Mysterious China Blog

Touted as the true Shangri-la (the city’s name was officially changed to Xianggelila in 2002), Zhongdian is the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Region and worth visiting if you’re not able to visit Tibet. The town filled with blocky ...

Set in a picturesque valley with a stunning mountain backdrop, Lijiang’s Old Town, Dayan, is a labyrinth of cobbled alleys lined with wooden houses, cafes, and the workshops of traditional craftsmen. Home to the Naxi people, Dayan is one ...

A thriving settlement during the Han era, Tengchong prospered from the Silk Road trade. Today, a remote backwater, it has preserved more of its traditional wooden architecture than neighboring Baoshan. Set amidst jungle, volcanoes, and hot springs, Tengchong is ...

Sandwiched between Er Hai to the east and the Cang Shan range to the west, the picturesque little town of Dali draws innumerable visitors. The old town, surrounded by the remains of the Ming city walls, is characterized by cobbled lanes and stone houses. In the nearby countryside, numerous Bai ...

The tropical region of Xishuangbanna, in the far south of Yunnan, resembles its neighbors, Myanmar and Laos, more than dynamic modern China. Jinghong, its sleepy capital, was founded in the 12th century by the Dai warlord Dazhen. It is ...

In climate and culture, the subtropical far south of Yunnan, Xishuangbanna, feels a part of southeast Asia. Much of the area is primeval rainforest, the last left in the country, and home to a huge diversity of flora and ...

The capital of Yunnan Province, Kunming rests at 2,000 m above sea level. Its clement weather and floral wealth have earned it the nickname "City of Eternal Spring." An ancient city that first came to prominence as part of the Nanzhao Kingdom, Kunming had grown into a thriving city with ...