 Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
玉龙雪山
About 15 kilometers to the north of Lijiang Ancient Town and 35 kilometers from the north end across to the south end, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the highest mountain at lowest latitude in the northern hemisphere with its major peak of 5596 meters above sea level. It is opposite to Haba Snow Mountain with Jinsha River flowing across through between them. Along the mountain top it is all covered by snow all around the year and that makes it look like a jade dragon lying on the top of the mountain, therefore it was named “Jade Dragon Snow Mountain”.
The gorgeous view as it gives Jade Snow Mountain also changes in seasons and weathers. Sometimes it is wrapped around by mist looking like a veiled beauty; sometimes circled by the cloud around the waist, sometimes completely covered by cloud. It almost put on various looks of itself within a day. Early in the morning when the villages are still in their deep sleep, the mountain wakes up and paints its face with the rosy glow of the raising sun; after sunset, the mountain looks like a young graceful maid in her red voile dress; under the moonlight, it changes into the one in a white gauze tent, appearing calm and peaceful.
From another perspective, the mountain also boasts a large quantity of trees, medicinal herbs and various flowers. Every year, at the end of spring and the beginning of autumn, thousands of flowers including the eight famous flowers of Yuannan province are blooming all over. It is a well-known place for flowers, especially the azaleas.
Now the main attractions around the mountain area are Spruce Plateau, Dry Sea, White Water River etc, and there are also three cable cars taking people to places in different altitude to enjoy the perspectives of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. |
