The Beauty of Lijiang, Slowly Pieced Together – A Beauty Truly My Own
For me, travel is a series of desire-filled sprints. Along the way, encountering beautiful scenery, beautiful people, beautiful emotions—are these what travel is really about? No. Travel is not about the steps you take, but the heart you bring. What you fall in love with is not the people and things you meet on the road, but yourself – another version of yourself.
Lijiang was the first stop on our Yunnan trip, and also one of those legendary ancient towns said to be the most beautiful. I've been to plenty of places with similar reputations, but often that so-called beauty leaves you with a feeling of "it's a pity not to go, but an even bigger pity once you've been." Lijiang sounds different in the mouth of every person who has visited. Some swoon over her beauty, wishing they could simply die here the moment they step off the plane. Others are put off by the strong commercial atmosphere and swear they'll never set foot here again. But is the Lijiang you see really her true face? I suggest you set aside all preconceived ideas, feel her with your heart, and remember the most important keyword: slow down. Lijiang is a slow city, Lijiang is a way of life. People say that in Lijiang, time is not meant to be counted, but to be forgotten. The peace and leisure of a Lijiang morning fills those of us who suffer the daily assault of urban noise, chaos and pressure with deep envy.
In the early morning, when warm sunlight spills into the little house, you wake without an alarm clock. Stretch lazily, and the crisp, cold air instantly clears your mind. Lijiang is a slow-paced city; anyone who comes here finds their mood becoming calm and languid. Strolling along the flagstone streets, last night's dew hasn't dried, making the pavement slightly slippery. The sunlight stretches our shadows very long, as if time itself has been stretched out long, long. Most roadside shops are still closed. Beside the three-eye wells, locals squat or sit. Each three-eye well in Lijiang is actually three linked pools used in order for drinking, washing up, and laundry. A beautiful Naxi girl combs her long hair with cold water, attracting a few tourists who stop to take photos. The locals are used to it; they pay no mind to the curious stares behind them and right in front of them.
Lijiang has three ancient towns in total. Dayan is what we usually call Lijiang Old Town. Baisha Ancient Town is the best preserved, and the last is Shuhe Ancient Town. From the Big Waterwheel, walk a little over a hundred meters to the left, and you can catch the No. 6 bus to Shuhe Ancient Town. Get off at Shuhe Shangcun, then it's a few hundred meters on foot. A taxi ride there is about 6 kilometers, 15 minutes. By three or four in the afternoon at Shuhe, the crowds start to thin out. Find a seat, and just zone out. Lijiang is a perfect place for doing nothing. Every day, people from all over the country come here to heal, sitting by the water on a terrace or in a guesthouse courtyard, brewing a pot of snow tea. Just sitting quietly like this, thinking nothing, your mood slowly settling down like the tea leaves in the cup, finding again the self long lost in the city. To step into Lijiang, you only need to bring a soft heart and shed the heavy protective armor of daily life. Only then can you truly blend in and feel the warmth beyond words that she offers.
Besides enjoying life, the food in Shuhe is not to be missed. The restaurants in Shuhe Ancient Town are really a cut above those in Dayan Old Town in ambience. Eating in Shuhe is a true pleasure, and the prices are much more affordable than in Dayan. This time we specifically sought out the most popular restaurant. We came away satisfied, absolutely loving it, officially fans!
Back in Dayan, the lanterns were just being lit. Cafés and bars all hung up bright red lanterns, illuminating the old town. Walking along Bar Street, the daytime tranquility was nowhere to be found; all you saw were faces full of desire, searching and waiting. Lijiang is famous as an ancient town of romantic encounters, attracting singles and no-longer-singles alike. It's definitely a place where it's easy to feel moved; falling in love can happen without warning. This is Lijiang: a crowd's carnival and loneliness combined, an irrepressible coexistence of liveliness and silence. Like a two-faced mirror, everyone sees and gets the side they want.
Yulong Snow Mountain is a sacred mountain in the hearts of the Naxi people and all ethnic groups in Lijiang. The main peak's altitude is only 5,596 meters, yet no one has ever reached the summit. The Greater Jade Dragon Scenic Area is the big scenic zone centered on Yulong Snow Mountain. Main attractions include the Big Cableway, Yak Meadow, Spruce Meadow, Blue Moon Valley, Ganhaizi, Dongba Valley, Yushuizhai, Dongba Wanshen Garden, and Impression Lijiang. Wenwen and I had pre-booked a pure-play group, with a route covering Ganhaizi, the Big Cableway, and Blue Moon Valley for one day. Early in the morning, a very kind Tibetan elder sister met us at the north gate of the old town; she was also our leader for the day. Departing from Lijiang, we stopped along the way to pick up oxygen canisters and down jackets. It took a little over an hour to reach the Jade Dragon scenic area. Getting off the vehicle, we transferred to a park shuttle heading to the cableway. The cable cars going up the mountain are fully enclosed, seating eight people. tip: The cable car climbs slowly; after about 20 minutes you arrive at the upper station at an elevation of 4,506 meters. Then along a wooden boardwalk, you need to ascend roughly 100-plus meters to reach the highest viewing platform at 4,680 meters. That 174 meters is not easy to climb; being a high-altitude area, you'll be gasping badly. The best way is to walk at a steady pace, slow, never fast.
