Where in China Can You Experience All Four Seasons in a Single Day?
After enduring the prolonged pandemic and the scorching summer heat that often reached 35°C, office workers in major cities could no longer resist the urge to "escape," flocking to distant destinations in summer and turning Dali Ancient Town in Yunnan into something resembling Beijing's subway during morning rush hour.
In fact, Yunnan's most ultimate "remoteness," "coolness," and "tranquility" are not found in the tourist-crowded Dali. With an altitude drop of five thousand meters and four seasons in a single day, Diqing is perhaps China's most "intense" place.
Napahai Lake is a wintering ground for migratory birds.
Perhaps you haven't heard of Diqing, but you must have heard of its capital—Shangri-La. In the eyes of Westerners, this word represents an imagined distant utopia; in the eyes of Chinese, it means "the sun and moon in one's heart." The world's most beautiful imagination of a hidden paradise, "Shangri-La," is just the tip of the iceberg of Diqing.
Located in Yunnan, it is permeated with Tibetan influences; dry, hot valleys are filled with vast dragon fruit fields, yet raising one's eyes reveals the Meili Snow Mountain; situated in the Hengduan Mountains that "bar the east and west," it is also the gateway to the Ancient Tea-Horse Road connecting Yunnan and Tibet; home to China's largest Tibetan residential complex, the Dukezong Ancient Town, it also hides the nearly isolated village of Yubeng... Its unique character makes it a paradoxical enigma.
6% of Yunnan condensed into 100% of the ultimate.
The colorful Yunnan Province is already unique in China, and Diqing in northwestern Yunnan is especially so. From the 6,740-meter-high Kawagarbo Peak, Yunnan's highest point, to the lowest Lancang River Valley at 1,486 meters, the absolute elevation difference reaches 5,254 meters. Under China's most diverse skies, snow-capped mountains, glaciers, meadows, forests, and dry-hot valleys transition layer by layer.
With low latitude, high altitude, and dramatic elevation changes, Diqing, shaped by mountains, water, and ice, condenses Yunnan's elegance, western Sichuan's boldness, and Tibet's solemnity into a compact space.
The most uniquely shaped mountains create the most extreme Diqing.
The most direct force shaping Diqing is the mountains. Without the Hengduan Mountains, this area would have been a hot, humid subtropical landscape like Wuhan or Chongqing, filled with evergreen broad-leaved forests. It would not have condensed the essence of southwestern China into just 6% of Yunnan's area.
China's mountains generally run east to west, but only the Hengduan Mountain Range, stretching from the easternmost Min Mountains and Min River to the westernmost Nu River and Gaoligong Mountains, consists of seven mountain ranges and six major rivers running north-south, barring the east and west.
The Meili Snow Mountain is a representative of this range.
Not familiar with the Hengduan Mountains? The well-known Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong, the snow-capped mountains visible from Chengdu, Litang where Dingzhen herds horses, the legendary Shangri-La, and the World Natural Heritage Site of the Three Parallel Rivers are all located in the Hengduan Mountains. It also harbors over 60% of China's nationally protected species and is the source of life for billions of people in China and Southeast Asia.
The unique orientation of the Hengduan Mountains stems from its special formation. Tens of millions of years ago, the Indian Plate began colliding and compressing with the Eurasian Plate, causing monumental changes. Just like squeezing a hamburger, the sauce and pickles ooze out from the sides, making a mess. The Tibetan Plateau, compressed from north and south, forced some plate material to "flow" east and west, forming the Hengduan Mountains spanning Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet. While most of China's geological structures have stabilized, this land remains "alive."
Click on the corresponding part of the image to learn about the Thirteen Peaks of the Prince.
Diqing is the most compressed essence of the Hengduan Mountains, with the highest average altitude and the densest concentration of peaks in Yunnan. The rugged terrain赋予原本柔弱的水 (endows originally gentle water) with the astonishing power to carve mountains and rivers. The uniquely shaped Hengduan Mountains and the untamed rivers together shaped Diqing.
