections: the Nixi Baragezong Canyon and the Geza Birong Canyon. Rock paintings dot the cliffs on either side of the canyon, representing mysterious symbols left by the local inhabitants that remain undeciphered.

Thousand Lakes Mountain, known as "Lamu Dongcuo" in Tibetan, means "Thousand Lakes of the Goddess" or "Thousand Lakes of Fairyland." It comprises thousands of small lakes, some as round as mirrors, some as long as swimming fish, some half-circled in the depths of a valley, some nestled among rhododendron bushes, some isolated in meadows, and some with waters as deep as a bottomless abyss. These lakes are in a myriad of shapes and sizes.