Mysterious Legends of Dali's Cangshan and Erhai: Millennia-Old Tales, Each More Fascinating Than the Last

Legends are among the most mystical chapters in culture.

Legends carry people's romantic imagination of the unknown, reflecting the spiritual and cultural essence of local communities.

From the West to the East, from ancient times to the present, legends are everywhere.

In China, legends are a vital part of folk culture. From childhood, we hear tales like Nüwa mending the sky, Jingwei filling the sea, and Kuafu chasing the sun—one myth after another weaving together into a complete chapter, forming unique cultural symbols.

Beyond these widely known myths, every place has its own local legends, and most of these stories are tied to natural wonders.

In Dali, a historic and culturally rich city, there are also distinctive local legends, closely connected to specific seasons or natural landscapes.

Dali's most unique and magical natural scenery is undoubtedly its mountains, waters, and clouds. The mysterious legends told today are inseparable from these natural wonders.

Dali's clouds, like its landscapes, have a huge fan base across the country, often going viral and causing a stir on social media.

Clouds of all colors and shapes are undoubtedly one of Dali's most striking features—mysterious, ever-changing, and elusive.

On the slopes and summits of Cangshan, strange cloud-related phenomena often appear, witnessed by locals numerous times or captured by photographers.

These two wonders are the "Jade Belt Cloud" on the mountainside of Cangshan and the "Waiting-for-Husband Cloud" atop Yuju Peak.

The "Jade Belt Cloud" stretches across the midsection of Cangshan's nineteen peaks, and the "Waiting-for-Husband Cloud" on Yuju Peak carries a tragic love story. Both have been recorded and described in written texts.

Regarding the "Jade Belt Cloud," the "Dali Prefecture Chronicle" records: "On scorching summer days at Diancang, clouds often girdle the mountainside, spanning all nineteen peaks for over a hundred li, as neat as a sash. An ancient poem says: 'Heaven bestows a jade belt to seal the mountain lord.'"

As for the "Waiting-for-Husband Cloud," the "Dali County Gazetteer" describes: "It is said that during the Meng clan's reign, a monster abducted a palace maiden and kept her atop Yuju Peak. The maiden's food and drink were provided endlessly by the monster... Her essence turned into a cloud, named the Waiting-for-Husband Cloud."

The Jade Belt Cloud appears in late summer and early autumn. After a heavy rain, when Cangshan clears, a cloud belt dozens of kilometers long appears across the midsection of the nineteen peaks. This cloud belt has the beautiful name "Jade Belt Cloud."

The Jade Belt Cloud is ethereal and graceful, like a soft white sash draped around Cangshan's waist—soft, enchanting, and unforgettable once seen.

In the Dali area, a Bai saying goes: "When Cangshan wears a jade belt, hungry dogs eat white rice." The appearance of the Jade Belt Cloud symbolizes a bountiful harvest. To this day, interesting tales about the Jade Belt Cloud are still passed down in Dali.

According to legend, the beauty of Cangshan and Erhai attracted the Phoenix Maiden. She described the sights of Cangshan's nineteen peaks and eighteen streams to the Jade Maiden, a fairy who wove colorful clouds in the sky for the Queen Mother.

The Jade Maiden yearned to see the nineteen peaks and eighteen streams and begged the Queen Mother to let her descend to the mortal world. After receiving permission, the Jade Maiden and the Phoenix came to the area between Cangshan and Erhai. They settled on Zhonghe Peak to better explore the mountains and lakes and enjoy the scenery.

One day, while washing their hair by Yinxian Stream, the Jade Maiden and the Phoenix encountered a young stonecutter who was ragged, emaciated, and had fainted by the roadside.

The young man was named Bailang. His parents had died, and his brother, urged by his wife, drove him out of the house. Homeless, he had to quarry stone on the mountain.

The Jade Maiden felt great sympathy for Bailang upon hearing his story and also developed feelings for him. Soon after, she married him.

After their marriage, the Jade Maiden and Bailang together mined green stone on Yingle Peak. Strangely, the stones the Jade Maiden dug out turned into green jade and white jade. She didn't tell Bailang why, and she also let the villagers dig. With her help, everyone's lives improved.

Time passed quickly, and the day came for the Jade Maiden to return to heaven. Both she and Bailang were reluctant to part. At the moment of separation, Bailang tightly grasped the Jade Maiden's colorful jade belt, but she still left. The colorful jade belt in Bailang's hand instantly transformed into a long cloud belt, winding around the midsection of Cangshan.