With an average altitude of 3,380 meters, Diqing is not short of water. From June to August each year, warm, moist air from the ocean arrives here,一部分向下化作降雨 (一部分化作降雨),一部分向上补给山上的冰川 (一部分补给冰川).
The rainfall from descending moisture converges with meltwater from the Tibetan Plateau and Hengduan Mountains, rushing through the rugged terrain of the Hengduan Mountains and carving out deep gorges.
The most imposing among them is the Tiger Leaping Gorge in the upper reaches of the Jinsha River. The torrents are blocked by the Yulong Snow Mountain to the east and the Haba Snow Mountain to the west, with the narrowest point of the river channel being only about 30 meters wide. Legend has it that a tiger could leap across the river using rocks as stepping stones, hence the name Tiger Leaping Gorge. The reefs in the water intensify the rapids, scouring out one of the world's deepest gorges with a vertical drop of over 3,900 meters.
Tiger Leaping Gorge is more than just the section with the viewing platform.
The ascending water vapor freezes at higher altitudes, forming the source of glaciers. In fact, China's Tianshan Mountains and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are widely covered with glaciers, but most of them are continental glaciers, with little melting and replenishment, making them silent and steady. The water vapor from the ocean turns the glaciers in Diqing into "annual waves" that wax and wane with the seasons, making them the hyperactive ones in the steady glacier family, standing out as very unique.
The Mingyong Glacier is a representative example. In winter, it collects snow and ice, extending from an altitude of 5,500 meters down to 2,800 meters. In summer, the warm temperatures at low latitudes and low altitudes cause the glacier to melt rapidly, forming pure and clear glacial lakes that resemble emeralds embedded among the mountains. These lakes not only become a source of life for the region but also a destination sought after by photographers and travelers.
Unlike the lightness of ocean waves, the heavy glaciers act like slow, giant shield machines, gradually reshaping the landscape of Diqing at a pace imperceptible to humans. The U-shaped valley at the foot of the Baima Snow Mountain, which looks as if it has been bitten, was "polished" by glaciers.
It is not hard to imagine how magnificent the glaciers were in the past.
The water vapor continues to rise, turning the peaks of Diqing's three major mountain ranges, which exceed 5,000 meters in altitude, "white-headed," forming snow-capped mountain groups such as the Meili Snow Mountain, Baima Snow Mountain, Haba Snow Mountain, and Balagezong. The Great Hengduan Snow Mountain Range, stretching from the Siguniang Mountain near Chengdu to this area, also reaches its most spectacular part. This unique group of snow-capped mountains is the lowest in latitude in the Northern Hemisphere and the densest in Yunnan, regarded as "sacred mountains" by Tibetan compatriots.
Among them, the Meili Snow Mountain at the northern end of the Nushan Mountain Range is the most layered and rugged, surrounded by more than ten peaks above 5,000 meters. These peaks vary in shape and grandeur, earning the name "Thirteen Peaks of the Prince." Kawagarbo Peak, one of the "Thirteen Peaks of the Prince," stands at 6,740 meters, making it the highest peak in Diqing and the highest point in Yunnan.
After seeing the snow-capped mountains of Diqing, one can understand why Tibetans regard them as "sacred mountains."
Figure 1: Kawagarbo Peak; Figure 2: Haba Snow Mountain.
The ultimate masterpiece of the Great Hengduan's miniature landscape is the Three Parallel Rivers. From west to east, the Gaoligong Mountain, Nujiang River, Nushan Mountain, Lancang River, Yunling Mountain, Jinsha River, and Zhongdian Snow Mountain are arranged in parallel, with the narrowest point only 60 kilometers apart yet never intersecting. Water and ice have carved deep canyons, U-shaped valleys, glacial lakes, waterfalls, and cliffs across 170 hectares of land.
Do not forget that water is not only the carving tool of mountains and rivers but also the source of life.
Why is Diqing the "Central Station" for the creatures of Southwest China?
The abundant water resources here nourish the Three Parallel Rivers region. This area, which accounts for less than 0.4% of China's land area, is home to over 20% of the country's higher plant species and 25% of its animal species, including many endangered and relict species.
