Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain, located 15 kilometers north of the county seat of Lijiang, is a national-level scenic area. Yulong Mountain is the southern section of the Hengduan Mountains. It has 13 peaks, stretching 35 kilometers from north to south. Shanzidou, the main peak, is 5,596 meters above sea level.
It is a snow-capped mountain and the southernmost mountain with snow capped all year round in the Northern Hemisphere. Yulong Snow Mountain has rich vegetation coverage, featuring distinct and complete alpine vertical ecosystem from subtropical zone to frigid zone.
History of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
During the World War II, pilots of American air force found that there was a beautiful paramedic silver seamark on the Route Hump. It was so clear that pilots could see it hundreds of miles away. That is the main peak of Jade Dragon, Shanzidou. There are still 19 glaciers in Jade Dragon Mountain. They are the southernmost glaciers on the Eurasia in modern time. The glaciers were formed when the influence of oceanic monsoon. Usually, glaciers can only be found in high latitude areas. However, high elevation and abundant precipitation made it possible for glaciers to appear in this mountain despite its low-latitude site.
The Naxi people take the nature as a huge temple while mountains are the columns. There are two mountains believed the most important for the Naxi. One is the legendary Juna Shiluo Mountain. It is believed as the final dwelling place for people's souls. Another is Jade Dragon, the spititual prop of the Naxi. The God of Jade Dragon, Sanduo, is the greatest protector of the Naxi people. In the Tang Dynasty, the king of Dali, Yi mouxan, in the ceremony of worshiping the Great Five Mountains, granted Jade Dragon as the North Holy Mountain. He also ordered people to build a temple at the foot of the mountain for worshiping the God Sanduo.
Glacier Park
The Naxi people divide snow-mountains into white, green and black. The snow-mountains with glaciers are green ones. There is a big serac forest in the areas with an elevation of over 4500 meters in Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. In the daytime, with the rise of temperature, the snow covering the serac melts and ice with light green color appears. Together with bright sunshine and blue sky, the seracs will shine with green color. Thus, we can see the spectacular sight of "Green Snow."
 China tours inclusive of visiting Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lijiang
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