Nyênu

Nyênu

Nyênu — a place many have not yet heard of — lies in the heart of the Three Parallel Rivers region, within the Hongshan Scenic Area of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. This is an almost completely isolated and mysterious land, home to nearly a thousand square kilometers of primeval forest, rushing streams and perilous rapids, flower-dotted meadows, and clear springs, as well as Tibetan mountain villages hidden in the dense woods, coexisting harmoniously with the…

Nyênu is specifically located in Nyênu Village, Lüji Township, in the northeast of Zhongdian County — known as the “Shangri-La of Secrets” in Yunnan. It is 75 kilometers from the county seat, at an elevation of 2,705 meters. Surrounded by mountains on all sides, it has an average annual temperature of 20°C, an annual rainfall of 5,800 mm, and a rainy season mostly between June and October. The area around Nyênu features lush green mountains and a primeval forest that blocks out the sun. Due to its relatively low altitude, vegetation thrives. There are expansive birch forests that turn golden in autumn. Towering spruces and firs reach skyward with dense, leafy canopies that offer shelter from wind and rain. The forest is home to a variety of rare wildlife such as musk deer, bears, Tibetan eared pheasants, and lynxes. As it lies within the universally acknowledged “Shangri-La of Secrets,” Nyênu is called the “secret within the secret,” a place where “you’d be willing to get drunk and stay forever.”

Its beautiful and pristine landscape remained little known until the region’s application for World Heritage status. During inspections by geologists and biologists, it was discovered that the area hosts well-preserved warm temperate, temperate, cold temperate, and frigid climate biomes — making it one of the richest regions in biodiversity on Earth. The “Three Parallel Rivers” is like a living textbook of Earth’s evolution. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates created the Hengduan Mountain Range, where within just 150 kilometers, massive ranges and rivers such as the Tanggula Mountains, Nujiang River, Gaoligong Mountains, Nujiang River, Lancang River, Yunling Mountains, and Jinsha River run parallel. In addition, there are spectacular snow-capped mountains and glaciers, dramatic gorges and rapids, expansive alpine meadows, crystal-clear highland lakes, beautiful Danxia landforms, and karst plateaus. Apart from deserts and ocean landscapes, the “Three Parallel Rivers” region almost encompasses every type of natural scenery found in the Northern Hemisphere.

The “Three Parallel Rivers” is also one of the regions with the greatest geological diversity. From ancient ophiolites, pillow lavas, and Paleozoic fossils in the Earth's evolutionary history, to Quaternary geological strata — and from glacial snow peaks, caves, rivers, and karst landforms shaped by internal orogenic belts — it has it all. It is a sacred site for scientific research, study, and exploration. It serves as Earth’s most intuitive thermometer and a refuge for China’s rare and endangered flora and fauna. Though covering only 0.4% of China’s land area, it houses 20% of the country’s higher plants, and over 25% of its total animal species. This is unique not only in China but across the Northern Hemisphere and the entire world.

Upon entering the territory of Nyênu, once you see the clouds in the blue sky that seem within reach, you can’t imagine what kind of scenery lies ahead. The countryside is painted red by the frost-bitten Stellera chamaejasme flowers — a familiar sight in Tibetan areas and a common subject for photographers. Forests tinged yellow or red reflect in the lakes, making it hard to tell which side is real. A patch of pink daisies waist-high will cover you in pollen, causing allergic reactions in your nasal membranes and triggering endless, satisfying sneezes. Among the meadows, small blue-purple flowers dot the yellow, dry grass — they are one of Yunnan’s Eight Famous Flowers: the alpine gentian. Lie down in the grass, and at its level, gaze at the purple blooms as they sway, conjuring a hazy blue dreamlike vision.

Along the journey from 2,500 meters to 3,800 meters in elevation, you’ll experience shifts from warmth to cold. Winding through dense fir, larch, and oak forests shaded from the sun, where thick lichens and mosses carpet the ground, you’ll often be divided by rushing streams and flower-dappled springs flowing leisurely down the mountains. At the Seven-Colored Waterfall, seeing the water cascade down the untouched tundra will truly make you feel like you’ve arrived in a fairyland. The murmuring stream carries away the frothy restlessness in your heart, leaving behind all the joy and serenity you can feel while being in nature.