The Yi's Unique Culture

Yellow and orange play a predominant role the Yi's color scheme. They also have a unique style of roofs. One unique aspect of the Yi culture is that whenever they resettle in a new location they take some of the stones from their home to the new area and place it on their roofs. It also serves as weight to keep the shingles of the roof weighted down. While the practice continues to this day, they now use pre-manufactures stones for their roofs. You can see this on bus stops, homes and any buildings.

Blue Moon Valley

Blue Moon Valley actually is an extremely blue river meandering through a lush valley of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Seen from a distance, it resembles a blue crescent moon inlaid at the foot of the mountain. That’s how the place got its beautiful name! However, blue is not the only colour of the river. If it rains, the white mud and limestone rubble at the riverbed will be swirled up, making the water as white as milk. Therefore, local Naxi people name it White Water River (Baishui River).

The White Water River is fed by melting snow and ice running down from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The water is freezing; even in summer, and people still cannot bear the piercing cold when they dabble in the river. But it is a favorite iced drink in summer. Legend has it that, when two Naxi youngsters fall in love, the boy will be tested by standing barefoot in the cold river in winter to show his committed love for the girl. Folks believe that this tested love will last forever in the presence of the holy snow mountain. So, the river is considered the Love River in local people’s mind.

White Water River

While most of the water in the valley is turquoise in color, the section of White Water River changes color when it rains. The white mud and limestone rubble at the riverbed would swirl up making the water white. The heavier the rain, the more milky white it gets. I had been raining the past few days when we got here.

Lashihai Lake

Lashihai Lake is situated 10 kilometers west of Lijiang in Yunnan Province. Lashi Lake is the largest lake in Lijiang, covering for 5,330 hectares. With the altitude of 2,437 meters, it is actually a lake cut off by Lashi Dam. Lashi is a word in ancient Naxi language, which means a “new desolate dam”. Lashihai Lake is a part of the Lashihai Plateau Wetland Nature Reserve, which was built in 1998 by the local government, in order to preserve the indispensable wetland habitat. Surrounded by mountains on all side, one can see Jad Dragon Snow Mnt on a clear day.

Paradise for Birds

Lashihai Lake enjoys a monsoon climate. Due to the construction of the dam, the lake has changed from a seasonal lake to a plateau lake with a certain water level. Now it has become the paradise for migratory birds, who spend their winter beside Lashihai Lake. Annually, there are about 57 species of birds come to Lashihai Lake during winter, including nine endangered species, such as the bar-headed goose, black cranes, and black-headed crane. The best time for bird viewing is from December to February. Visitors can rent the boats on the lake, which is the relaxing and leisure way for sightseeing and bird watching. Horse riding or biking around the lake is also a good choice.

Ancient Tea Horse Road

Riding to experience the Ancient Tea and Horse Road is the other must-try activity to get close to the local special culture. The ancient Tea and Horse Road, similar to the Silk Road, was an important trading route in the southwestern part of China and the horse was a significant form of transport on this route. Different from the tall and big horses on the grassland, the horses in Yunnan are small, but good at long-distance transporting. Consequently, it may feel different during the ride. Presently, only a small section of this old road is available for traveling.

Tiger Leaping Gorge 虎跳峡

Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡; Hǔ tiào xiá) is a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River, a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River. It is located 60 kilometres (37 mi) north of Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China. It is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site. Legend says the name comes from a hunted tiger escaping by jumping across the river at the narrowest point (still 25 metres (82 ft) wide), using the rock in the middle.

At a maximum depth of approximately 3,790 meters (12,434 feet) from river to mountain peak, Tiger Leaping Gorge is one of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world. The inhabitants of the gorge are primarily the indigenous Naxi people, who live in a handful of small hamlets. Their primary subsistence comes from grain production and hikers.

Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake, at an altitude of 2690 meters, is located on the border of Yunnan Province and Sichuan Province. There are many ethnic minority groups inhabited around the lake, such as the Mosuo, Norzu, Yi, Pumi and Tibetan. The most numerous of these are the Mosuo people, a sub clan of the Naxi people, which are considered as “a living fossil for researching the marital development history of Human beings” and "the last quaint Realm of Matriarchy". Hence, Lugu Lake is called the “mother lake” by the Mosuo people and it becomes “The Kingdom of Women” and “Home of the Matriarchal Tribe”.

Shangri-La སེམས་ཀྱི་ཉི་ཟླ་གྲོང་ཁྱེར།

If you visit Shangri-La and never make it to Tibet you can say you have experience the Tibetan culture. If you didn't know where you were, you would think you are in a town in Tibet. The infuence of Tibetans in Shangri-La and the surrounding countryside is very evident.

The Tibetan Khata

Traditionally, giving Khata is a common and noble ritual in Tibetan buddhist temples, as well as in Mongolian and Tibetan communities. In the modern Tibetan area, hada is already an auspicious thing to show respect. Offering Khata is a good tradition of the Tibetan people. People have regarded it as the supreme etiquette throughout the generations. Though not as valuable as gold, it is more revered than gold. Because it symbolizes a heart of gold, representing the most sincere feelings, the best wishes and the highest respect. Its meaning expresses friendship, harmony, kindness and well-being.

Offering Khata is a good tradition of the Tibetan people. People have regarded it as the supreme etiquette throughout the generations. Though not as valuable as gold, it is more revered than gold. Because it symbolizes a heart of gold, representing the most sincere feelings, the best wishes and the highest respect. Its meaning expresses friendship, harmony, kindness and well-being.