Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the 1933novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton. Hilton describes Shangri-La as a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains. Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise, and particularly a mythical Himalayan utopia ¨C a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. In the novel Lost Horizon, the people who live at Shangri-La are almost immortal, living years beyond the normal lifespan and only very slowly aging in appearance. The word also evokes the imagery of exoticism of the Orient. In the ancient Tibetan scriptures, existence of seven such places is mentioned as Nghe-Beyul Khembalung.[1] Khembalung is one of several beyuls("hidden lands" similar to Shangri-La) believed to have been created by Padmasambhava in the 9th century as idyllic, sacred places of refuge for Buddhists during times of strife (Reinhard 1978). Some scholars believe that the Shangri-La story owes a literary debt to Shambhala, a mythical kingdom in Tibetan Buddhist tradition, which was sought by Eastern and Western explorers.
2¡¢Dali
Dali, a city of great antiquity, beckons the visitor in any season and is always a tempting destination for those interested in exploring fascinating natural scenery and the area's considerable historical and cultural heritage. It is renowned as a land of wonders, both natural and manmade, inspiring in visitors a great appetite for its beauty. Dali is also famous for the many types of marble it produces, which are used primarily in construction and for decorative objects. In fact, Dali is so famous for the stone that the name of marble in Chinese is literally "Dali Stone". Dali is one of Yunnan's most popular tourist destinations, both for its historic sites and the "Foreigners' Street" that features western-style food, music, and English-speaking business owners, making it popular among both western and Chinese tourists, who come to gawk at the foreigners. There are also multiple "coffee shops", such as those in Amsterdam, where foreigners smoke marijuana that grows in the hills surrounding the town. This has caused some tourists to have an extended stay in this beautiful old town.
3¡¢Lijiang
Lijiang is a beautiful shining jewel on the Northwest Yunnan Plateau neighboring the southeast side of the Tibetan Plateau which is considered to be the "Roof of the World". It is impressive because of its scenery and lush vegetation. Lijiang boasts of breath-taking wonderful sights such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and its modern maritime glacier, the only one of its kind in the southern end of the Northern Hemisphere; Tiger Leaping Gorge; the world - famous grand canyon; Lugu Lake, the cultural cradle of the "Matriarchy" of the Yongning Mosuo people in Ninglang. Lijiang was once a confluence for trade along the "Old Tea Horse Caravan Trail". The Dayan Old town is famous for its orderly system of waterways and bridges, a system fast becoming but a memory as the underground water table drops, probably due to over-building in the suburban areas. There is no other town in China like Dayan which incorporates the folkways of so many people and the architectural styles of both north and south China. The people of Naxi, while developing their land of snow-clad mountains and turbulent rivers since ancient times, have their credit to the "Dong Ba Culture" seen as one of the world wonders, a culture all-embracing while unique. All these natural sceneries and these cultural treasures of the minority peoples have been continuously drawing tourists from all over the world and have recently vote Lijiang as one of the favorite destinations in China.
Xishuangbanna is the southernmost prefecture of Yunnan Province. The prefecture is nicknamed "Aerial Garden" for its luxuriant and multi-layered primitive woods and tropical rain forests, which are teeming with animals and plants. Xishuangbann¨¤ region, better known as Bann¨¤, has become China¡¯s mini-Thailand, attracting tourists looking for sunshine, water-splashing festivals and epic jungle treks. Renowned as a huge natural zoo, Xishuangbanna's rain forest and monsoon jungles provide a habitat for nearly 1000 species of animals. Within thick and boundless forests wild elephants and wild oxen ramble about, with peacocks in their pride, gibbons at play, and hornbills whispering. Species of trees that go back a million years are still propagating themselves. The "King of Tea Trees¡°,which authorities say is at least 800 years old, continues to sprout, adding extraordinary splendor to the homeland of the famous Pu'er tea. In Xishuangbanna, there is a saying: "Even a single tree can make a forest and an old stalk can blossom and beat fruit."
5¡¢Lake Dian
Known also as Kunming Lake, Lake Dian is located at the foot of the Western Hills south-west of Kunming city in Yunnan Province. Being a bright and smooth highland lake, it¡¯s reputed as ¡°Sparkling Pearl Embedded in a Highland ".
The picturesque lake, along its 150 kilometers long winding bank, lies numerous scenic spots and historical sites such as the Grand View Pavilion, West Garden, and the Lake Embankment. The Grand View Pavilion: Located at the lake¡¯s northern bank, it was built in the 29th year of Kangxi Reign in the Qing Dynasty (1690 AD). It¡¯s an exquisite structure with upturned roof-corners and eaves. Looking to the south, one has a fascinating view of the spectacular Lake Dian. The lake is surrounded by lush growth of trees and plants, with peony in full bloom in spring, and chrysanthemum blossoms found all over the place in autumn. Western Hills Scenic Area:- Located at the west bank of the lake, it¡¯s a large forest park with hills and ridges rising one upon another, and covered with old tall trees. The park is endowed with dense natural forests, murmuring streams, luxuriantly green bamboos, and crisscross with ancient paths. Scenic spots and historical sites are over hill and dale. The area from Sanqing Tower to Longmen is a place of concentration of the most spectacular scenic spots and architecture, and therefore reputed as "No.1 Scenery in middle Yunnan". Hill of Goddess of Mercy: - The temple of Goddess of Mercy perches on the Hill at the lake¡¯s west bank, with a beak-shaped portion of the hill extending into the lake water. The temple is confronted by perilous cliffs covered with lush woods. A seven-story brick pagoda stands on the hill top which commands a bird¡¯s eye view of the Lake Dian, the mountain ranges along the Lake, the vast expanse of fertile land.
6¡¢Stone Forest
The Stone Forest lies about 90km to the southeast of Kunming, is a notable set of limestone formations. The tall rocks seem to fall to the ground in the manner of stalagmites, with many looking like petrified trees thereby creating the illusion of a forest made of stone. Since 2007, two parts of the site, the Naigu Stone Forest and Suogeyi Village, have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites as part of the South China Karst. The site is classified as a AAAAA-class tourist site. According to legend, the forest is the birthplace of Ashima, a beautiful girl of the Yi people. After falling in love she was forbidden to marry her chosen suitor and instead turned into a stone in the forest that still bears her name. Each year on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month, many Yi people celebrate the Torch Festival, which features folk dances and wrestling competitions.