THE TEA HORSE ROAD GUIDE PART 2
LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN WRITTEN BY MICHAEL FREEMAN COURTESY OF LUX* 2 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN INTRODUCTION 3
INTRODUCTION
Between the 7th century and the middle of the 20th, one of the longest trade route, because in return for tea, which Tibetans came quickly to trade routes in the Ancient World, more than 3,000 kilometres, carried crave, the Tang dynasty wanted horses for the Imperial Army. The route tea from its homeland in the deep south of Yunnan to Tibet. It was added came under strict control, as the trading of tea for war horses became to by a route from a second source, the tea mountains of Sichuan, and the an arm of Tang foreign policy in its dealing with a neighbour that had combined network of stone roads and mountain trails became known as risen from a loose collection of tribal societies to a military power on the the Tea Horse Road, Cha Ma Dao. This was much more than a simple empire’s northwestern border.
The Tea Horse Road, marked in red, began in the tea mountains of Caravan on Xishuangbanna and worked its way north through Yunnan to the Tibetan a cliff-cut trail Plateau, later joined by a second route from Sichuan
Lead horse in a tea caravan 4 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN
THE TEA HORSE ROAD the tea west to join the Yunnan route As the trade developed, it became a and continue to Lhasa. saga of epic proportions, combining These are the broad strokes, but a true odyssey of a journey, long and the Tea Horse Road was a network, difficult, with exchanges between in some stretches coalescing into one, very different cultures. There were in others a mesh of narrow trails, two main routes, which joined at particularly crossing the gorges and the eastern Tibetan market town of the Hengduan Range onto the Tibetan Mangkham (Markam). The longer, and plateau. There were secondary routes, original, began in the tea mountains of such as up the Nujiang gorge, and Xishuangbanna close to the Burmese across upper Myanmar. It continued, in border, most of it converging first on all its complexity, until the middle of the the town that gave the name to the 20th century, halted first by the events Horse caravan on a Qing bridge tea, Pu’er. From this gathering point, leading up to the 1949 creation of the caravans set off north. The main route People’s Republic of China, and then further north, in Tibetan territory, caravan sprang after them.” Sounding went through Weishan, first capital of simply by lorries. Horse caravans still muleteers were known as lado, meaning the caravan’s gong (actually the lid of the kingdom of Nanzhao, then Dali its work the remote trails, but not carrying ‘Hand of Stone’. A certain amount of the large cooking pot) was more than successor capital, along the western tea, and their numbers fall as China’s tradition attended these caravans, and ceremonial. Like a car horn in Indian shores of Lake Erhai, on to Shaxi and transport infrastructure develops. the lead horses were quite colourfully traffic, it was essential for avoiding Heqing, then the Great Bend of the decorated and often carried the team’s accidents, to warn others on the trail Yangtse and on to the caravanserais THE HORSE CARAVANS flag. Russian-born Peter Goullart, who ahead, particularly an oncoming of Lijiang. North again through Tiger The caravans varied in size, but could made the journey several times in the caravan. Pride made the lead horses Leaping Gorge to Zhongdian (renamed have as many as 50 to 100 ponies and 1940s to reach Lijiang, described the charge ahead to push their rivals off in 2001 as Shangri-La), then past Meili mules, tended by up to 20 muleteers. morning departure of a caravan: “To the trail. Goullart told of one such Snow Mountain and along the upper The leader was known picturesquely the sounding of the gong, the leading encounter that “by the time they were Mekong (Lancang) River. The second as the Ma Guo Tou, meaning ’Head horse, gaily bedecked in red ribbons, disentangled by cursing caravan men, source of a different tea was western of Horses and [cooking] Pots’, and pompoms and small mirrors on its the scene looked like a battlefield”. Sichuan, and caravans, aided by human his second-in-command Er Guo Tou forehead, was led out….and, having Read more about Goullart on p 9. porters over Erlong Mountain, carried (‘Number Two Head of Pots’), while looked back to see that everything was ready, started walking down PU’ER TEA the road at a brisk pace. At once he Among the six types of tea (the others CARRYING TEA chafing as the load sways on the rough was followed by the assistant leader, are white, yellow, green, black and Pu’er tea was typically pressed into a trails, the crupper that secures the less gaudily decorated, but also full oolong) Pu’er tea is special because of discus-shaped bing weighing 350gm, saddle to the base of the tail is strung of authority. Immediately the whole post-fermentation. and the standard load for a pony or with bobbin-like wooden wheels that roll mule was a dozen seven-bing stacks, across the horse’s back. each wrapped in bamboo leaf, on each side of the saddle, a total weight of just over 50 kilos. The wooden saddle, still made and used, is shaped to the barrel of the horse, and has 350-gram a central gap so that and smaller cakes from no weight rests directly on the animal’s different spine and for ventilation. To prevent harvests 6 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN INTRODUCTION 7
Other teas can also age, but for Pu’er also to reduce the astringency of young it is an essential part of the process. Pu’er, a process of forced fermentation Using the broad-leaved assamica (wo dui in Chinese) was developed variety of tea leaf (all the others in in the 1970s. Loose mao cha is piled China use the smaller sinensis leaves), up in a warm humid environment and it comes only from the south of covered with bamboo mats or cloth Yunnan. While its processing starts to keep it moist and allow micro- organisms to speed up fermentation. This can be for up to a few weeks before pressing in to cakes of what is then called shu cha (‘cooked’ tea). This is dark brown, has an earthy taste Akha Bulang Dai Hui when brewed that mimics aged sheng cha, and is much more affordable. Pu’er sparked the Tibetan demand for tea, remarkable in its intensity. On average, Tibetans consume 11 kg of tea leaf annually according to a 1995 study, and they drink it in a very particular, even peculiar, manner. Across history and nations, tea has been drunk in many ways, but possibly none so extreme as bod ja, Tibetan Butter Tea. The tea is first boiled for at Pressing cakes with stones Bai Yi Naxi Tibetan least an hour until thoroughly stewed, in the same way as most green teas, and then poured into a cylindrical version is that Tibet came into about, and the result has been 25 with withering and wok firing, it churn where it is mixed by a plunger contact with the tea plant during its ethnic minorities within Yunnan, continues to age slowly over the years with salt, and butter from the bri war with the southwest borderlands half of China’s total. Because the Tea and develops a complex flavour profile, (female of the yak), not uncommonly — what is now Yunnan — when Horse Road follows the grain of the woody and floral with notes varying rancid. Drunk in large quantities and Songtsän Gampo for the first time land south to north, it passes through from dried apricots or figs to camphor. an essential offering of hospitality to united Tibet into an effective most of these. On the southern border After firing, the leaves are rolled to guests, bod ja is finished off by kingdom, and began expansion. with Burma are several hill groups, break the cell walls to remove moisture mixing in powdered roasted barley, including the Akha (called Hani and and to shape them, and are then tsampa. For Tibetans, tea and its A CHAIN OF CULTURES Aini in Chinese), Bulang and Lahu, spread outdoors in sunlight to dry. As additions are essential nourishment in Yunnan has long been the but the main lowland group is the Dai, loose leaves, Pu’er called is mao cha a harsh, high-altitude environment that southwestern borderlands for China, around Jinghong and Simao. North or ‘rough tea,’ and is next pressed for creates high oxidative stress. This is and although the Han Dynasty made from here, centred on Dali, are the storage into cakes of various shapes, what ultimately made tea so important early attempts to control the region, Bai, and north again around Lijiang including the distinctive discus-shaped to them. first in 122 BC and later in 69 AD, are the Naxi. In the hills particularly bing. The market for naturally aged There are different versions of how they eventually gave up, and it wasn’t in the Lijiang area are Yi, in small Pu’er, known as sheng cha, is so strong the Tibetans were introduced to tea. until the Ming and Qing Dynasties communities although they are the that prices for cakes aged over 20 years In one, Princess Wencheng, a member that it came properly under Chinese largest ethnic minority in Yunnan as a have become astronomical — of the Tang dynasty court, took it with control. The southern outliers of whole. North again, as you’ll see when a 100-year-old 350gm bing would set her as part of her dowry when she the Himalayas, bordering Burma, you drive up toward Shangri-La and you back over a million Rmb! married the Tibetan King Songtsän Thailand and Laos, make this a Benzilan, are Tibetans, mainly the Because of these insane prices, and Gampo in the 7th century. Another difficult landscape in which to move Khampa branch. 8 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN LIJIANG 9
