How Many Wonders Does the Hengduan Mountains Hold?
This article is provided by the "Great Hengduan" team.
In western China, at the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, several north-south mountain ranges converge, forming a barrier between east and west—this is the Hengduan Mountains.
The Hengduan Mountains are a collective term for a series of north-south ranges, including the Baxoi-Gaoligong Mountains, Taniantaweng-Nu Mountains, Markam-Yunling Mountains, Shaluli Mountains, Daxue Mountains, Qionglai Mountains, and Min Mountains. The northern boundary is marked by the line from Qamdo-Garzê-Barkam, separating them from the Kunlun and Tanggula Mountains. The southern part roughly aligns with the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, while the broader definition extends near the national border.
Here, towering mountains and deep valleys intertwine with raging rivers, creating extreme topographic variations. Famous sites like Gongga Mountain, Siguniang Mountain, Meili Snow Mountain, the Three Sacred Mountains of Yading, Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, and Zoigê are all concentrated here.
If we expand our view to include adjacent areas with similarly dramatic terrain, we arrive at a region of extraordinary natural richness—what we call the "Great Hengduan."
The approximate scope of the Great Hengduan includes parts of Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet, and Qinghai, as well as small sections of Gansu and Guizhou. Map by Du Zhuoyi.
Due to its abundant natural landscapes, particularly its wealth of peaks, explorers like Frank Kingdon-Ward, Walter Goodfellow, and Tamotsu Nakamura dubbed it the "Chinese Alps."
On the other hand, the complex terrain has fostered diverse landscapes while also severely limiting human access. Systematic understanding of this land spans barely over a century.
Thus, many wonders still await further exploration.
Like many regions in western China, modern scientific exploration of the Hengduan Mountains and surrounding areas was initiated by Western adventurers.
In 1877, British explorer Captain William Gill became the first Westerner to successfully penetrate the heart of the Hengduan Mountains. His travels were recorded in the book *The River of Golden Sand*, which sparked a wave of Westerners venturing into the region.
On August 29, 1877, Gill's party, escorted by a guard led by Zhao Guangxie of Batang, passed through Batang, Atuntze (now Deqen, Yunnan), Dongzhulin Temple, Jianchuan, and Dali, reaching Myanmar. His seminal work *The River of Golden Sand* details the geography and culture of the Hengduan region, particularly Kham-Tibet. Map by Du Zhuoyi.
In 1922, Scottish geologist Walter Goodfellow surveyed the Gongga Mountains, concluding that the peaks were very young and proposing the idea of the Hengduan as the "Chinese Alps."
Swiss geographer Eduard Imhof also endorsed the "Chinese Alps" concept in his book *The High Mountains of Sichuan*. Pictured is Imhof's classic pencil sketch of Gongga's main peak. Image from *Rock's Selection*.
Joseph Rock played a pivotal role in globalizing the allure of the Hengduan. From 1924 to 1937, he published articles in *National Geographic* introducing the region. The exotic ethnic cultures and snow-capped peaks captivated Western readers, including British writer James Hilton, who was inspired to create the "Shangri-La" concept in *Lost Horizon*.
Rock and his Naxi expedition team. Image from *Rock's Selection*.
Around the same time, the Hengduan attracted "plant hunters" and "animal hunters"—explorers and naturalists who introduced over 1,000 plant species to the West, including myrtle, hydrangea, primrose, and roses. The most striking were the diverse rhododendrons and vividly colored meconopsis. The capture of rare animals like giant pandas, Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys, Pere David's deer, and takins further amazed the world with the region's biodiversity.
Early Western explorers' investigations of China's flora and fauna advanced scientific knowledge but were also marked by violence and bloodshed. Pictured is Qianhu Mountain in Shangri-La, where alpine rhododendrons grow low and tangled, creating a spectacular sight. Photo by Li Donghong.
Overall, before the founding of New China, exploration of the Hengduan's geography, geology, and wildlife was dominated by Western adventurers. However, due to environmental and era constraints, this phase of exploration remained relatively fragmented.
More comprehensive and systematic studies of the Hengduan Mountains emerged with the integrated scientific expeditions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the Tibetan Plateau. Today, most natural science knowledge about the region is built upon this foundation.
In recent decades, with the rise of national power and improved transportation, the Hengduan Mountains have ushered in a golden age of geographical discovery.
