"Shangri-la" was first mentioned in James Hilton's novel "Lost Horizon" where it was described as a mystical paradise on earth amidst the Tibetan mountains. This book is fiction by the way, but that minor detail doesn't seem to bother the Chinese government who have designated and re-named Zhongdian and the surrounding county as the "Offficial" Shangri-la.
Zhongdian (known as Gyalthang in Tibetan) county is indeed very beautiful - especially in this season. The mountains are awashed with trees and shrubs coloured yellow, brown and red. Yaks graze lazily amidst the golden fields while farmers stack bales of hay out to dry on big wooden racks . At an altitude of 3,300m, it enjoys a mountain climate of blazing hot sun during the day, and shivering cold winds during the night.
Fields of Gold- Zhongdian countryside
Ganden Sumtseling Gompa (Songzanlin) - a 300 year old Tibetan monastery complex
A Naxi tribe granny walking along the old town in Zhongdian, with a cow tailing behind. It is not uncommon to see yaks, goats and obstructing traffic in this part of the country as they seem to have a licence to roam free on the streets.
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