Daocheng Yading | A Must-Visit in This Lifetime, Place Your Soul at the Foot of the Three Sacred Mountains

Continuing to organize photos from my 2018 National Day holiday trip to Western Sichuan. Day 5 Daocheng Yading Daocheng, anciently known as "Daoba," means "an open area at the mouth of a valley" in Tibetan. Yading means "sun-facing land" in Tibetan, also known as Nyenchen Khangsar Risum Gonpo, meaning "Holy Land." With an elevation ranging from 2900 meters (Gongga River Mouth) to 6032 meters (Mount Xiannairi), and covering an area of 1344 square kilometers, it is one of China's most well-preserved and pristine alpine natural ecosystems. Daocheng Yading is mainly composed of the three sacred mountains — Xiannairi, Yangmaiyong, and Xianuoduoji — and surrounding rivers, lakes, and alpine meadows. Mount Xiannairi, with an elevation of 6032 meters, means "Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva" in Tibetan; Mount Yangmaiyong, with an elevation of 6033 meters, is the highest peak in Daocheng County, meaning "Manjushri Bodhisattva" in Tibetan; Mount Xianuoduoji, with an elevation of 5951.3 meters, means "Vajrapani Bodhisattva" in Tibetan. Additionally, there are beautiful lakes such as Milk Lake, Five-Color Lake, and Pearl Lake, as well as alpine meadow landscapes like Luorong Pasture and Chonggu Meadow. The movie "I Belonged to You" was also filmed here, making it widely renowned. The Dispute Between Shangri-La and Daocheng Yading Joseph Rock, an explorer who championed self-pursuit, authored the novel "Lost Horizon," which created the beautiful legend of Shangri-La . . . . "a land of eternal peace and tranquility nestled deep within the mountains of the East," Shangri-La. The true location of the Shangri-La in the book has been a subject of much debate. The name of this pure land was fiercely contested between Daocheng in Sichuan and Zhongdian in Yunnan, ultimately ending with Zhongdian in Yunnan simply changing its name to "Shangri-La." In reality, the original meaning of Shangri-La does not exist; it merely represents the beauty we yearn for in our hearts. Tips: Although the scenery of Daocheng Yading is breathtaking, it also severely tests physical endurance. Just do what you can; there's no need to force yourself to climb to a certain altitude. Under normal circumstances, most people can reach the foot of the three sacred mountains without any problem.