Jiangpo: A ‘shangri-la’ village at Meili snow mountain

Nature endows Yunnan with infinite sights. The Jiangpo village at the foot of the Meili snow mountain is a rarity that can meet the city-dwellers’desire for a inner peace and idyllic life style.

The village lies 64 kilometers from the Deqin county seat, northwest Yunnan’s Diqing Prefecture, and it took around two hours to finish the 64-km bus ride on the zig-zag road.

In spite of the bumpy road, the changing clouds, the towering snow-capped mountains, the roaring Lancang River form a spectacular picture outside the bus window, and the sights makes us felt it a worthwhile adventure.

After 13 breath-taking sharp turns, the bus reached a spot where we had a bird view of the village. It looks like an ink and wash painting. It’s just beautiful.

If you regard Diqing as a fairyland, then the village is its hidden heart. Falling under the jurisdiction of the Foshan Township, the village is home to 160 households, and most settlements lie in the valleys near the Lancang River.

There, verdant fields are dotted by the Tibetan houses in red and white, and peach blossoms in the village make a highlight for spring sightseeing. The enchanting pink flowers bloom among the elevations of 2800-3400 meters.

Another pleasure in the village is brought by the Xueda Lake, where watching the reflections of the golden and silver peaks of the Meili snow mountain is a visual feast at morn. The lake is small, but it reflects all the 13 Meili peaks.

In the village, time flows quietly, and everything looks relaxing. The dog lies in the court, putting put out its tongue. The cattle strolls in the field. Yaks browse leisurely near the country road, gazing at the drive visitors from time to time.

In the evening, we watched a live Tibetan performance at a native home, and folks greeted us with singing, dancing and a white Hada. The buttered tea and flavor dishes were offered.

Following the performance, some chose to stay in the open air with a tent. We watched the stars and gentle moon in the sky. Getting away from the city crowds, we did not look through the messanges on the mobile phone that night.

Travelling tips：

Transport: Reach Deqin county seat from Shangri-La City, and a 51-kilometers drive along the 214 National highway will take to the Hongxing bridge. Turn right at the road fork, and you will reach Jiangpo Village after another 13-kilometer drive. The narrow bumpy road section has 13 sharp turns, a careful driver is needed.

Lodging & catering: The villagers are kind there. You can choose to live in a villager's home. The host usually offers buttered tea, barley cakes, wild honey, and other home-made dishes to their guests. (The daily service is 100 yuan per person.)

Clothing: In April, the temperature in the day is around 15 degrees Celsius in the village, but it is still cold in the morning/evening. A coat or down jacket is suggested.

Source: Yunnan Daily App; trans-editing by Wang Shixue