White--Yulong Snow Mountain: Embrace the Sky(1)

 

  Yulong Snow Mountain

Where:

     Located in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, Yulong Snow Mountain is the southernmost glacier in the northern hemisphere. If translated word by word from Chinese, the mountain has a very pretty name, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Looking from the ancient village Lijiang, the snow-covered and fog-wreathed mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence comes the name, Jade Dragon.

    The mountain is just a half-hour drive from the Ancient Lijiang village, or you can take a shuttle bus leaving from downtown Lijiang for less than $3. The admission fee is $30, including a $15 protection fare. 

Map of China

Map of Yunnan

     Yunnan is China's most diverse province, biologically as well as culturally. 26 ethnic groups live in this province and among the 25 minorities, 15 are exclusive to Yunnan. The different ethnic groups and their fascinating customs make Yunnan a great place to trace back the ancient history of China and explore in depth the remarkable culture diversity. For example, you can go to Lijiang to experience Mosuo’s “mobile marriage” and their matriarchal society.

     There are 18 odds about Yunnan, many of which are quite funny. You can read about it and I will explain further in detail when I write about different tour sites in Yunnan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eighteen_Oddities_of_Yunnan

     You could literally spend a whole week in Yunnan. There's no side trip. Every tour site is a major attraction. I will introduce the snow mountain first in this post, and you can continue to follow me on this journey to explore this mysterious province.

What to see:

      Jade Dragon is best known for its unparalleled scenic snow landscape. There is a story behind that mysterious and beautiful place. Once upon a time, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain were twin brothers. They had lived happily on Golden Sand River until one day an evil fiend usurped the river. The brave brothers had a fierce fight with the fiend. Unfortunately Haba died in the fight and Jade Dragon drove off the fiend after using up 13 swords. To guard the people and prevent the fiend from returning, Jade Dragon held the 13 swords in hands day and night. As time passed, the brothers had turned into the two snow mountains, and the 13 swords had become the 13 peaks of Jade Dragon. The mountain is a holy place for the local Naxi people not only because of the legend, but also because long time ago, it was a place for young lovers to sacrifice their lives to honor true love and escape the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.



A pavilion along the path



      All of the 13 peaks attain an altitude of over 5000m, with the summit peak, Fan Peak, 5596m above sea level. I travelled there in winter and it was a little cold on the mountain. I advise you to bring a coat if you are planning to go to the top. Although many people don't actually need oxygen tanks, many still prefer to bring one as a placebo. If you are afraid that you will have altitude sickness, you’d better buy a portable oxygen tank at the foot of the mountain or in downtown Lijiang. It’s typically $7/tank. There are people selling tanks all the way along the path. But they won’t cut their price down and they know that you will pay whatever they ask if you really need it. If you have serious altitude sickness, I suggest you take the medicine rhodiola root (Hongjingtian) before you leave. It’s $8/box.

     Although I didn't get to go the peak, the scene along the way was remarkably beautiful. Standing on the mountain, I looked up to the sky. The azure sky was so pure and crystal that I felt I could purge my soul by simply looking at it. Everything around you was all white, which gives you a feeling of sanctity. The sky seemed so close to me and I could not helping myself stretching out my arms and embracing the sky.



Embrace the Sky

     Because of its high altitude, Jade Dragon combines the stunning scenic beauty from subtropical zone, temperate zone, and the Arctic zone. Climbing up the mountain, you could experience all 4 season in one day. The best time to travel is March-late June. You could enjoy the beautiful meadow covered with blooming flowers and avoid the rain season (June-late August).

      There is a meadow 3000m above the sea level in the mountain called Dry Sea Meadow (Ganhaizi). Surrounded on all three sides by the superb mountains, Dry Sea is the closest and also the best place to get a panorama of Jade Dragon. Many minority villages are built here and the establishments are self-contained. Tourists can enjoy many activities here, like skiing, grass-sliding, gliding, and racehorse…etc. Dry Sea is also a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants, like snow lotus, spruce, yaks…etc.



Blooming flowers



A yak in the meadow