LIJIANG Yunnan, several times successfully sometimes crash to the ground, causing Senjiulujiu. fighting invading Tibetan armies, and injury to some unlucky passer-by.” Dongba paper- LIJIANG IS BOTH A PREFECTURE suppressing bandits, a common threat in making uses a local AND CITY, and while for most visitors it the rugged landscape that made it easy DONGBA: RELIGION, plant, ‘Adanda’ means the old quarter at its heart, it’s a for them to hide. HIEROGLYPHS AND PAPER (Thymelaeaceae sizeable town with a population of over The Naxi religion is called Dongba canescent a million. Historically, however, it began A TRADING TOWN (literally ‘wise man’), believed to have wikstroemia) to as three small settlements: first Baisha Lijiang’s history is one of trade, as it’s been strongly influenced by Tibetan create a mothproof founded in 658 in the Tang Dynasty, on both the Southwest Silk Road and Bön (which pre-dated Buddhism), and wear-resistant next Shuhe shortly after, and finally the Tea Horse Road. There were never and is based on the relationship thick paper (see Dayan rooftops Dayan, now the largest of the three. any city walls, and the free flow of between nature and man. Traditionally our recommended Lijiang is the centre of the Naxi people, people and goods have made it a place there were no places of worship, and shop on who are believed to have migrated south and a culture that accepted outside depended on rituals and teachings p 17 for the revival from the Tibetan plateau more than a influences, which you can see in the conducted by Dongba shamans, who of this ancient thousand years ago. Their exact origins architecture, religious art, food and tradition). and that of their language are still music. The narrow lanes, paved with uncertain, but Naxi sacred literature, shoes polished by constant traffic, were LIJIANG written in pictographs, refer to Mount lined with shops and merchants, and ARCHITECTURE Kailash and Lake Manasarovar, in the the caravans passed straight through, While their west of Tibet. even in the 1940s, as described by Peter original buildings Goullart (see below right): “Tibetan began with local A LITTLE HISTORY and Minkia [Bai] caravans, going and stone and timber, The Naxi first arrived in the fertile and coming from the busy market town the Naxi absorbed Baisha houses sheltered Lijiang plain in 24 AD, and of Hoking [Heqing}, thirty miles to influences from their numbers swelled until they set up the south, had to pass through….and Dongba Shaman Female assistant Tibetans in the north, Bai in the their first capital in what is now Baisha south around Dali, and from Han in the 7th century. The first major Chinese in the east, especially disruption was the Mongol invasion of from Zhejiang and Jiangsu. Most 1253, when Kublai Khan and his army of what you see in the old town swept south. The Naxi cooperated, is in quadrangle courtyard style, helped the army cross the Yangtse River known locally as zhi, traditionally using goatskins, and were rewarded with elaborate wooden carvings. by Kublai Khan leaving their leader, Three houses and a front wall Azong Aliang, in charge after the army surrounding a central courtyard continued south to capture Dali. A make the basic unit, wealthier century later, the Mongol Empire lost families adding more courtyards power to the Ming Dynasty, and the Naxi again cooperated with the new WESTERNERS IN LIJIANG rulers, gradually gaining a reputation as were a terror both to pedestrians and The world’s only living hieroglyph Two men, Joseph tough and reliable soldiers. The Ming shopkeepers. Swinging loads scraped Rock and Peter governor gave the Naxi chieftains the the shelves in front of the shops, alone could read and write the Dongba Goullart, brought name of Mu, and they became the sweeping the wares into the road, and scriptures. The birthplace of Dongba Naxi culture to the hereditary rulers. Their palace remains scattering the baskets and pottery ware was Bai Shui Tai (see p 22). attention of the at the foot of Lion Hill. Under the Ming on sale by the roadside. The polished The word is also used for the Western world in and Qing, Naxi troops were stationed surface of the street was like ice, and pictographic script, the world’s only the 1920s, ‘30s up and down central and northern the animals, with legs spreading, would living hieroglyph, called locally and ‘40s. 10 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN LIJIANG 11
Rock, an American, who arrived in own cultural identity. Tibetans from 1922 and made his home in Yuhu the north, Bai from the south, smaller village (see p 21) became a self- groups like Yi in the surrounding appointed Naxi scholar, writing and mountains and Han traders from photographing for National Geographic the east have intermingled freely. At in the US. Russian-born Goullart the same time, Naxi customs have Tiger Leaping Gorge founded business co-operatives around remained strong, as you can see in the Lijiang in the 1940s, immersed himself evening communal dancing in Sifang in Naxi life, and wrote his account in (encouraged by municipal authorities Forgotten Kingdom in 1955. for tourism but nevertheless authentic) and in such particular Naxi interests
NAXI LIFESTYLE as hawking. There are an estimated Tea Horse Road Cablecar Partly because of Lijiang’s long history thousand Naxi falconers in the town, as a trading town, the Naxi have for and on any given morning, especially Yulong (Jade Impression in the hawking season, groups of them Dragon) Mountain Lijiang gather to buy, sell, admire each other’s birds and talk about the craft and skills of hunting — near the market entrance Jinsha (Yangtse) River in Dayan, or by the bridge called Dashiqiao, traditionally known as the ‘Hawk Market Bridge’. Several species Yuhu are favoured, including the falcon and
sparrow hawk, but the bird of choice Tea Horse Road Naxi Falconers near Zhongyi market here is the goshawk. Balancing an industrious life with time for leisure is Baisha long interacted easily and comfortably an important priority, and there’s a Naxi with other ethnic groups, while at the saying, “Working as an ant while living same time managing to preserve their as a butterfly.” Shuhe Black Dragon Pool NAXI CUISINE Lashi Lake The distinctive Naxi staples are pork, Shigu Dayan potatoes, starch jelly, mushrooms in Great Bend season, and river fish. Salted and of the Yangtse Lijiang air-dried ham is a traditional specialty, either cut in strips or used in dishes such as Pipa Pork (Zhubiaorou 猪膘肉) and Three River Ham (三江火腿). (鸡豆凉粉) made from chickpeas. June Try mashed and spiced Laonai yangyu to November is mushroom season, and (老奶洋芋) (Granny’s Potato) or Yangyu the most prized (and most expensive) Baba (洋芋粑粑), which are spiced are matsutake. Our LUX* Lijiang and deep-fried white potato pancakes. signature dish is Naxi Hotpot Liangfen (literally ‘cold powder’) is the (纳西火锅), lighter and less oily than general Chinese name for starch jelly, the Sichuan variety, made with local and the most typical Naxi speciality is chicken, mushrooms and ham, with all the the greenish-grey Jidou Liangfen, veg trimmings. 12 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN DAYAN OLD TOWN 13
