Yunnan Travel Guide

Author: Editorial Committee of This Book
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Yunnan, renowned for its beauty, fertility, and wonder, has long been called the "Hidden Land" by outsiders. Yunnan is abbreviated as "Dian," where the Dian ethnic groups thrived during the Warring States period. The name "Yunnan" literally means "South of the Colorful Clouds," another interpretation suggests it was named so because it lies south of the Yunling Mountains. An ancient saying goes, "One day grows a foot long, Yunnan is in the sky," and indeed, it is close to the heavens. Three million years ago, a powerful tectonic movement lifted a deep-sea valley dramatically, creating a unique plateau with intersecting peaks and winding rivers. "Mountains surge like the sea, peaks stand like green pines." From the Zhennan Hekou at only 76 meters in altitude to the Kagebo Peak of the Deqin Meili Snow Mountain at 6,740 meters, the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau rises at an average rate of 6 meters per kilometer, resembling a lush green nine-hundred-li ladder to the sky. The world-famous Jinsha River, Nujiang River, and Lancang River flow almost side by side through this region, with intersecting and rivers, streams, and lakes spreading far and wide, along with geothermal springs scattered across the land, creating this magical and beautiful paradise.
Unique geographical features have shaped Yunnan's distinctive climate. "One mountain has four seasons, ten miles have different weather," and the province encompasses cold, temperate, and tropical climates, a rare phenomenon in the world. The exceptional geographical and climatic conditions have made Yunnan exceptionally rich in flora and fauna, with over 15,000 species of higher plants, more than 250 animal species, and 766 bird species. The titles of "Plant Kingdom" and "Animal Kingdom" have become synonymous with Yunnan.
Within this magical and beautiful red land, 26 ethnic groups are settled. The people of these ethnic groups are hardworking, brave, self-reliant, and skilled in singing and dancing. Due to differences in natural environments and historical development, each ethnic group has developed unique social and cultural forms, creating a wealth of distinctive and vibrant ethnic cultures. Their unique and extraordinary customs and traditions have left behind diverse and splendid ethnic cultural heritage.
From the provincial capital Kunming, host of the 1999 World Horticultural Expo, to the scenic Dali known as "the land of wind, flowers, snow, and moon"; from the plateau water city Lijiang and the magical Shangri-La—Zhongdian, to the Xishuangbanna where peacocks dance gracefully; from the "worldly wonder" Stone Forest and the diverse Yuanmou Earth Forest to the rare "Three Parallel Rivers" and the narrow and treacherous Tiger Leaping Gorge... these contrasting landscapes resemble a natural museum. Every visitor who comes here deeply feels that it is a vast and passionate, profound and enchanting land.
Yunnan's magnificent and unique scenic spots and its brilliant historical and cultural heritage all hold great value for tourism, appreciation, and research. Today, Yunnan, the "Hidden Land," has opened its welcoming doors to the world, inviting guests from all corners of the globe.