Since then, every summer and autumn, the Jade Belt Cloud appears. The green stones the Jade Maiden once dug had turned into ink-colored colorful stones, which people call "Jade Maiden Stone"—the famous marble of Dali.

There is another version of the legend about the Jade Belt Cloud, involving dragon maidens.

It is said that on Cangshan lived the Dragon King and his wife, Dragon Mother. They had seven beautiful daughters, who often bathed in the mountain springs.

When the seven dragon maidens bathed in the mountain stream, the Jade Belt Cloud would appear. People say the cloud belt was formed by the maidens' waistbands linked together.

Today, on the mountainside where the Jade Belt Cloud appears, a 11.5-kilometer hiking trail has been built, overlapping with the cloud belt—the Jade Belt Cloud Hiking Trail.

The trail boasts fresh air, a great environment, and stunning scenery, attracting many visitors every year.

1. Hike the Jade Belt Cloud Trail (Gantong Cable Car - Seven Dragon Maiden Pools (Seven Dragon Maiden Pool Station) - Zhonghe Cable Car). 2. Take a cruise on Erhai Lake for a distant view.

The Jade Belt Cloud appears in summer and autumn, while the "Waiting-for-Husband Cloud" appears in winter and spring, mainly atop Yuju Peak, one of Cangshan's nineteen peaks.

When the "Waiting-for-Husband Cloud" appears, a strange phenomenon occurs on Erhai: the usually calm lake suddenly rages with strong winds and huge waves, preventing fishing boats from going out. Hence, the "Waiting-for-Husband Cloud" is also called the "No-Ferry Cloud."

The legend of the Waiting-for-Husband Cloud is known to every household in Dali, spreading widely from old to young.

It is said that the Nanzhao king had a very beautiful princess. She had grown up but was not yet married. The sons of nobles and princes vied to propose, but she liked none.

Later, the princess met a hunter at the Bai people's Raosanling Festival. The hunter was handsome and robust, and she fell in love with him at first sight. However, because of the disparity in their social status, the king opposed.

The princess and the hunter overcame many obstacles, secretly pledged their love, and fled to Yuju Peak on Cangshan, where they lived happily.

But their joy was short-lived. When the king learned of this, he asked the Luoquan Temple's master, Luoquan, to cast a spell that brought a heavy snowfall atop Yuju Peak. To keep the princess warm, the hunter risked stealing the master's eight-treasure cassock from Luoquan Temple. He was discovered and then struck down by Luoquan into Erhai, turning into a stone conch.

The princess waited for the hunter on Yuju Peak, but he never returned. Word came that the hunter had met with misfortune. Heartbroken and sorrowful, the princess died.

After her death, her spirit transformed into a white cloud. This cloud lingers for a long time without dispersing, resembling the grieving princess. At such times, Erhai erupts with violent winds. People say the princess is trying to blow away the lake waters to catch a glimpse of her lover sleeping beneath the waves.

Mountains and waters are another feature of Dali, and the waters are inseparable from the mountains. When speaking of water, one must mention mountains. And in Dali, Cangshan is the most notable.

Dali's waters are closely tied to Cangshan—whether it's the Qingbi Stream, Xima Pond, Seven Dragon Maiden Pools on the mountain, or the Butterfly Spring at the foot, they are all related to Cangshan.

In ancient times, Dali was called "Yeyu," a land of marshes prone to floods. Therefore, many legends about water exist.

Qingbi Stream, one of Cangshan's eighteen streams, is a classic sight along the Gantong Cable Car route.

The legend of Qingbi Stream in Dali goes like this:

It is said that in ancient times, Dali suffered from severe floods. To control the floods, people built a Guanyin statue in Qingbi Stream to suppress the raging waters.

One year, heavy rains caused torrents that washed the Guanyin statue into the center of Erhai.

After that, the people, fearing the return of floods, carved a stone plaque reading "Yu Cave" on the cliff above Qingbi Stream. Yu the Great was a legendary hero who tamed floods in ancient China. People hoped his power would spare Dali from suffering.

Later, they rebuilt the Guanyin statue. Today, a Guanyin statue still stands in the lower pool of Qingbi Stream.

1. Take the Gantong Cable Car directly. 2. Take the Xima Pond Grand Cable Car, get off at Seven Dragon Maiden Pool Station, then walk 4.5 km along the Jade Belt Cloud Trail to reach Qingbi Stream.