dwellings and a complex water system WE LIKE A LITTLE LESS of streams and canals all fed by the These are undeniably picturesque and nearby Heilong (Black Dragon) Pool. significant, but marred by the usual The massive local bluestones that pave attempts to over-organise and corral the lanes, polished by use and not as the tourists. slippery as they look, give a very special MU RESIDENCE (木府) character to the town. For architecture enthusiasts, the hereditary Lijiang rulers’ palace LOCATE YOURSELF BLACK DRAGON POOL Use the map on the following page (黑龙潭黑龙潭) Maybe too pretty, but a to get oriented. We’re in the south of Lijiang if not a national icon, so worth Dayan, close to Zhongyi market. The a visit. Picture postcard perfect, with all freeform layout of winding cobbled that implies lanes makes casual strolling a delight, WANGU TOWER (万古楼) and while it might seem easy to get lost, On top of Lion Hill. Expensive for a Dayan is on a walker’s scale and even view (we prefer our no-charge spot if you decide to put the map away and that locals use) Lion Hill and Wangu Tower let the pathways surprise you, before long you’ll find yourself in a known OUR FAVOURITE SHOPS, DAYAN OLD TOWN and Lijiang’s spot, such as the town square (Si Fang FOOD AND TEA architecture is a Street), the giant waterwheel in the There are indeed (and unfortunately) Dayan is the name for the original fusion of styles north, the market in the south, or Qiyi some pretty tacky offerings old settlement of Lijiang, one of three that include Han, Street that snakes NW-SE next to the masquerading as souvenirs, but Naxi clusters that date back over 800 years Bai from Dali to Central River (go NW and it takes cultural integrity is also alive and to the Southern Song Dynasty (the the south, and you to Si Fang). Keep an eye on Lion well. Overleaf are our hand-picked others are Shuhe and Baisha, to the Tibetan. Hill, which rises on the NW side of the suggestions, and at several of these NW respectively 6 km and 16 km). A devastating town, topped by the pagoda-like tower we’ve also negotiated discounts for you. This is rightly considered one of earthquake on of Wangu Lou. Retail therapy, Naxi-style. See both China’s most celebrated ancient towns, the evening of sides of the fold-out map. the centre of Naxi culture and one February 3rd, WE LIKE Zhongyi Market of the most important trading posts 1996 destroyed a As happens in China, there are along the Tea Horse Road. We’re at third of a million manufactured tourist experiences 2,400m here on the high Lijiang plain, buildings, killing vying for attention with authentic with Yulong (Jade Dragon) mountain 300 people, but ones. These are authentic. Here’s our looming 25 km to the northwest, and at the same time selection of Dayan highlights within for centuries the three settlements brought Dayan walking distance of the hotel. See the that make up Lijiang have been a into the spotlight entries further down for details. thriving hub for trade, notably the and paved LION HILL overlook. Great view and no horse caravans making their way the way for a Lane on Lion Street need to pay for it from the tea mountains over 500 km reconstruction of ZHONGHE (CENTRAL RIVER) canal walk. to the south with packs of tea bound the old town in pure Naxi style (strict The quiet side of Dayan, with willows for Lhasa, while Tibetan medicines, building codes forbid any building and exquisite stone bridges herbs and furs came down through here other than traditional). The result is DIANA HE’S TEA HOUSE Generations of from the north. Merchants from the uniquely a living, vibrant town within expert tea merchants east of China, in particular Nanjing, the fabric of old winding cobbled ZHONGYI MARKET A real market, from set up businesses and homes here, lanes, two-storey timber-framed fish and livestock to local copper pans 14 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN 1 Taiwan Food Shop
DAYAN’S TOP SIGHTS rivers, the Central, West and East 2 Chan Yuan Ge tea shop Streams, into Dayan. Side channels LION HILL (Shizishan 狮子山) feed the settlement from these. In the 3 Na Zhen Restaurant You can’t miss it, and if you’ve just old days, and even up to the 1950s, the 4 Na Zhen Flower Cakes arrived from a lower altitude it’s a bit hydraulics were so well thought-out of a slog, but it’s still a delightful way to that they were used to clean the old 5 Jie Jie local clothing rise above the tiled roofs of the ancient town’s streets overnight. Peter Goullart town and get an overview to put you wrote, “Early in the morning the sluices 6 Silversmiths in the picture, before you descend and of the canal which flanked the hill and 7 Hong Gu Handbags stroll around the warren of stone-paved was, therefore, slightly higher than the lanes and intricate waterway system. other streams flowing through the city, 8 Yak Meat Shop There are cafés and little restaurants were opened and about a foot of water with views, and our own favourite was allowed to rush through the place 9 Bunong Bell-makers little overlook plaza, used by locals and for an hour or so. All rubbish was swept 10 Dongba Paper Workshop student painters (see the map). away….” adding that “It was probably the only market-place in the whole of 11 Diana He’s Tea House WATERWAYS AND BRIDGES China which was thoroughly washed Dayan is actually a traditional hydraulic every day.” 12 He Haizhi Coppersmith town (there are others in China, Such an intricate water supply though none quite as well-organised system demands not only civic as here), with water distributed to discipline (the Naxi inhabitants every dwelling through complex maintain strict codes of behaviour to ancient engineering. Water flowing avoid sullying their precious clean waterways), but also bridges, and there are 350 of these, exquisite and varied in design, the majority of them Ming and Qing from Lijiang’s building heyday. Look out for the famous Naxi ‘three-eyed’ wells fed by this water system (see our map): arranged in tiers of three pools, the uppermost is for drinking water, the middle for washing vegetables, and the lowest for washing clothes and utensils.
DAYAN’S OLDEST TEA HOUSE AND MERCHANTS The family of our friend Diana He (pronounced ‘her’) have been tea merchants for generations, and are now Bridge over Central Stream the oldest in Dayan, and real experts. Every Spring, Diana drives the three- SE from Jade Dragon Mountain is day journey down to Xishuangbanna gathered at Black Dragon Pool (see in the far south of Yunnan to source the below) a kilometre north of the town new harvest with her connoisseur’s eye and then distributed by three small and palate, and there’s no-one better 17 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN DAYAN OLD TOWN 19 Sifang Outlook to help you taste and understand the life. It goes from traditional wet market complexities of Pu’er tea. Lijiang’s (not to everyone’s taste, admittedly, foundation and fortunes were based on with slithering, flopping fish all over the Hong Gu Handbags Yak Meat Shop trade, with this very particular tea at place), to meat market, fresh vegetables 7 8 its core, and Diana’s tea house is at its in the open-air central lane, beans and heart. Pu’er tea fuelled the Tea Horse pulses and their Naxi jelly derivatives, Road, and what began as a needed dried hams, all the way to cooking commodity for the Tibetans has now utensils in steel and local copper. become some of the most cherished There’s no tourist compromise here, but Silversmiths Bunong Bell-Makers and expensive tea in the world. Diana an abundance of local spirit and energy. 6 9 and her tea masters will explain. BLACK DRAGON POOL (黑龙潭黑) ZHONGYI MARKET Actually north of Dayan just under Yican well We love this authentic, completely a kilometre, open 8am-9pm, this un-touristy market, not just because beautifully landscaped Qing dynasty it’s right in our neighbourhood and pool with marble bridge and pavilions Jie Jie Local Clothing Dongba Paper Workshop we know the locals, but because it’s a was built in 1737. Yulong Mountain 5 10 concentration of Naxi culture through if visible makes a lovely backdrop, the all-important medium of its cuisine. especially at sunrise. Follow the canal Busiest in the morning, it’s a fabulous north from the giant waterwheel for a immersion in the natural Naxi way of 10-15 min walk. Canal Path Na Zhen Flower Cakes Diana He’s Tea House 4 11
3-eyed well
Na Zhen Restaurant He Haizhi Coppersmith 3 12
Qiyi Street SHOPPING AND OLD TOWN WALK Naxi Shoppers Black Dragon Pool and Yulong Mountain in Zhongyi Market Chan Yuan Ge Our dozen favourite shopping, food Diana He (pronounced ‘her’), whose Tea Shop 2 and tea locations listed above and family has for generations traded left are almost all on our Old Town tea brought up from the mountains COPPERWARE Walk marked in orange on the in the south. Back to the Dayan’s Centuries-old copper mines close to the Yangtse town map (previous page fold-out). most famous stone bridge next to River near Lijiang helped make the town famous for Follow Qiyi Street north to Sifang, Bunong bell-makers, turn left and its coppersmiths and their ware. Peter Goullart, one Dayan’s main square. If you like, walk E along Wuyi Street for 5-10 of Lijiang’s famous characters (he wrote Forgotten Taiwan Food Shop make a scenic detour up winding min to the coppersmith who makes Kingdom), ran these as a cooperative in the 1940s. 1 stone steps to a secret city overlook, the bracelets you already received Find new and old copper ware at the north, covered, then return to Sifang. Then follow on arrival. Use the map to guide you end of Zhongyi market. Better still, visit He Haizhi in his the route up to the tea house of back to the hotel. workshop (see map). Hotel 20 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN
