Saturday January 29, 2005
Getting a feel of Tibetan life at Shangri-La
STORY & PICTURES BY LIZ PRICE
When I was invited on a trip to Shangri-La, I had no idea where it was. Of course, I was familiar with the term Shangri-La, the name of a hidden Tibetan valley in James Hilton’s Lost Horizon (1933).
The writer (above) enjoyed her time in Shangri-La.
As we entered the town, I was excited to see snow on the pavements. It had been many years since I last saw snow. The temperature was about 5°C in the bright November sunshine, and to combat the cold I was bundled up in five layers of clothing. The town, which had quite a Tibetan feel to it, consisted of wide streets with small but brightly painted shops.
Zhongdian is the last large town in China before the Tibetan border. It is a boomtown, the rise in Shangri-La-driven tourism having brought about a bland Han Chinese town. Our hotel, the Holy Palace, was in the new part of town.
On our first afternoon, we drove out to see the sights. First we went to Napa Lake, about 7km northwest of town. I was surprised to see no water. Napa is actually a seasonal lake, and at the time of our visit was dry. It is part of a nature reserve and is surrounded by a large grass meadow, and is an important area for bird-watching. One of the more common avian visitors is the black-necked crane.
The easiest way to see this large meadow is by horseback. A large group of locals dressed in their traditional Tibetan costumes were waiting with their horses and ponies. It was a photogenic sight, but the locals were more interested in getting our custom than having their photos taken. I paid my 30 Yuan (about RM15) for the half hour ride, and followed the herd of ponies trekking across the plateau.
We didn’t go far, but it was a pleasant way to view the small hills, blue sky and snow-capped mountains in the distance. West of Zhongdian, the mountain range includes 13 summits, all peaking over 6,000m. The main peak, Kagebo, towering at 6,740m above sea level, is the highest in Yunnan and one of the eight sacred mountains worshipped by the Tibetans. Legend has it that it is the incarnation of a Tibetan God who helped local people drive away evil spirits.
For those who didn’t want to ride, there was the chance for them to try their hand at archery. And, of course, there were the inevitable souvenir shops. And modern technology has arrived in this part of the world, as there were stalls offering to take visitors’s photos and digitally printing them.
The Ganden Sumtseling Gompa was my undoing. It is a 300-year-old Tibetan monastery on the edge of town. Some 600 monks stay here. As I began to climb the long flight of stairs up, the altitude got to me. I had had altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness, three times previously and had vowed not to go to high-altitude places if I could help it. But here I was again.
As I climbed the steps, a thumping headache began pounding in my skull and I was getting short of breath. I had to frequently stop and rest. I felt like an old grandmother creeping up the stairs. An elderly lama overtook me, but even he was puffing and panting.
The monastery is of typical Tibetan design. Dark interiors, with lots of colourful thankas or religious paintings adorn the walls, and the air is thick with the smell of rancid butter and oil from the lamps. I shuffled around very slowly; I just couldn’t go at normal speed as there wasn’t enough oxygen getting to my lungs.
In mid-June the town plays host to a horse-racing festival which lasts several days, and comprises singing and dancing, eating, and, of course, horse racing. In September there is a festival featuring minority artistes from southwest China.
On our first evening we were invited to a cultural show, but several of our group had to give it a miss as we were suffering from altitude sickness. There isn’t a great deal to do in the town, other than wander around and absorb the atmosphere. But it is a good place to get a feel of the Tibetan way of life. W
Useful info
There are flights to Zhongdian from Kunming (Yunnan Airlines) and Chengdu (China Southwest Airlines).
Alternatively there are buses to Lijiang (five hours) and sleeper buses to Kunming. These sleeper buses consist of three rows of double-tier bunks.
Note that some flights may be cancelled due to ice in the winter, and that the roads out of Zhongdian may be temporarily blocked by snow or closed by ice from Nov-March.
There is a range of accommodation from backpacker types to three-star establishments.
Related Story:
To Shangri-La and back
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