Yulong Snow Mountain

Yulong Snow Mountain stands beside the Jinshajiang River, northwest of the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province. Shanzidou, the main peak of the mountain, clad in white snow all year round, rises 5,596 meters above sea level. The 13 peaks, distributed from the south to the north, with the south-north length of 35 km and the east-west width of 12 km, are like a silver white jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name Yulong (jade dragon) Snow Mountain. Numerous species of plants grow in the mountain, and are distributed vertically in accordance with height and climate. The mountain enjoys the fame of the Treasure House of Plants.

Her beauty stems not only from the grand mountains and silver white snow, but also from the fast-changing climate with the alternation of day and night and the shifting of the four seasons. There are many other scenic attractions atop the mountain. Because of the steep cliff of the main peak, the mountain is yet to be conquered, albeit mountaineering teams from home and abroad have tried.

In the Yufeng Temple, there is a world famous camellia tree. Though it is only about 3 meters tall, 20,000-odd flowers blossom every year. As legend goes, the tree was planted in the Chenghua reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). From the roots, the tree is identified as a silk tree combined by two. With twisted roots and gnarled branches, the two are closely connected. As a result, the leaves appear in two shapes, and the flowers have two kinds, the rosy red and the pink.