LIJIANG SURROUNDINGS director, Zhang Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern, Hero, House of Flying YULONG (JADE DRAGON) Daggers, and more) has created MOUNTAIN (玉龙雪山) Impression Lijiang, an epic show with A cluster of peaks with Shanzidou a hundred horses and a cast of 500 in the highest at 5,596m dominate this an open-air theatre with Jade Dragon section of the N-S Hengduan Range. Mountain as a backdrop. After lunch Visible from Lijiang on a clear day, and close by, enjoy VIP seats at the early The Great Bend from Shigu about 45 min drive to the lower slopes afternoon hour-long performance. If from Dayan. There’s a cablecar ride you’re a photographer, it’s like having SHUHE (束河) GREAT BEND OF THE YANGTSE to a viewing platform by the glacier at a major production exquisitely framed NW of Dayan (approx 10 km drive), 25 km W of Lijiang (as the crow flies), 4506m, and a walkway going a little for your camera. this small town is basically a smaller, the hard rock strata of the Hailuo Cliff higher (not always open). Depending older version of Dayan, with cobbled force the S-flowing Yangtse to make a very much on the weather, there are BAISHA (白沙) lanes and waterways. Dating from 140º turn to the NE. The view from some good views of peaks and the One of the three old communities that, the Tang Dynasty, it was famous for the opposite hillside is impressive. The glacier, but it’s expensive and you’ll together with Dayan and nearby Shuhe leather-working. The centre is now shallow waters of the river as it slows be herded with the 10,000 other make up the original Naxi settlement heavily developed with bars and down for the wide bend made it a visitors who do this daily. The oxygen of Lijiang, and in fact older than crossing point for Kublai Khan’s army cans are a bit of a scam; oxygen’s not Dayan. Drive N from Dayan 16 km or in the 13th century, and in 1936 for necessary for normally healthy people N from Shuhe 5 km. Start at Dabaoji the Red Army on the Long March. at this altitude. The lower slopes have (Great Treasure) Palace, a temple built The small town here is Shigu (石鼓 a wide range of montane habitat with a in 1582, to see the Baisha Murals. 镇); its name comes from the Stone quarter of China’s plant species. There The surviving frescoes are unusually Drum, in fact a 16th century plaque are hiking trails in different sections, a fusion of Naxi, Daoist, Chinese commemorating a Naxi victory over including Yak Meadow (Maoniuping), Buddhist and Tibetan Buddhist deities invading Tibetans. Climb up the Spruce (Yunshan) Plateau and Dry and styles. Walk through the back of hillside for a better view than from Season Meadow (Ganhaizi). the temple complex to Baisha village the village itself. which, apart from the main street with An alley in Shuhe IMPRESSION LIJIANG its cafés and shops, is very quiet. The TIGER LEAPING GORGE Near the cablecar station at the foot Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute restaurants, but the 400-year-old stone (虎跳峡 HUTIAOXIA) of the mountain is an open-air theatre teaches traditional silk embroidery and Qinglong Bridge and the Jiudinglong About 40 km N of Lijiang (60 km where China’s most famous movie welcomes visitors. (Dragon) Pool (九鼎潭九鼎龙潭) with driving), the Yangtse River, called its nearby Sansheng (Three Saints) here the Jinsha (Golden Sand), passes Zhang Yimou’s Impression Lijiang Temple (束河三圣宫) and Beiquan between Yulong Mountain and Haba (North Spring) Temple (北泉寺) are Mountain and has cut a 15 km-long worth visiting. gorge that at its deepest point, river to mountain peak, is 3,790m, making YUHU (玉湖) it one of the world’s deepest river Just N of Baisha is Yuhu village, canyons. The rapids can be spectacular, distinctive for its stone building especially during the rainy season. construction using what the Naxi The Tea Horse Road used the gorge, call ‘monkey-head’ stones. Joseph with trails cut directly into the cliffs, Rock lived here in the ‘20s and ‘30s, still visible from the road. There are preferring it to Lijiang, but there’s little two trails, high and low, and while the to see at his small old courtyard house, entire High Trail takes two days, you now a museum. can walk shorter sections. 22 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN LIJIANG TO SHANGRI-LA 23
The full High Trail hike covers 17 km on the first day, from Qiatou to Halfway YAK Guesthouse, and 13 km on the second, Massively built, up to 2m at the from Halfway Guesthouse to Daju on shoulder and with a shaggy pelt the lower gorge. Day trips from Lijiang that hangs down like a black skirt, will drop you at one end of a shorter yaks are as Tibetan as butter tea, section and pick you up at the end. The and a fixture of the landscape (as Jun-Sep rainy season can be dangerous are the huge wooden racks for because of rockfalls. drying hay out of their reach). They look more like American BAI SHUI TAI (白水台) bison that cattle, and despite their These white travertine terraces (the impressive size, weighing up to a name means ‘white water’) were metric ton, are not at all Baiji and Guishan temples, Dukezong deposited by mineral-rich water flowing aggressive. For Tibetans, they from a geothermal spring on the slope of provide milk, hair, meat and are LIJIANG TO SHANGRI-LA you’ll see the entrance to this 3,000 Haba Mountain, and are similar to those beasts of burden. In fact, further metre-deep canyon, and at the point at Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone up on the Tibetan plateau than ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT where the river makes a sharp turn National Park, in the US. They’re here, at around 4,000m, they take STAGES OF THE TEA HORSE ROAD to the right to enter it (and the Tea considered the cradle of the Naxi’s over haulage work from horses. WAS FROM LIJIANG NORTH TO Horse Road went), our road veers left Dongba Religion and culture, and at the An old Tibetan song goes “yak’s SHANGRI-LA (ZHONGDIAN AS IT to climb the steep winding valley of spring itself a short walk up there are head, eyes, intestines, down, hoof, THEN WAS). Driving route 214 takes the much smaller Chongjiang River. one or two practising Dongba priests. heart become in turn sun, moon, around 3½ hrs, but in the past, the After 40 km you reach the highest 3-4 hrs drive from either Lijiang or stars, rivers, lakes, forests and caravans took about a week, covering point at 3,500m where there’s a halt Shangri-La makes this a long day trip. mountain.” Be aware that the on average 30 km a day. The journey and a good panoramic view (weather The White Terrace is the cradle word comes from the Tibetan for follows the expressway south, bound depending), back towards 5,396m of the renowned Dongba Religion of the male, so you may get for Dali, and after skirting Lashi Lake, Haba Mountain that towers over Tiger corrected with a laugh if you say turns off to cross the low hills to the Leaping Gorge beyond, and N towards ‘yak butter tea’, which would be west and drop down to the Yangtse your destination, the high plateau a bit like saying ‘bull’s milk’. The valley. The river is here flowing NE, surrounding Shangri-La. From here female is called bri. But in fact, a result of the Hailuo Cliff behind you on you’re in ethnic Tibet, and as the what you’ll see a lot more of that was responsible for the Great road descends a little you’ll see the around here is a cross-breed Bend of the Yangtse, and it continues massive house construction typical of between yak and cattle, called in this direction for another 120 km. Tibetan communities, as well as large Dongba Shaman on Baishuitai terraces dzo in Tibetan, smaller and Up to your right is the back of Yulong wooden structures dotting the fields slimmer (but that won’t stop Mountain, and the Tea Horse Road that are drying racks for barley, tall theNaxi ethnic minority. It is situated guides calling them yak). in fact crossed those slopes, heading enough to keep it out of reach of cattle in Baidi Village of Sanba Township north through Yi settlements on its and yaks, and of course, you’ll see yaks (Shangri-la County), about 101 way to Tiger Leaping Gorge. Soon themselves. kilometers away from Shangri-la county seat. The elevation there is 2,380 meters above the sea level. A festival named “Chao Bai Shui” (pilgrimage to the white terrace) is annually held on lunar February 8th when the local Tibetans, Naxis, Bais, Lisus and so on will gather here for sacrificial ceremonies. Haba Mountain from the road’s high point 24 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN LIJIANG TO SHANGRI-LA 25
Pudacuo National Park
Shangri-La Bita Lake Park entrance
Tea Horse Road
Dabaosi Valley Tea Horse Road TeaHorse
SHANGRI-LA settlement in ethnic Tibet and the last one before the really difficult You may wonder how you managed to part of the journey, negotiating the stray into 1930s author James Hilton’s deep gorges and high passes onto the famous fantasy novel Lost Horizon, Tibet-Qinghai Plateau. Even for the Baishuitai travertine terraces or the Oscar-winning movie version tough Naxi muleteers, this was beyond starring Ronald Colman, and you’d be their experience and at 3,200m higher right to be perplexed. The 1933 novel than was comfortable. Dukezong, is was a work of pure fiction, the name the old town at the heart of Zhongdian was made up, and the location was (much as Dayan is to Lijiang), was set deep in the high Himalayas. That the next major trading post where the Haba Mountain didn’t stop the municipal authorities loads were transferred and entrusted of Zhongdian (中甸), as the town was to the charge of the lados, as muleteers formerly known, for snapping up a were called in Tibetan. The town great brand name in 2001. No-one is at 3,200m, which is 800m higher else was using it, and it does add a than Lijiang, and the altitude makes Tiger Leaping Gorge frisson of the romantic to a place that a real difference. Winters are cold but has its own exciting legacy. For the generally sunny (average temperature horse caravans trekking north a few in January minus 3ºC), while summers months already from the subtropical cool and wet. Three-quarters of the Yulong (Jade tea mountains, Zhongdian, known rainfall is from June to September Jinsha (Yangtse) River Dragon) Mountain to Tibetans as Gyalthang (meaning because the monsoon reaches this far, Royal Plains), was the first major and the average temperature 5ºC. Tea Horse Road Yuhu
