Once you leave, you’ll miss it... the last pure land on this azure planet — Daocheng Yading

Although this place is called Daocheng, it’s not known for its rice fields. Instead, Yading Village within its borders gathers everything most beautiful about the snowy plateau: pyramid-like snow mountains, vast meadows, crystal-clear blue lakes, and forests bursting with vibrant colors — so stunning it’s hard to leave. By the way, no place is more fitting for a name like Shangri-La than Yading. The reason isn’t just its breathtakingly pristine natural scenery, but also because the town it belongs to is actually named “Shangri-La.”

Known in Tibetan as “the land facing the sun,” Yading is said to be the last pure land on this azure planet. It possesses an almost extinct purity on Earth, with virtually no signs of human development. The most untouched beauty of nature exists right here in Yading.

The lake reflections are simply enchanting. (Photo provided by © Darui Images / Shutterstock)

Snow mountains, lakes, and forests together form the picturesque landscape of Yading. (Photo provided by © Darui Images / Shutterstock)

Supporting this painting-like beauty are the three sacred guardian mountains of the local Tibetan people, arranged in a “品”-shaped formation. With their year-round snow-capped peaks and layered glaciers, they appear even more crystal-clear and flawless. Below the peaks, colorful forests dot the landscape, adding splashes of vibrancy to the snow mountains. Paired with the reflections of valley lakes, the scene is as stunning as a fairyland.

The beauty of Yading has captivated travelers from all over the world. Austrian explorer Joseph Rock once said, “In the whole world, is there any other place with such scenery, waiting for photographers and explorers?” He praised Yading’s appearance and acclaimed it as a paradise for photographers. If you love to travel, then you really must come and see this “Soul of Shangri-La” — a place you’ll miss deeply once you leave.