The countless rivers carving through the Hengduan Mountains and surrounding areas have created innumerable extreme peaks, most of which remain untouched. For mountaineers, this holds immense allure.
Nu Mountains, Yunling Mountains, Ningjing Mountains, Gaoligong Mountains, Baxoi La Range, and the Tenasserim Hills. Photo & Annotation丨Xia Junmin
Since the 1990s, Japanese mountaineer Tamotsu Nakamura of the Japanese Alpine Club has almost annually explored the peak resources of the Hengduan Mountains. Single-handedly, he has nearly exhausted the unclimbed peaks east of the Himalayas, earning him the title of the foremost discoverer of unclimbed peaks.
Nakamura’s book *East of the Himalayas—The Alps of Tibet* documents over 250 unclimbed peaks above 6,000 meters. This monumental mountaineering work has become a guide for peak enthusiasts, inspiring bold climbers to forge breathtaking new routes. Photo丨Tamotsu Nakamura
With the rise of tourism, photographers became pioneers in landscape exploration. Renowned photographers like Lü Linglong, Wang Jianjun, Gao Tunzi, Zhou Xiaolin, and Kenzo Okawa brought famous landscapes such as Daocheng, Siguniang Mountain, Danba, and Huanglong into the limelight, turning them into sacred destinations for travelers.
Photo of Five-Flower Lake in Jiuzhaigou. Photo丨Jiang Xi
Beyond these, this land boasts more snow-capped peaks, glaciers, alpine lakes, grasslands, flower seas, rivers, and valleys—equally beautiful and equally enchanting.
And they await us, awaiting further exploration.
Cap cloud over Gongga Main Peak. Photo丨Nangka
Gangge Qiaji Alpine Lake, located in Yushu City, Qinghai. Photo丨Ouyang Kai
II. The "Greater Hengduan" Project
In March 2015, we launched the "Greater Hengduan" exploration project, inviting over 60 researchers and photographers for a three-year systematic survey of the Hengduan Mountains' landscape resources.
The project divided the Greater Hengduan into 20 regions, cataloging valuable sites and dispatching researchers and photographers for fieldwork, ultimately compiling independent chapters. Map丨Du Zhuoyi
In October 2015, Shui Xiaojie discovered a new Danxia landform in Yinduo Township, Xinlong County, Sichuan—the Ase Danxia.
In August 2016, Danxia expert Professor Huang Jin conducted an on-site survey. He deemed Ase Danxia the finest Danxia landform on the Tibetan Plateau and among China’s best, with potential to become a world-class attraction.
Stretching over 30 kilometers, Ase Danxia is in its prime, with elevations between 4,200 and 5,000 meters, making it a typical high-altitude Danxia. Photo丨Wen Zhiqiang
In August 2016, photographer Fan Jing visited the Ake’ri River Valley. North of here, on the plateau bordering Jinchuan and Danba counties, lie hundreds of alpine lakes, forming the second-largest highland lake cluster in the Hengduan Mountains after Haizi Mountain.
Fan Jing explored the plateau via Dangling, Ake’ri River Valley, and Shachong Gully, documenting dozens of lakes like Lover’s Lake, Dongcuo, Xicuo, Eye Lake, and Gourd Lake—many revealed to the public for the first time. Photo of Shachong Gully’s Cedar Lake. Photo丨Fan Jing
Ouyang Kai, a post-90s American outdoor adventurer, holds a special bond with the Hengduan Mountains. In August 2017, he trekked for eight days in southern Yushu, Qinghai, introducing the little-known peak Baosuose—near the junction of the northern Hengduan and the southern branch of the eastern Kunlun Mountains—to the world.
Mount Baosuo, with an altitude of 5,750 meters, is locally known as "Gangge Qiaji," meaning "Eight-Peak Mountain." Photo by Ouyang Kai
The Nujiang River was a key focus of the expedition. Along the 300-kilometer stretch from Zogang to Chawalong, there are three lakes: Chongge Tso, Baixue Tso, and Zhiti Tso, each about 3 kilometers long. The area also features the 40-kilometer Gumi Grand Canyon, the 20-kilometer Raojin Grand Canyon, the 6,000-meter-high Chagelazi Peak, and the Yani Haizi lakes resembling the Big Dipper.