Shuda Lake Baisha
Shuhe Napahai Songzanlin Monastery Pudacuo National Park Lashi Lake Shangri-La Shigu Dayan Shika Mountain Bita Lake Great Bend of Lijiang the Yangtse Park entrance
Ringha Temple Dabaosi Valley Tea Horse Road
Lijiang to Shangri-La 26 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN
DUKEZONG (独克宗) during the town’s makeover, complete Covering 11 sq km and with about a with romantic re-branding into thousand dwellings, Dukezong, is the Shangri-La. It has a reasonable charm, 1300-year-old Tibetan town at the although diminished by shops selling heart of Zhongdian/Shangri-La, with pointless souvenirs. In January 2014 cobbled lanes and a central square but half of the buildings in the old town much smaller than Dayan in Lijiang. were destroyed by fire, but have been The Chinese name comes from the rebuilt in approximately the same style. original Tibetan Semkyi Noida The two temples were untouched. Dorkhar, meaning ‘Sun and Moon The larger of these, on a hill by Town’, usually shortened to Dorkhar. the car park entrance to the old town, Prior to 2001, it was a rather shabby is Guishan (龟山 or Turtle Hill). Its settlement of rammed earth and timber chief attraction is the world’s largest Black-necked Cranes in winter buildings, though a key staging post prayer wheel, Zhuangjin Tong, 21m along the Tea Horse Road. These were tall, built in 2001, containing 100,000 (Anser indicus), Woolly-necked Stork rebuilt in a semi-Lijiang Naxi style small prayer wheels. It takes several (Ciconia episcopus), Black Storks people to get it turning. On a small hill (Ciconia nigra), Great Cormorant about 15min walk west of Guishan (Phalacrocorax carbo), Common TIBETAN HOUSE Temple is a smaller temple known as Merganser (Mergus merganser), Red- With many regional varieties, Baijisi (百鸡寺 100-Chicken Temple), crested Pochard (Netta rufina) and Tibetan houses are massive named prosaically after the numbers of Ruddy Shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea). structures, built like forts, and around chickens running around. It has quite a In autumn the shallow lake slowly here they are constructed from good, elevated view of the old town. drains, to about a fifth of its summer rammed earth (that is, adobe) and size, and Tibetan farmers pasture their heavy timber from the surrounding SHANGRI-LA herds of yak and flocks of horses on the Horses and Yaks in spring forests. Two and sometimes three SURROUNDINGS wetlands, as they have for centuries, stories high, their metre-thick walls including the very horses that formed Lhasa, and is a sizeable complex, slope inward (called a batter), NAPAHAI (纳帕海) the old caravans. There’s always plenty dominated by two major lamasery making them earthquake-resistant, Drive W out of town to circle the to see here at whatever season as you buildings, called Zhacang (dedicated to a necessary precaution in this wetlands of Napahai, an important skirt the foot of the hills which, to the Sakyamuni, the historical Buddha) and geologically active part of Yunnan and complex ecosystem that changes W, rise to the 4,449m peak of Shika Jikang (dedicated to Zongkaba, founder (see p 32). Most Tibetan house dramatically with the seasons, covering Mountain. of the Gelugpa, or Yellow Hat Sect, have flat roofs, although around 660 sq km and occupying the NW who lived from 1357-1419). There here, at the northern edge of the end of the plain, encircled by Shika, SONGZANLIN MONASTERY are also 8 smaller lamaseries known as monsoon belt, many have pitched Kanbalong and Yala mountains. The (松赞林寺) Kangsen, each for one of the parishes of roofs to cope with rain and snow. combination of June-to-September 5 km N of town is the largest Tibetan ‘Kang’, the name for the Tibetan areas Look out for the carved and brightly monsoonal rains and meltwater runoff Buddhist Lamasery in Yunnan — more of Yunnan and Sichuan. The main halls painted exterior woodwork around, from the surrounding mountains causes than 33 hectares — Songzanlin, known have impressive Buddha statues and especially door and window frames. the wetland to fill up into a lake (the in Tibetan as Ganden Sumtseling, important frescoes, which include The The sheer size of Tibetan houses ‘hai’ in Napahai means lake or sea) and sometimes also called Guihua Wheel of Life, Four Animals Living means that in villages the whole that covers about 23 sq km. Being on Temple. It was built in 1679 under in Harmony (Si Rui He Mu Tu), the community pitches in to help build, a major flyway, it attracts thousands the instructions of the Qing Dynasty Eight Tibetan Mascots (Ba Bao Tu), and if you’re travelling the road in of migratory birds seasonally. The rare Emperor Kangxi, following a revelation among others. There’s an entrance fee Spring you’re likely to see communal Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) by the Fifth Dalai Lama, who chose the and a dedicated bus from town, and at house-building with women carrying overwinters here. Look out for other site by divination. It was architecturally times gets rather crowded with visitors up earth and men tamping it down. exotic migrants, like Bar-headed Geese modelled on the Potala Palace in and feels a bit too much like a tourist 28 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN LIJIANG TO SHANGRI-LA 29 destination. No photography inside from the park entrance to the two lakes, just before the small bridge over the the halls. Be prepared for climbing TIBETAN BUTTER TEA Bita and Shudu, are for conservation stream, continue 1km, turn left at the many, many steps. There’s also a good Butter tea, drunk in quantities and reasons rather than just herding tourists, T-junction and continue another 1km overall view of the monastery complex at a frequency that makes it a and the winding wooden boardwalks to the very end) is Caravane Liotard, against the backdrop of Foping Tibetan obsession, is a cornerstone make walking around the park a run by Constantine and Phoebe Mountain from the main road heading of the Tea Horse Road. Called po pleasure. At 3,700m, Pudacuo covers Slizewicz. They run horse caravans and N from Shangri-La to Benzilan (on cha, bod ja or ja srub ma, and marshland, alpine meadows, coniferous tented camps into the mountains, and the right as you round the hill, though by the Chinese suyou cha (酥油 forests, and is genuinely an area of this is the only way to really experience there’s no easy stopping place). 茶), it’s made by blending tea with outstanding natural beauty. The scenery yak butter and salt, and the result resembles parts of Yellowstone National SHIKA MOUNTAIN (石卡雪山) is a nutritious drink that very few Park (which was actually one of the 7km SW of Shangri-La, rising above people other than Tibetans care models for this new park). It contains Napahai, is 4,449m Shika Mountain. to drink. First, the tea is boiled species of fish unique to here, musk MUSHROOMS The name in local Tibetan dialect for up to an hour until thoroughly deer, muntjacs, orchids, Black-necked 800 of the world’s varieties of means ‘sacred place of snow’, and a stewed, then a chunk of butter Cranes in winter, and even a rare yew, mushroom are found in Yunnan, 4 km-long cableway, the longest in (strictly speaking, this is bri butter, taxus yunnanensis, whose extracts are and the area around Shangri-La Yunnan, makes it very accessible. The as yak is the male of the species) used in many cancer drugs. The bus is particularly rich. Mushroom cablecar is in two stages, first to 3900m, is put into a tall cylindrical churn takes you first to Shudu Lake, which foraging begins when the summer from where there’s a 3 km forest walk called a mdong mo, together with you can walk around for 3km, then to rains really kick in, when villagers to the blue-green waters of Lingxi a handful of salt. The strong tea is the Militang Grasslands, and finally to and farmers head off to the old- Lake, and a second stage to 4400m. added, and the mixture churned Bitahai (Bita Lake), surrounded by old growth conifer forests. July and The cablecars take 30-40min if with a plunger. As British pines and cypresses. If you do the full August are the peak months. The you go straight to the top, writer and explorer walks, allow an entire day. most valuable of all are Matsutake and from there you can Spencer Chapman drily (Tricholoma matsutake), beloved by climb to the summit along a put it, “The result is a DABAOSI (大宝寺) the Japanese, who grow insufficient boardwalk for another 100m purplish liquid of unusual 15km