Dali Attractions

Three Pagodas of Dali Cangshan Mountain Erhai Lake Ancient City OF Dali Xizhou Township

Cangshan Mountain

The Cangshan Mountain, also known as Diancangshan, is named after its verdant forests. The Cangshan Mountain is a chain of the Yunlin Mountain of the Hengduan Mountains. Starting at Eryuan in the north and ending at Xiaguan in the south, it measures 42 km in length and 25 km in wedth. Overlooking the Erhai Lake in the east, the Cangshan Mountain is of great splendour and the scenary is unique. The Cangshan Mountain comprises 19 peaks, the highest of which is Malong Peak at an elevation of 4,122 metres above sea level. It is snow-capped all the year round with a moraine lake on the summit. There are 18 brooks running down the 19 peaks. The snow-melted water between every two peaks rushes down and converges into the Erhai Lake.

The clouds over the mountains are varied and changeable. The most magnificent scenic wonders are the Husband-Yearning Cloud and the Jade-like Belt of Clouds. Every year when spring is changing into summer, a lone cloud will emerge over the top of Yuju Peak, drifting up and down and casting glances about. Then, it suddenly turns into a dark cloud, resembling a woman in black. At this very moment, a gale will howl and cause rolling waves across the lake; this cloud is called "The Husband-Yearning Cloud". After rain in summer or autumn, a cloud will drift up slowly in the sky, stretching out kilometres around like a jade belt round the mountain; this is called "the Jade-like Belt of Clouds". The Yunyou tour route is a newly developed scenic area. Many scenic spots lie along the route: the Jiangjun Cave, the Shimen Pass, the Hall of Avalokittesvara, the Gantong Temple, the Zhonghe Temple, the Qingbi Book, the Butterfly Fountian and so on.

The weather in the Cangshan Mountain is varied and unpredicable. It is snow-white on the top, and the flowers bloom in profusion at the foot. The Cangshan Mountain is not only abundant in vegetation such as pine trees, furs, camellias, azaleas, orchids and medicinal herbs like Chinese angelica and banksia rose, but also in marble resources.