Facing the snow mountain, my heart overflowed with reverence. I don't know why, whether it was excitement or being moved, my emotions were complex—especially when I saw our national flag fluttering on the snow mountain; my eyes definitely welled up a bit.
Blue Moon Valley From the mountain, we took a bus to Blue Moon Valley, the place I'd been most looking forward to. On sunny days, the water is blue, and the valley is crescent-shaped, so from afar it looks like a blue moon inlaid at the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain—hence the name Blue Moon Valley. There are electric carts at Blue Moon Valley for 50 yuan, which can stop at a few scenic spots. Unless you're really tired, I don't recommend taking them. It's best to walk; the whole way is filled with stunning views, and sitting in the cart causes you to miss the best vantage points.
Shangri-La, in Tibetan, means "a tranquil world," and another translation is "the sun and moon in the heart." It's a simple statement, yet full of rich meaning. The sun and moon represent a complete and intimate balance. Shangri-La exists in the inner balance within us; this is the rule of happiness. Before 1933, the old town of Dukezong in Zhongdian lay silent among the mountains and in the diary of the Austrian-American Joseph Rock. That year, Lost Horizon made Shangri-La famous in the Western world. Gradually, Shangri-La became a representative image, abstracted, mythologized, revered by modern city dwellers as a pilgrimage destination of the heart. The prayer flags of the Tibetan region, the brick-red earthen walls, all kinds of fine stone grain decorations, the brightness and shade under the strong sun, the solemn dignity of the monasteries—all hint at a certain sense of ritual in the mind. Shangri-La draws people of longing with its quiet, serene Oriental religious mystery and the inherent gravity and sorrow of the Tibetans under the Tusi system.
Shangri-La gives us a framework where dreams can be realized. She doesn't make it easier to obtain our utopia; she simply allows us to create our own dream. We must experience it ourselves, not rely on hearsay or a cursory glance. Shangri-La is not a place that easily reveals itself, unlike Hainan with its beaches, sea, and coconut trees that you grasp at a glance.
Shangri-La's beauty is not in the Moonlight Ancient Town of Dukezong, not on the Yila Grassland, not in Pudacuo National Park—it's on the road. In autumn, wolf's bane flowers bloom profusely, painting the fields with strips of red. When the sun approaches the horizon, its light casts over the earth, making the low shrubs appear as if on fire. As the sun moves, the majestic mountains turn deep purple, the blue waters shimmer and shift into rainbow-like hues. Against the deep blue sky, chestnut and golden temples stand out, and the dazzlingly pure white snow mountains turn into a soft pink in the afterglow of sunset. Rarely can you see so many rich colors in one place.
Zhongdian is a synthesis of multi-layered history and a mysterious cultural atmosphere. For those who come here seeking dreams, you need to understand this land and create your own Shangri-La. It is not a ready-made paradise waiting for you, where the moment you step off the business van you're whisked to scenic spots. Eat baba bread, drink butter tea, watch Tibetan dances, take photos of Meili Snow Mountain, and then it's all done. For some, that's enough, completely equipping them to go back and brag, telling everyone "I've been there, it was just so-so." This kind of travel can never blend us into the journey; we merely receive a shiny packaging. Whether we like it or not, we are forced to accept this.
In Shangri-La, I saw the happiest people, who are also the poorest. They live with the simplest resources, yet wear genuine smiles. They haven't been tainted by social hypocrisy and pretension, nor do they represent anyone else's interests. Their houses are built of wood, stone, and mud, without any sense of disharmony in nature—as if grown out of the earth. They live in such spacious dwellings, enjoy natural, fresh food, have their own temples and beliefs, live in a beautiful environment, breathe fresh air, and see a sky full of stars on clear nights. In this world, few people have such a life. Compared with them, are we truly wealthy?
Tibetan houses are all self-built, mostly wooden structures. A family's wealth can be judged simply by the thickness of their house beams.
From Xiaozhongdian, about an hour's drive brings you to Tiger Leaping Gorge. Tiger Leaping Gorge is divided into the Shangri-La section and the Lijiang section. Tiger Leaping Gorge in Shangri-La includes the Upper, Middle, and Lower Gorges. Most tour groups drive directly to Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge. Walking down from the upper platform, you can reach the riverbank. If you can't be bothered to walk, sedan chair carriers can carry you down—150 yuan one way, 300 yuan round trip.
Travelogue Directory: 1. Lijiang Old Town, 2. Shuhe Ancient Town, 3. Lijiang Old Town, 4. Yulong Snow Mountain, 5. Blue Moon Valley, 6. Shangri-La | Travel Info | Hotel Index | Guide Index | Flight Index | Website Navigation | Travel Index | Cruise Index | Corporate Travel Index | Join Alliance | Distribution Alliance | Friendly Links | Corporate Gift Card Purchase | Insurance Agent | Agent Cooperation | Hotel Alliance | Destination & Scenic Spot Cooperation | More Alliance Cooperation | About Ctrip | About Ctrip | Ctrip Hot Topics | Contact Us | Recruitment | User Agreement | Privacy Policy | Business License | Safety Center | Ctrip Content Center | Intellectual Property | Trip.com Group Algorithm Announcement