To explore this uncharted region, five expedition teams carried out a relay operation.
From November 20 to December 21, 2015, Zhou Wei and Wu Kun initiated the exploration of the unknown section of the Nujiang River. From July 28 to August 8, 2016, Zhou Wei and Shui Xiaojie completed most of the survey of the Nujiang's main stream. From November 11 to 16, 2016, Wang Huanyou, Yu Jichun, Chen Zhihong, Ding Qiheng, Luo Wei, and Jiao Panrui reached Geba Village in the Gumi Grand Canyon. From November 25 to December 2, 2016, Zeng Jianhua and Wang Huanyou traversed the Gumi Grand Canyon. From June 17 to 28, 2017, Zhang Tao and Wang Huanyou completed the survey of Chongge Tso. Map by Du Zhuoyi
In July 2016, Zhou Wei and Shui Xiaojie formed a field team for the second Nujiang expedition. Over 10 days, they explored over 250 kilometers of the main stream, leaving only about 60 kilometers of canyon section unexplored. Pictured is the team passing through Xiba Village. Photo by Zhou Wei
On June 21, 2017, the fifth Nujiang expedition team, composed of Zhang Tao and Wang Huanyou, arrived at Chongge Tso, the largest alpine lake in the Baxoi La Range, stretching about 3 kilometers. Photo by Zhang Tao
Over two years, the five teams worked together, compiling the first detailed data on the 300-kilometer unexplored section of the Nujiang. The fourth expedition, in particular, confirmed the Gumi Grand Canyon as China's third-largest canyon.
The maximum depth of a canyon is typically calculated by averaging the elevations of the highest peaks on both banks and subtracting the river's elevation at the same cross-section. Using this method, the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, Parlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon, and Tiger Leaping Gorge were previously ranked as the top three. Field surveys measured the Gumi Grand Canyon's depth at 3,815 meters, based on Chagelazi Peak (6,146 meters) on the west bank and an unnamed peak near Yaqie (5,624 meters). This places it behind the Yarlung Tsangpo (6,009 meters) and Parlung Tsangpo (4,530 meters) but ahead of Tiger Leaping Gorge (3,774 meters). At over 30 kilometers long, the Gumi Grand Canyon also surpasses the 16-kilometer Tiger Leaping Gorge in length. Map by Du Zhuoyi
Towering snow-capped mountains and deep gorges have never stopped human interaction. Before modern exploration, the Ancient Tea-Horse Road already connected many parts of the Hengduan Mountains like a vast network.
Hiking enthusiasts have developed classic trekking routes along these ancient paths, such as the Gongga Loop, the Rock Route, the Changpinggou-Bipenggou Crossing, Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Yala Loop, and the Zhagana Crossing.
Trekking at Lotus Lake in Kangding. Photo by Wuhen
Building on this, we aim to expand and upgrade these routes, proposing the "Hengduan Skyline," a trail running from Hezuo in Gansu to Dali in Yunnan, traversing the Hengduan Mountains.
The Hengduan Skyline spans Yunnan, Sichuan, and Gansu. Along this route, hikers will pass Tiger Leaping Gorge, enter Niru Village, traverse the Three Sacred Peaks of Daocheng, explore the hidden Mengdong Valley along the Yalong River, and circle peaks like Gongga, Yala, Dangling, and San'ao before crossing the Zoigê Grassland to reach Diebu's Zhagana. Map by Du Zhuoyi
To verify feasibility, the project invited survey teams. Over 4,000 people signed up within three days. Eight teams were dispatched, preliminarily establishing China's first long-distance national trail.
National trail systems are well-established long-distance hiking routes in Europe and the U.S., typically over 50 kilometers, with some stretching thousands. The U.S., birthplace of the concept, has 11 scenic trails, 19 historic trails, and over 1,000 recreational trails, attracting 80 million hikers annually. Pictured is the Appalachian Trail, the world's first long-distance trail, established in the 1930s. Photo by Zhang Nuoya
The Hengduan Skyline is China's first national trail system akin to the Appalachian Trail. It could extend south to Gaoligong Mountains and north to the Qinling, Taihang, and Greater Khingan ranges. Linking these five sections would form an 8,000-kilometer Central National Trail.