and 45min SE out of town, for their needs, and Shangri-La walk to the peak. It’s cold taste for tea, but as soup taking the Pudacuo road to start with, is the world’s largest grower of and can be very windy, and only excellent’.” You’ll be served is Dabaosi valley, at the head of which this spicy-aromatic and expensive worth going in clear weather, but the it whenever you enter a Tibetan is an important, though small, Tibetan variety, most of which is exported panorama from the top when it is clear home, and etiquette demands that temple. Ringha Temple (called Dabaosi to Japan. Here in the markets is the is spectacular. You can see Meili Snow your wooden tea bowl is constantly in Chinese) was founded in the Ming cheapest you’ll ever find, but even Mountain (Kawakarpo) to the NW, refilled after each sip, and never Dynasty as a place of worship for the more interesting is to go mushroom Myanmar’s highest peak Hkakabo left empty. Kagyupa (White Hat) sect of Tibetan hunting with a local guide. Other Razi a little to the left and further, and Buddhism, but was later converted to mushrooms are the succulent and Jade Dragon Mountain nnear Lijiang Gelugpa (Yellow Hat). This happened nutty-flavoured Boletus (aka ceps or to the SE. when the Qing emperor Kangxi porcino), coral fungus (ganbajun in founded Songzanlin Monastery, and Chinese), Tibetan Caesar (Amanita PUDACUO (普达措) Ringha became an affiliate of the hemibapha), chanterelles, lion’s Pudacuo is China’s first National Park, much larger monastery. Two nearby mane, sulphur shelf and other even created with the help of the Nature springs are sacred, and their waters are more exotic species. Conservancy partnering with the believed to have magical powers. The Chinese government. It’s a model for a valley itself is an attractive and peaceful new Chinese national park system and corner of pastoral Tibetan life, growing meets international standards for park highland barley, potatoes and turnips, management. For once, the organised with grazing yaks and horses. Here restrictions, which include bussing also, 1km before the temple (turn right 30 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN BENZILAN 31
what travelling the Tea Horse Road Mekong Yangtse Nujiang SICHUAN Jinsha (Yangtse) River was actually like — with one important difference. It’s in comfort. Caravane Red Mountain Liotard have designed their own tents modelled on those used by Joseph Derong River Baima-Meili Pudacuo Rock and other early explorers, and Gaoligong Mountain National Mountain Park they’re heated! The Tibetan muleteers Maowu Canyon and their animals are all from Dabaosi Haba Hengduan Mountain Mountains Qianhua village, wages are distributed fairly, Mountain and one of Caravane Liotard’s missions Yangtse Tiger Leaping is, as Slizewicz puts it, “to reconnect Laowo Gorge Mountain with a muleteer tradition doomed to Laojun Canyon Walk MYANMAR Yunling Mountain Dongzhulin Mountain disappear.” They also have a fixed camp (BURMA) Monastery site where you can take lunch, and a Horseshoe cookery school. Bend Balagezong entrance
YUNNAN Bairen SHANGRI-LA TO BENZILAN Shiyi Benzilan Continuing N from Shangri-La, the Nujiang Mekong Niding well-graded highway with little traffic climbs into the hills for nearly an hour, and then descends to follow the winding gorge of the Yangste River, eventually hectares spanning the N-S gorges reaching the small riverside town of of the Salween (called the Nujiang Benzilan and the LUX* hotel. Total in Chinese), the Mekong (Lancang journey time 11 hrs. in Chinese) and Yangtse (this upper section called the Jinsha, or River of Tangdu pottery BENZILAN (奔子栏) Golden Sands). At one point a little N village The Three Parallel Rivers of Benzilan, only 80 km separates them The small town of Benzilan, nestled from W to E. The Three Parallel Rivers in the gorge of the Yangtse, is special has 15 protected areas in 8 clusters (see Songzanlin despite its size. In the days of the map). The dramatic topography — a Monastery Tea Horse Road it was famous for whopping 6 km from highest to lowest its strong muleteers. It still keeps its — comes with some amazing geology, Shangri-La Shika Mountain reputation for making fine lathe-turned including 4 kinds of igneous rock, karst wooden tea bowls, made from the (sculpted limestone formations) and roots of rhododendron and other trees. Danxia sandstone (banded red layers in As for climate, it’s warmer and drier steep cliffs). The combination of such than Shangri-La (it never snows). Its extreme corrugated relief, low latitude location, however, is at the heart of (Benzilan is 28º, just 5º N of the Tropic BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS one of the most biodiverse regions on of Cancer), and being within reach There are 35 biodiversity hotspots in the world, and the Three Earth, of such importance that in 2003 of the monsoons has given the Three Parallel Rivers is one. To qualify, a hotspot needs to have a high it was inscribed by UNESCO to the Parallel Rivers an incredible range of percentage of plants found nowhere else in the world, and be World Heritage List. Officially called ecosystems, making it probably the under threat. The 35 areas have between them only 2.3% of the Three Parallel Areas of Yunnan most biologically diverse temperate the land surface but have more than half of the world’s plant Protected Areas, it covers 1.7 million ecosystem in the world. species that exist nowhere else. They’re irreplaceable. 32 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN BENZILAN 33
happy to take time and explain Tibetan another traditional Tibetan craft, MOUNTAINS, EARTHQUAKES crumpling of the Earth’s skin into Buddhism to those who are interested. making incense sticks. Another 6 km AND MONSOONS mountains and gorges, and it’s full of Make sure to return in the afternoon and higher is the uppermost hamlet of All three are related. The truly superlatives: fastest uplift in the world, and attend one of the famous Gelugpa- Niding, where it’s possible to arrange spectacular mountain-and-gorge highest relief, fastest erosion, Asia’s sect debating sessions (the first of two lunch or dinner in the house of the head landscapes that motivated UNESCO to greatest rivers and more glaciers than each day for these monks). These are of the village. Walk 300m along the create the Three Parallel Rivers area anywhere except the polar regions. conducted in a very physical and road above Niding to a small hill with come from the formation of the Here in Yunnan the rivers and mountain highly charged debating style between a gompa and prayer flags for a lovely Himalayas themselves. Sharp peaks ranges N to S, and that allows the pairs of monks, usually students, in view down over the valley and as far and jagged topography are a sure sign monsoon rains from further S to push which one sits and the other stands, as Bala Mountain in the distance. of young mountains, not old. What their way up and give this area summer jumps, dances, and to make his point started it all was the slow crashing of rainfall that nourishes so many plant shouts and strikes one hand with YANGTZE GORGE AND THE the Indian continent into Eurasia 55 species. Underneath all of this are two his fist. To stand in the middle of a HORSESHOE BEND million years ago (that’s 1/80th the age of the Earth’s tectonic plates rubbing courtyard of dozens of debating monks Another good drive, getting better of the Earth in case you thought it was against each other, and the friction gives is an amazing experience. all the time as the roads are rapidly ancient). This is ongoing, hence the — earthquakes, a regular feature. being improved and re-surfaced, is to SHUIBIANHE VALLEY (水边河) continue up the Yangtse gorge from A few minutes drive N out of town a Benzilan. Cross the bridge in town, DONGZHULIN MONASTERY Three Worlds, Yama (the ruler of the small road to the left takes you into which puts you in Sichuan Province, (东竹林寺) hell), and Manjusri, as well as 18 statues the winding, pretty Shuibianhe Valley and turn left. After 3 km the road 20km N of Benzilan town is the of Arhats and Thangka scroll paintings. with three traditional Tibetan hamlets. starts to make a big loop around a important monastery of Dongzhulin, The largest of these Thangkas is 8.5 The lowest is Bairen, and there it’s promontory rising high on your right. known as Dhon-Drupling in Tibetan. meters long and 5.2 meters wide, and worth visiting the workshop of the local This is a spectacular horseshoe bend, It was founded N of here in 1667 by is only exhibited on the occasion of maker of cow bells. A few doors away, and the best view of it is from high Kusho Dondrub and given its name the Gedong Festival held in the 11th our French friend Estelle Chard has a up on the other side, which you can by the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1670, and lunar month of the Tibetan calendar. guest house where she cooks and serves visit on the drive from Benzilan north was originally of the Kagyupa (White Occasionally, sand mandalas are Provençale-style meals accompanied to Meili Snow Mountain (see p 41). Hat) sect. As