Somewhere over the rainbow
Xu Xiaomin journeys to Shangri-La in Yunnan Province to witness its natural charm and unique ethnic culture
Shangri-La is a place to cast your eyes on the heavens. The bright blue firmament pulls your eyes skyward again and again. At night, the sky is clear and full of glittering stars, which look bigger and brighter than in Shanghai. The sky seems closer to the earth in Shangri-La. I feel as if I can almost touch the galaxies above.
Shangri-La is a county in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, located 3,600 meters above sea level. It is one of the three counties in Diqing Tibet Autonomous Prefecture.
Several neighboring counties have applied for the name "Shangri-La," but only here do you feel the landscape is worthy of the name "earthly paradise."
A snowy world
Summer is the peak season for tourism in Shangri-La. Then, visitors can see wild flowers and exotic plants blossoming in the fields. But winter, for me, is even more magical. Because of the cold, there are fewer tourists, cheaper hotels and less-crowded roads. The winter colors are pure and breathtaking.
I will never forget my second day there. When I opened the door in the morning, I saw the land covered with a soft blanket of pure whiteness. The farmers' black houses dotting the hills created a picture of paradise.
The air was cold but clean. I couldn't help breathing happily.
The sky was soft grey in the morning, but after an hour or so, the corners became brilliant blue, as if someone had overturned the clouds to reveal what lay underneath.
In less than 15 minutes, the clouds disappeared, turning the sky bright blue and scouring the landscape with golden sunshine.
We stayed at the Banyan Tree Ringha, a new resort located in a Tibetan hamlet named Hongpo Village about 40 minutes drive from the county. You would never know that it was a resort if you weren't told.
The buildings around the resort resemble those in the village. The wood used to build the villas comes from the Tibetan houses, and the villas are built in the traditional local style.
Banyan Tree Resorts are known for luxury. But here, luxury doesn't mean expensive interior design and glittering decorations.
Maximilian Lennkh, area general manager of Banyan Tree China, says: "Luxury is space and privacy." He's right.
Inside the two-story villa (according to local tradition, people live in the higher level and livestock in the lower), the bedroom is on the second floor while the toilet is downstairs.
Strolling around the resort I met horses, cattle and black pigs from local farms. These animals casually passed by as if I was a villager.
A cultural tracking
The resort can arrange for a guide to take you around the village. Before departing we burned a pine branch to guarantee our safety, according to local tradition.
Along the way, we met several farmers. To our surprise, those carrying firewood were women.
Our Tibetan guide, Topten, said that here, women are the physical laborers.
We took two breaks for tea and lunch with two local families. The hall of a local house is very large and sparsely furnished.
A hot stove sits in the room's center. Wealthier families sometimes have paintings and sculptures on their walls.
Lunch is simple but delicious tomato fried with egg. The quality is partly because the chickens and pigs forage in the fields. In Shanghai and other major cities, they are caged in factories and force-fed grain.
Compared with the people from other scenic spots, the folks here are used to seeing wide-eyed visitors that is, except for the Tibetan mastiff at the family gate. It barked at us suspiciously.
Hongpo village is not wealthy. The most expensive item a family here might own is an embroidered garment.
Most Tibetan people have one or two sets of fine garments for special days. A good set of Tibetan garments embroidered and ornamented with silver costs approximately 10,000 yuan ($1,282), which is almost equal to Chanel or Gucci. However, in daily life, local people wear dull-colored ordinary working clothes.
Dabao is a small, 800-year-old lamasery nearby. One friend said it is very efficacious. He once made two wishes in the temple and both were answered.
Located on a small hilltop, the temple is incredibly peaceful. Countless colorful sutra flags hang from the trees. Visitors can buy their own flags, write the names of their loved ones and make a wish.
Song Zan Lin Lamasery (Gadan Suntsanling) is the most famous temple in Shangri-La. It's located on a hilltop in the county's center, and is said to be the first place the morning sun shines upon.
I am not a Buddhist, but watching the golden roofs and shining red walls against the pure blue sky made me feel peace, simplicity and unity.
On our way to the lamasery, we met an old monk. Although I didn't understand what he said, his smiling eyes gave me comfort.
The ancient town of Jiantang is nearby, and you can take a bus to the gate of the temple.
During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), the town was an important point on the trade passages between India and Myanmar, and China's Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet.
After so many years, the ancient passage is fading. The oldest building in town is a house named Abu's Old House, at No 66 Beimen Street. If you go inside, the 74-year-old owner, Abu, will show you an old frame with a sculpture in the back of "Ming Dynasty Chongzhen 7th Year" (1634). This is the record of when the house was first built.
Reshi Tibetan Music, sounding on a quiet corner of Jinlong Street, was a local musician and singer named Cering.
The owner was working on his new album in Germany, but his tender voice could still be heard throughout the room, where a girl lit a fire for us. With a pot of hot tea and a book, I spent a most pleasant afternoon.
(China Daily 01/11/2007 page19)