Figure 1: Derbyan Parakeet; Figure 2: Bharal (Pseudois nayaur).
Figure 1 photo by Lin Sen; Figure 2 photo by Li Yong.
The Gaoligong Mountain, which hosts multiple "worlds" within a single mountain, and the Pudacuo National Park, which encompasses primitive forests, wetlands, and alpine meadows in one area, are both part of the Three Parallel Rivers Reserve.
On a macro level, the unique north-south orientation of the Hengduan Mountains acts like a corridor. When climate change causes climate zones to shift north or south, plants and animals can move along with these zones instead of being trapped and doomed by east-west oriented mountain ranges. At the same time, the mountains themselves serve as refuges, shielding against human activities and providing diverse ecosystems. The Hengduan Mountains connect to the Three Rivers Source in the north and include the Gaoligong Mountain in the south, both of which are biodiversity hotspots in China.
Pudacuo is also part of the Three Parallel Rivers Reserve.
On a micro level, Diqing's unique topography allows it to "cheat" climatically. In the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures drop by 6°C for every 1,000 kilometers northward or every 1 kilometer upward in altitude. Thanks to the 5,000-meter elevation difference in the Hengduan Mountains, Diqing, which occupies only 6% of Yunnan's area, experiences all four seasons in a single day.
The landscape along the route from Yubeng Village to the Sacred Waterfall features extreme topographic variations.
Photo by wzkdream
Diqing experiences all four seasons in a single day, and the order uniquely shifts as summer-autumn-spring-winter. Influenced by valley winds, the riverine areas here are not fertile alluvial plains but relatively barren dry-hot valleys with a summer-like climate. This has led to the surreal scene of dragon fruit being cultivated at the foot of snow-capped mountains.
Above 2,200 meters, the mountain vegetation varies dramatically, with evergreen broadleaf forests gradually transitioning to coniferous forests, creating a layered, dyed landscape as cool as autumn.
Above 3,000 meters, meadows cover one-fifth of Diqing’s land area, surrounded by well-distributed forests, marshes, and wetlands. The most densely populated areas of Diqing, such as Large and Small Zhongdian and Shudu Lake, are at this elevation, where it feels like spring. Above the snow line lies Diqing’s most solemn aspect—snow-capped mountains and glaciers preserving an eternal winter.
The transition from glaciers and glacial lakes to meadows and forests is clearly visible.
Why is Diqing’s wildlife so diverse? On one hand, like other parts of the Greater Hengduan Mountains, Diqing serves as a biological corridor and sanctuary; on the other hand, the dramatic elevation changes and dry-hot valleys have turned the mountains into ecological islands, accelerating species evolution. Diqing is home to over 1,400 species of wild animals and more than 5,000 species of higher plants.
Why does the bark of Diqing’s trees hide an entire world?
Diqing’s ecosystem is so rich that even the bark of forest trees is covered with thick, sponge-like mats of moss, lichen, and ferns. One ribbon-like lichen, known as Usnea, is a primary food source for the Yunnan golden monkey, a species as rare as the giant panda. Under the protection of the Greater Hengduan Mountains, the population of Yunnan golden monkeys has grown from just over 1,000 to more than 3,800, with 70% residing in Diqing.
Yet, many of its wild animals are as rare as the giant panda.
Fig. 1-3: Baby Yunnan golden monkey; Red panda; Black stork at Napahai Lake.
Fig. 1 photo by Shang Rui; Fig. 2 photo by Lin Sen; Fig. 3 photo by Peng Jiansheng.
Napahai Lake is not only a must-visit destination for tourists but also the most important stopover for migratory birds wintering in the Hengduan Mountains.
Flowers are a representative symbol of Diqing’s ecological diversity. Here, there are over 150 species of rhododendrons alone, which were introduced to European gardens by French missionaries and British plant hunters as early as the 19th century. If Yunnan is known as the "Kingdom of Flowers," then Diqing is the queen mother of this kingdom, as many of these flowers likely originated here.
Now, as autumn approaches, the rhododendron blooming season in Diqing has ended, but the red-flowered swainsona ignites the alpine meadows like flames, making them even more brilliant than in spring.