a result of the struggles made on an upper floor. This is where by her home-made cabernet sauvignon Continue another 12 km to the bridge with the Gelugpa (Yellow Hat) sect, it morning prayers take place, a good time wine. 3 km further up is the middle crossing to the W bank of the the was converted to Gelugpa, and grew to visit. Unlike the larger and better- hamlet, Shiyi, where you can see Yangtse, spectacularly located where in size until by the late Qing Dynasty known Songzanlin Monastery on the The Horseshoe Bend from viewing platform there were over 700 lamas and 10 outskirts of Shangri-La which is heavily Living Buddhas in the monastery. organised for tourism, Dongzhulin In 1985 it was rebuilt in its present sees few visitors, and the monks are location, on a hillside just below the main road, and the entire The Assembly Hall at Dongzhulin surrounding small village is a religious community. The grand Assembly Hall has 4 floors and 82 thick columns. Statues include a 6.8-meter- high gilded Maitreya Buddha, a 10.5-meter- high Sakyamuni, White Drolma, Buddhas of 34 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN BENZILAN 35 the Derong River joins the Yangtse at take a spectacular nature walk along After 15 km, leaving behind the a V-junction dominated by a towering a kilometre-plus suspended walkway Tibetan settlements and power station, pinnacle. Depending on the season, the secured to the cliff wall, high over you enter the Maowu Canyon. Look two rivers are usually different colours the river. Return by piloted boat for a out for the striking outcrops of red rock, (eg Yangste brown, Derong green) water-level canyon experience. which are Danxia sandstone, named after Danxi Mountain in Guangdong BALAGEZONG CANYON (巴拉格宗) NIXI BLACK POTTERY province and are unique to China. 45 min drive S from Benzilan takes Another 30 minutes drive S from After 15 km, the canyon opens out you to the mouth of the Balagezong Balagezong and you reach Tangdui Luo Sang Enzhu at work into a more normal valley, lined with Canyon, which leads up to the village in Nixi township to visit attractive Tibetan villages scattered mountainous interior east of the master potter Luo Sang Enzhu. As take home as a memory of this special up the slopes and in side valleys. At Yangtse gorge. Balagezong is a good was his father before him, Luo is the Benzilan land. the first settlement there’s a footbridge and easy introduction to the Three acknowledged master of the black so festooned with prayer flags that it’s Parallel Rivers ecological zone. pottery that is unique to this area. MAOWU CANYON (茅屋峡谷) almost hidden — it crosses to the temple Subalpine conifer forests dominate The clay is taken locally, and after NE of Benzilan, following the river of Ganden Shey Dup Choe Khor Ling. up to the tree line, which is high here firing, the pieces are plunged into a roads, is the remarkable and little The road continues to the small town of because of the subtropical latitude mixture of sawdust and ash, which visited Maowu Canyon, with its green Dongwang and beyond. — around 3,800m — and they’re turns them their distinctive black. river and multicoloured rock strata, complex. Spruce dominates up to Master Luo will be happy to teach made delightfully accessible by an about 3,500m, and above that fir, but you how to fashion a Tibetan tea bowl excellent road winding around the there are also evergreen oaks on sunny with your own hands, something to mid-levels of this deep, narrow gorge. slopes and azaleas, as well as ginkgo Cross the bridge at Benzilan, turn left and Yunnan pine (Pinus yunnanensis) and follow the Yangtse as far as its at lower altitudes. Some of the elusive junction with the Derong River, as animals here include the Red Panda above. Fork right to go up the Derong (Ailurus fulgens). A Balagezong bus for 9 km, and then turn right again. takes you first on a steep thousand- Danxia Sandstone at Maowu Canyon metre ascent from 2,800m with 30 switchbacks through changing montane zones to the visitor centre in a high TIBETAN INCENSE often originating valley (a former Tibetan village). After Incense plays a in monasteries and this, descend to the canyon, where you An old masterpiece from the pottery special role in Tibetan Buddhist colleges such culture, medicine and as the Larung Gar Buddhist practice. Buddhist Academy Traditional Tibetan in western Sichuan, medicine, known also on the Tea Horse as Ggso ba rig pa Road. The principal or Sowa-Rigpa, draws on Ayurvedic ingredients are Purple and White practice and Buddhism from India, Sandalwood, saffron, amber and Borneol utilising natural materials such as (which is also used in traditional Chinese herbs and minerals. An important way moxibustion), carefully sourced, with the of delivering these natural medical best sandalwood in this region collected substances is in the form of aromatic from the slopes of one of Tibet’s most incense, and the Tibetan style is sacred mountains, Kawakarpo, some 60 famous for its complex formulae km northwest from here, also know an that are handed down in a ‘lineage’, Meili Snow Mountain (see p 38). Walkway along Balagezong Canyon 36 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN BENZILAN TO MEILI 37
BENZILAN TO MEILI to see Meili Snow Mountain. This is, in fact, an incised meander, and The next major leg of the Tea Horse very much part of the story of how Road was from Benzilan NW to the Himalayas were formed. Incised the town of Deqin and Meili Snow meanders start with a river that’s Mountain (Kawakarpo to Tibetans), actually flowing on flattish land, slow enough to be meandering in loops. However, if the land then starts to uplift, as happened all around here, the river keeps its shape but cuts down into the rock because it has more energy from flowing faster. Next, after 10 min, you pass Dongzhulin Monastery on the right (see p 32) and continue driving, getting higher and higher, until the pass Tibetan hamlet near Deqin that marks the watershed between the Yangtse and the Mekong, at 4,292m. In 1983, the 180,000 hectare Baima town of the area, but quite charmless, From here, in clear weather, there are Nature Reserve was created, to protect with nondescript, even downright Prayer flags at the pass good views all around of Baima Nature its primitive forests, well-layered ugly buildings. Drive straight through Reserve, as the road cuts right through in vertical sequence, including a toward Feilaisi (see below) or take about 2½ hrs and 140km, crossing the it. From here, the road winds down well-preserved primeval frigid-zone the lower road forking right if you’re divide between the catchments of the toward Deqin. forest, subalpine conifer forest, an heading for Cizhong (see p 42), or Yangtse and the Mekong. After 15 min exceptional azalea forest, and the else, for the old Tea Horse Road trail out of Benzilan, far below and to the BAIMA NATURE RESERVE (白马雪山) rare Black snub-nosed monkey to Adong, turn right into the town right of the road, the Yangtse executes Baima (White Horse) Mountain, (Rhinopithecus bieti). Known locally and drive to its northern end for the an exquisitely shaped tight horseshoe also known as Baimang Mt. and as the Yunnan gold hair monkey (滇 trailhead (see p 38). bend, sometimes confusingly called the Baimaxueshan, is the centre of a 金丝猴), this elusive primate was first First Bend of the Yangtse (confusing beautiful and important high-altitude observed in the wild only in the 1990s. FEILAISI (FEILAI TEMPLE飞来寺) because that’s the name sometimes protected area. With some imagination, It lives only between the Mekong and The upper Mekong river road from given to the Great Bend of the Yangtse the cluster of peaks looks like a herd Yangtse Rivers in the Three Parallel Deqin winds around for 10 km until the near Lijiang). For some administrative of white horses, hence the name. With Rivers area, between about 3,000m view suddenly opens up of the Mekong reason, tickets for the viewing point permanent snow over 4,000m, there and 4,500m, the highest habitat of gorge and towering above it, to the are combined with those for Feilaisi, are 20 peaks over 5,000m, the highest any primate. There are about 1,500 in W, the sacred peaks of Kawakarpo (in so it’s best to visit here on the way N being 5,430m. the Baima reserve, mainly in fir-larch Tibetan), known in Chinese as Meili forests. Other fauna include Red Snow Mountain. Facing it on this side Panda (Ailurus fulgens), musk deer is the temple of Feilaisi, dating to 1614. Baima Vertical Habitats (Moschus chrysogaster), snow leopard Next to it is a large viewing area with a Permanent snow 4,500 m + 5,000 m (Panthera uncia), White eared pheasant row of stupas and a high wall to prevent High mountain shrub, scree 4,000 – 4,500 m (Crossoptilon crossoptilon). Not usually visitors from seeing the mountain 4,000 m accessible between December and without paying to enter. Drive a short April because of snow blocking roads. distance further along the road and you Subalpine coniferous forest 3,500 – 4,000 m can enjoy the view for free. The highly 3,000 m DEQIN (德欽) publicised view is, however, not at all Deciduous forest 2,800 – 3,500 m Formerly called Atuntse and well- guaranteed, and very unlikely during known to the Victorian and Edwardian the rainy summer season. But there Warm valley, sparse shrub grassland 2,000 – 2,800 m plant hunters (see p 38), this is the main are many other things to do… 2,000 m 38 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN BENZILAN TO MEILI 39