Schematic map of China's long-distance trail plan. Map by Du Zhuoyi
Once completed, this trail—roughly parallel to the Hu Line—will become one of the world's most magnificent national trail systems.
It crosses five natural zones, from tropical rainforests to subarctic coniferous forests, showcasing diverse landscapes like forests, grasslands, lakes, deserts, wetlands, snow-capped peaks, and glaciers.
Western slope of Gongga Mountain. Photo by Wang Jianjun
Explore over 30 ethnic villages, intimately experiencing ancient dwellings like stilt houses, Tibetan watchtowers, slate houses, and cave dwellings.
Jiarong Tibetans, photographed in Danba County, Sichuan. Photo by Chen Zhihong.
It can be said that no trail system in any other country in the world possesses such diverse natural and human geographical elements.
Cizhong Church, Deqin County, Yunnan. Photo by Lu Jiangtao.
Over 3 years, 100,000 kilometers, 68 explorers, 284 days of fieldwork, 24 days of sketching, 37 days of aerial photography, 192 days of route surveying... We crossed rapids, climbed snow-capped mountains, and trekked through dense forests... Ultimately, all these explorations culminated in a geographical epic—"The Great Hengduan."
The Hengduan Heroes Gathering. A convergence of top talents from various fields, including geographers, media professionals, directors, painters, and travelers. Mapping by Du Zhuoyi.
"The Great Hengduan" is a 600-plus-page masterpiece depicting the Hengduan Mountains, unveiling the hidden beauty of this secluded world without reservation.
The platinum edition of "The Great Hengduan" includes 4 oversized maps, three additional in-depth articles, and an expanded 16-page pull-out "Impressions" section (upgraded from a 32-page booklet). The cover features faux-leather material, and a special paper slipcase enhances its premium feel. Courtesy of the Wild China Project.
Mr. Tamotsu Nakamura, president of the Hengduan Mountains Research Society (Japan), highly praised "The Great Hengduan":
Heartfelt congratulations on the groundbreaking publication of China's first comprehensive multi-perspective work on the Hengduan Mountains. This book provides an invaluable account of the region, covering not only its peaks but also its geography, culture, history, ethnic diversity, flora, and fauna—a truly monumental achievement. Courtesy of the Wild China Project.
In 2019, "The Great Hengduan" won the "Best Outdoor Publication" award at the 13th Golden Rhino Outdoor Awards.
The Golden Rhino Best Outdoor Publication award honors outstanding original works on outdoor adventure, environmental conservation, and travel culture, promoting positive lifestyles and gentle, nature-inspired humanistic values. Courtesy of the Wild China Project.
"The Great Hengduan" is a complex and diverse living entity, requiring multiple perspectives to fully capture its essence.
Thus, the book is divided into eight sections: Panorama, Prologue, Perspectives, Landscapes, Profiles, Nujiang Nujiang, Hengduan Sky Road, and Impressions—blending narratives, essays, poetry, paintings, photography, maps, memoranda, and interview notes.
"The Great Hengduan" book. Courtesy of the Wild China Project.
Notably, the accompanying four large-format maps push cartographic limits, displaying geographic details from levels 1 to 19, enabling travelers to set off with just a map in hand.
Satellite panorama of the Great Hengduan. Dimensions: 88×68 cm, 100g map-specific paper.
Travel schematic map of the Great Hengduan. Dimensions: 88×68 cm, 100g map-specific paper.
Ten Thousand Peaks of Hengduan. Dimensions: 98×68 cm, 100g map-specific paper.
The Great Snow Mountains. Dimensions: 98×68 cm, 100g map-specific paper.
In terms of design, the publishing team invited Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Wujing, winners of the "Most Beautiful Book Award," to handle the book's design.
To better present the content, the 600-page book uses thread binding to ensure flat opening, and employs various papers such as dictionary paper, book paper, coated paper, and colored rubber paper to showcase different sections.
Four vibrant color schemes inspired by species from the Hengduan Mountains correspond to the book's four major sections: Landscape, Silhouettes, Nujiang Nujiang, and Hengduan Sky Road.
Whether it's the slogans before each section or the unconventional 3mm near-limit margin layout differing from standard books, all elements align with the project's offbeat style.
They will all be witnesses to China's geographical discoveries.
Let’s begin with "The Great Hengduan."
We also prepared for readers in the Wuhan region