Xima Pond is the highest lake on Cangshan, also the highest point reachable by cable car on Cangshan, and one of the best spots to view Cangshan snow.

The pond is 1.5 meters deep with an area of about 4,500 square meters. It is a Quaternary glacial high-mountain moraine lake.

Since then, Xima Pond remains a crystal-clear "mountain-top moraine lake" with excellent water quality, surrounded by traces and features of Quaternary glaciation, such as knife-edge ridges, cirques, and glacial erosion.

According to records, Xima Pond was anciently called "Gaohe" and served as a water conservancy project during the Nanzhao Kingdom. During the reign of Nanzhao Fengyou, the king sent General Shengjun to build a high-mountain reservoir here, diverting spring water to irrigate farmland.

Legend has it that in the later period of the Dali Kingdom, Kublai Khan marched south to conquer Dali. His army camped on the mountaintop and washed their horses here, then captured Yangjuemie City of Dali. Hence, the lake was named "Xima Pond" (Washing Horse Pond).

Every late spring and early summer, red, white, pink, and yellow azaleas bloom in large areas, creating a riot of color by the lakeside. Tall and straight firs and azalea thickets cluster among the mountains, a magnificent sight.

In late autumn and early winter, after a snowfall, Xima Pond is cloaked in silver, transforming into a vast snow sea that captivates visitors.

1. Take the Xima Pond Grand Cable Car, transfer at Seven Dragon Maiden Pool Station to reach the scenic entrance, then hike.

The Seven Dragon Maiden Pools, like Qingbi Stream, are among Cangshan's eighteen streams. They also have the most springs and pools on Cangshan, consisting of seven completely different pools.

The springs and pools on Cangshan are mostly associated with "dragons," with names like Black Dragon Pool, Yellow Dragon Pool, Double Dragon Pool, etc.

According to legend, the Seven Dragon Maiden Pools are the bathing place of seven dragon maidens. On late summer nights, they come here to bathe, returning to the dragon palace at dawn.

The eldest daughter, being tall, chose the largest pool (First Dragon Pool) to bathe. The other sisters selected pools suitable for their age and size.

The seventh dragon maiden, the youngest and very shy, hid in the most secluded and hardest-to-find mountain stream pool.

From then on, people called these bathing pools the "Seven Dragon Maiden Pools."

The Seven Dragon Maiden Pools have ceaseless flowing water year-round. The spring water is crystal clear, and the pools take on various forms—some gently meander over rocks, some plunge into basins, others flow together into streams and waterfalls.

The pools are surrounded by tall rocks. From the First to the Seventh Dragon Pool, as altitude increases, the pool area decreases, and the scenery becomes more exquisite and unique.

Each of the seven pools has a different water color and gives a different feeling, showcasing characteristics of wonder, beauty, clarity, and seclusion.

1. Take the Xima Pond Grand Cable Car, get off at Seven Dragon Maiden Pool Station, transfer to the sightseeing vehicle for Seven Dragon Maiden Pools, then hike.

Butterfly Spring is the most famous spring at the foot of Cangshan.

The legend of Butterfly Spring is also the most widely known among outsiders. It can aptly be called the "Bai people's version of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai."

According to legend, long ago Butterfly Spring was originally called "Bottomless Pool." In a village not far from the pool lived a Bai girl named Wengu, and on Yunnong Peak lived a young man named Xialang. They liked each other and fell in love.

One day, a local bully, seeing Wengu's beauty, conceived an evil plan to possess her. He sent men to forcibly take her away. When Xialang learned of this, he came to rescue Wengu, but unfortunately they were discovered. The couple fled all the way to the Bottomless Pool.

Seeing pursuers behind and no way ahead, Xialang and Wengu jumped into the pool together. Then, a pair of colorful butterflies flew out from the pool water, and their bodies were never found at the bottom.

From then on, people called the Bottomless Pool "Butterfly Spring" and, to praise their pursuit of freedom and true love, designated the day they died—the 15th day of the fourth lunar month—as the Butterfly Festival, the Bai people's Valentine's Day.

Every year on the Butterfly Festival, young Bai men and women gather by Butterfly Spring to sing antiphonal songs, dance, and express their love through music.

All the myths and legends of Dali convey people's resistance to worldly constraints and their longing for a better life. Over thousands of years, they have become part of Dali's culture.

The mystery and charm of Dali's legends continue to attract more people to come to this city, understand it, and eventually fall in love with it!

[Editor] Yunnan One Jing

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