Diqing’s wild flowers once became the mother of world horticultural flowers.
Fig. 1-3: Cassiope selaginoides (a type of heather) on Baima Snow Mountain.
Fig. 1-2 photo by Li Yong; Fig. 3 photo by Cui Yongjiang.
The Hengduan Mountains are not only an ecological corridor but also a corridor for human migration. Diqing, which connects Yunnan, western Sichuan, and eastern Tibet, is the "Gate of Yunnan-Tibet" on the Tibetan-Yi Corridor—a "Shangri-La" created by a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
It is also the high-altitude pasture meadows of the Tibetan people.
It is the Gate of Yunnan-Tibet and an incubator for ethnic minorities!
The novel "Lost Horizon," published in 1933, tells the story of a protagonist who accidentally stumbles into Shangri-La by plane, offering Westerners during the Great Depression a "spiritual homeland" of tranquility and harmony amidst snow-capped mountains and meadows. The bestseller became a classic, and the exact location of Shangri-La remained a mystery. After extensive searches, Zhongdian in Diqing was found to match the book’s description most closely and was renamed Shangri-La, which means "the sun and moon in the heart" in Tibetan.
A few years ago, the film *I Belonged to You* brought Daocheng Yading into the spotlight, and Ding Zhen made Litang famous overnight. In fact, the regions west to Qamdo, north to Yushu, and east to Kangding all belong to the Kham Tibetan area. Diqing is the central region in the southern part of the Kham Tibetan area.
In ancient times, Ganden Sumtseling Monastery was not only the spiritual center for Tibetan compatriots in the eight nearby Khangtsen (parishes) but also an administrative and economic management institution. Today, the ancient town of Dukezong at the foot of Sumtseling Monastery remains the largest and best-preserved Tibetan residential complex, reflecting the history of the ancient Tea Horse Road.
Diqing holds even greater significance for other ethnic minorities. Civilizations tend to spread more easily along east-west directions with similar climates and ecologies, while spreading across climate and natural zones from north to south is more challenging. The Hengduan Mountains acted as a barrier between Tibetan culture to the west and Han culture to the east but became an incubator for the formation of numerous ethnic minorities.
Figure 1-2: Buddha Welcoming Festival; Lamp Lighting Festival at Sumtseling Monastery.
Figure 1 photo by Lin Sen; Figure 2 photo by Cui Yongjiang.
Just as the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi was shaped by the Yellow River and sediment accumulation, and the misty Jiangnan region was formed by water and plains, the geographical environment of the Hengduan Mountains has greatly influenced the lifestyles and traditions of the local ethnic groups, particularly in Diqing. Tibetan Buddhism, Catholicism, Christianity, the Nipa religion of the Lisu people, the Dongba faith of the Naxi people, and the Bimo religion of the Yi people converge in this "corridor," forming a museum of ethnic minority cultures.
The lifestyles of various ethnic groups are also changing.
Figure 1-2: Water Lisu village; Naxi February 8th Festival.
Figure 1 photo by Zhao Rui; Figure 2 photo by Zhou Zhiwang.
Remnants of a matrilineal society persist locally, with customs such as men visiting women's "boudoirs" at night for walking marriages, and children being raised by the mother's family. These marriage customs are deeply shaped by geography. The limited land in Diqing requires farming in valleys and herding on meadows to sustain a family's nutritional needs. The practice of not dividing households through marriage avoids the fragmentation of land and labor and also reduces the birth rate. Everything that seems unique about Diqing has traceable origins.
Diqing condenses mountains, rivers, ecology, and culture. It is an endless paradise, impossible to fully describe or capture. A brief introduction or a superficial journey cannot help the outside world understand it; instead, it becomes an elusive mystery. Now, as Diqing’s short but brilliant autumn approaches, its complexity and fiery vitality will flash like the aurora, only to vanish abruptly amidst the snow, awaiting another year’s cycle.
The only constant is the love for life among all ethnic groups.
The picture shows a Tibetan family preparing a meal.