MEILI SNOW Lancangjiang) was in view was almost MOUNTAIN (梅里雪山) 1,000 km to the S and many weeks Dhagu since they started the journey. There, Pass WHAT’S SPECIAL in Xishuangbanna, the river divides The view of the mountain peaks is the tea mountains on its way S to Laos, Geza Pass Shola Pass what’s touted most about this area Cambodia and Vietnam. From here, around the town of Deqin, but the the trail hugs the E bank of the deep Adong Tea Horse Road really rich experiences come from valley and continues upriver as far as Tandui Pass trekking, which is some of the best in the Tibetan trading post of Mangkham the world, with a wonderful variety (Markam), 150 km away. of trails from easy to strenuous, one of Mingyong Feilaisi Deqin them actually following the old Tea ADONG (阿东) Mingyong Glacier Horse Road. Valleys, gorges, Tibetan Nestled in a small side valley off the Xidang Meili villages and monasteries, isolated Mekong, an hour’s drive N of Feilaisi, Mountain Yubeng gompas and a botanical paradise, this are the two villages of Lower and (Kawakarpo) Pilgrimage circuit is a world-class trekking destination. If Upper Adong. The climate here is mild Luasen Pass Baima Mountain this is your thing, you’ll already be well- enough for walnuts and grapes, and in Sinkan Pass shod and well-equipped, but consider 2013 the valley was chosen as the site the time of year, as the monsoon really for a Moët Hennessy winery. The Tea Dokar Pass
does reach this far north. Rains start Horse Road avoided the detour around Nuijiang (Salween) River in March, peaking in July and August, the mountain rising above Deqin and Lancang (Mekong) River until September. March is the worst went directly N down an attractive month because it’s still cold enough for valley which in Spring is lined with snow, and of course the summer months azaleas and in the Autumn glows with offer the least chance of mountain Fall foliage. The walk, some of it on views. On the other hand, there are stones polished by countless hooves of the flowers (see The Plant Hunters ponies and mules, passing clusters of below). October is fairly dry and lovely mani stones, is 10 km and takes about for autumn colours, while November 3 hrs, and until recently was actually Cizhong through February offers the clearest quicker than the road via Feilaisi for the days, even though cold. villagers of Adong. Now that the roads have been surfaced and a new road THE PLANT HUNTERS the 19th century. The first collectors, MEKONG GORGE built up from the Mekong road, it’s Flowering plants have inspired some in their spare time, were the French For the tea caravans, the last time that little used and the numbers of village extreme heroics to fulfil a widespread missionaries. The Jesuit Pierre Jean the Mekong River (called here the horses has dropped. passion, particularly in Europe during Marie Delavay collected 200,000 plants in the 1880s. The first professional collector was Ernest Wilson, sent by Britain’s Royal Exotic Nursery in 1900, and the Yunnanese flowering plants he brought back helped make them the gardening rage in Europe. He was followed by George Forrest, a methodical and solitary Scottish collector who in 28 years took back to Britain 31,000 species as seeds. In 1911, Frank Kingdon-Ward arrived, Meili Mountain (Kawakarpo) and the range 40 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN
Rock arrived in Lijiang (p 9), and although he made his name as the chronicler of Naxi culture, his first work was as a botanist. These professional collectors were helped by the invention of the sealed glazed case by Nathaniel Ward in the 1830s. These Wardian cases, as they were known, made it possible to transport live plants halfway around the world. From the 1920s to the 1940s, Chinese botanists continued the work, including T. T. Yü, Ching A Wardian case Ren-Chang, K. M.Feng, C. W. Wang, and for the rest of his life, until 1957, W. P. Fang and H. T. Tsai. Meili at sunrise mounted expeditions, introducing hundreds of new species for cultivation, THE EIGHT FAMOUS are also from the same genus, gardeners grapes, like Adong (see above). The especially Rhododendrons, Primulas, FLOWERS OF YUNNAN differentiate them: Azaleas are a little setting is pleasant, with a small Tibetan Gentians and the rare Tibetan Blue We’ve added a ninth, the smaller, and have 5 stamens instead of Buddhist temple overlooking the river Poppy (Meconopsis). In 1922 Joseph Rhododendron, because while Azaleas the Rhododendron’s 10. and a footbridge crossing to a steep winding track up to Feilaisi. There is MINGYONG GLACIER (明永冰川) a hot spring here (Xidang gwenquan Snaking 12 km down from Meili 西当温泉), and Xidang is becoming Mountain is the southernmost glacier a staging point for treks into the in China (in fact, the southernmost in mountains, such as to Yubeng (below). the northern hemisphere), at an altitude Ponies for this trip can be hired here. of 2,700m. No cablecar here, as on Yulong Mountain near Lijiang, but a YUBENG VILLAGE (雨崩村) pleasant if mildly strenuous walk up A beautiful and pristine Tibetan village Camellia Azalea Rhododendron from Mingyong Village. Drive N past among fields and against the backdrop Feilaisi and double back to descend of mountains, reachable only by hiking to the bridge across the Mekong, and or on horseback. It’s a 9 km trail from from there it’s 4 km to the village. The Xidang, and so a very long day indeed, drive takes about an hour. The trail up even if you’re very fit. the valley from the village leads first to Taizi temple (allow 1½ hrs), but the MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN (梅里雪山) view is nothing special, and it’s really Known to the Tibetans as Kawakarpo, worth walking the extra 30 min to 1 this elegant 6,640m peak straddles the Primrose Gentian Lily hour to Lotus temple (Lianhuasi) and narrow divide between the Mekong a viewing platform for a very good and Salween river gorges, and offers view of the glacier, which averages itself as a perfect grandstand view 500m in width. from the 17th century Feilai temple across the Mekong. In the ancestral XIDANG VILLAGE (西当村) Tibetan Bön religion, a pantheon of At 2,400m on the Mekong itself, the good and evil deities is associated with village of Xidang has a climate mild specific places, and this 6,640-metre enough to grow walnuts, maize and peak is the abode of a warrior god Magnolia Orchid Meconopsis 42 LIJIANG TO MEILI SNOW MOUNTAIN of the same name. The second most tower. The first Western settlers in this sacred mountain for Tibetans after part of Yunnan were missionaries, Mount Kailash (Gangrinpoche) in the from the Société des missions far west, Kawakarpo attracts some étrangères de Paris. Father Jules 20,000 pilgrims a year, many of whom Dubernard founded the mission in come to make the arduous holy circuit 1867, building a church near here known as a kora. At 240 kilometres, in the village of Cigu Tsekou on the this circumambulation crosses two site of a lamasery. Dubernard had a high passes and reaches the Salween high success rate in converting local River on the other side, taking two Tibetans, Lisu and Yi to Christianity, weeks or longer to complete. A sacred but he and 67 of his followers were journey on foot around the mountain’s killed in the 1905 uprising and the slopes is one thing, but climbing its mission destroyed. The present church peak is quite another. After several was built here in Cizhong from 1907 unsuccessful attempts, first by a Japanese team in 1987, followed by two equally unsuccessful efforts by Americans in the following two years, COMING SOON came the 1990-91 winter attempt by a joint Japanese-Chinese expedition. On LUX* NORTH MALÉ ATOLL, MALDIVES the 3rd of January, an avalanche in the LUX* SUD SAUVAGE, REUNION ISLAND middle of the night killed all seventeen members, and the local people had no LUX* DIANSHAN LAKE, CHINA doubt that the warrior god had struck. LUX* ORGANIC ESCAPES, CHINA In 2001, the government banned all further attempts, and the sacred LUX* BODRUM, TURKEY peak will remain inviolate. The plants LUX* AL ZORAH, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES growing on its slopes are famous in LUX PHU QUOC, VIETNAM Tibetan medicine and the wood from * its trees is used in incense (see p 34).
CIZHONG (茨中) Cizhong church 80 km S from Deqin on the road following the Mekong is the village to 1911 under Father Theodore of Cizhong on the W bank, notable Monbeig, surrounded by vineyards (the for its Catholic church combining missionaries also introduced wine to the Western and Chinese architecture, with area, for use at Mass). Three-quarters a 20m-high three-storied belfry and of the people here are still Catholic.
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