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中|CHINANETZ

Mountain · Yunnan

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

玉龙雪山 (Yùlóng Xuěshān)

The glaciated massif above Lijiang, sacred to the Naxi

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a glaciated limestone massif of thirteen peaks rising to 5,596 metres at Shanzidou, directly north of Lijiang in north-western Yunnan. Among the southernmost glaciated mountains in Eurasia, it forms the eastern wall of Tiger Leaping Gorge and is the sacred mountain of the Naxi people, whose protector deity Sanduo is believed to dwell on it.

  • National scenic area

Key facts

Highest peak
Shanzidou, 5,596 m[1]
Peaks
13[1]
Length of massif
about 35 km north–south
First ascent
1987
Location
Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang, Yunnan
5,596 m above sea level · highest point: Shanzidou

Overview

Seen from the old town of Lijiang, the mountain is a long, snow-streaked ridge that closes the northern end of the Lijiang plain. It stretches some 35 kilometres from north to south, and its thirteen summits were said to resemble a silver dragon lying in the clouds — the origin of the Chinese name. The highest, Shanzidou (“Fan Peak”), was first climbed only in 1987.

For the Naxi the mountain is the embodiment of Sanduo, the warrior god who protects Lijiang, and it frames the villages of Baisha and Yuhu, where the Naxi chieftains, their painters and later the botanist Joseph Rock lived. Today the eastern slopes are one of Yunnan's most visited mountain areas, with high meadows, a glacier viewing platform reached by cable car and the turquoise pools of Blue Moon Valley.

How the landscape formed

The massif is built largely of limestone and other sedimentary rocks, uplifted and tilted by the same collision that raised the Hengduan Mountains. The Jinsha river, the upper Yangtze, cut down through the rising block on its western side to form Tiger Leaping Gorge, leaving a vertical difference of close to 4,000 metres between summit and river. Small cirque and valley glaciers survive on the highest peaks; the Baishui No. 1 Glacier on the eastern face is the best known and has retreated markedly since measurements began. Meltwater dissolving the limestone emerges in lime-rich streams and pools at the foot of the mountain.

Highlights

  • Shanzidou

    扇子陡 (Shànzidǒu)

    The main summit, 5,596 m, a steep rock-and-ice pyramid that was not climbed until 1987.

  • Baishui No. 1 Glacier

    白水河1号冰川 (Báishuǐhé Yī Hào Bīngchuān)

    The glacier below the main summit, seen from a boardwalk at around 4,500 m at the top of the main cable car.

  • Spruce Meadow

    云杉坪 (Yúnshān Píng)

    A clearing in spruce forest at the foot of the cliffs, linked in Naxi tradition to the Jade Dragon Third Kingdom, a paradise for lovers.

  • Yak Meadow

    牦牛坪 (Máoniú Píng)

    A high pasture on the northern side with wide views of the peaks and rhododendron slopes.

  • Blue Moon Valley

    蓝月谷 (Lányuè Gǔ)

    A chain of milky-blue pools behind travertine dams, fed by glacial meltwater at the foot of the mountain.

  • Ganhaizi

    甘海子 (Gānhǎizi)

    A broad dry basin of grass and scrub on the eastern side, the classic viewpoint for the whole ridge.

Plants and wildlife

Between the valley floor and the snowline the mountain passes through subtropical, temperate and alpine zones within a few kilometres. Its slopes lie within one of the richest temperate floras in the world, and plant hunters of the early 20th century collected hundreds of species here that later entered European gardens.

Plants

  • Rhododendrons

    杜鹃花 (dùjuānhuā)

    Dozens of species, from low alpine shrubs to trees, flowering from April to June.

  • Lijiang spruce

    丽江云杉 (Lìjiāng yúnshān)

    A conifer named after the area, forming the dark forest belt below the cliffs.

  • Primulas

    报春花 (bàochūnhuā)

    Many species on the damp meadows, several first described from specimens gathered here.

Wildlife

  • Black snub-nosed monkey

    滇金丝猴 (Diān jīnsīhóu)

    An endangered primate of the high conifer forests of the Yunnan–Tibet border ranges, found in the wider region.

  • Blood pheasant

    血雉 (xuèzhì)

    A bird of the rhododendron and fir forests near the treeline.

Culture and legend

In Naxi belief the mountain is the body of Sanduo (三朵), a protector god often shown in white armour on a white horse; his temple at the foot of the mountain is the most important shrine of the Naxi and the focus of a festival in the second lunar month. The Naxi Dongba priests, who write their rituals in a pictographic script, regard the high meadows as the gateway to a paradise for lovers who had been refused marriage, a belief linked to the historic practice of love suicide on the mountain. The Mu chieftains who ruled Lijiang for the Ming and Qing courts built their family temples at Baisha, where murals combine Chinese, Tibetan and Naxi styles.

  • Beiyue Temple

    北岳庙 (Běiyuè Miào)

    The temple of Sanduo, the mountain's protector god, near Baisha.

  • Baisha murals

    白沙壁画 (Báishā bìhuà)

    Ming-period wall paintings in the temples of Baisha village, part of the Old Town of Lijiang World Heritage site.

  • Yuhu village

    玉湖村 (Yùhú Cūn)

    The stone-built Naxi village where the botanist and explorer Joseph Rock lived for much of the period from 1922 to 1949; his house is kept as a small museum.

History

  1. 13th century onwards

    Naxi rule under the Mu family

    The Mu chieftains of Lijiang, recognised by the Yuan, Ming and Qing courts, controlled the plain and the passes below the mountain.

  2. 1639

    Xu Xiake in Lijiang

    The Ming travel writer visited the Mu court and described the snow mountain in his diaries.

  3. Early 20th century

    Plant hunters

    George Forrest, Frank Kingdon-Ward and Joseph Rock collected plants on and around the mountain.

  4. 1987

    First ascent of Shanzidou

    A small American team reached the main summit, the only recorded ascent for many years.

  5. 1996

    Lijiang earthquake

    A magnitude-7 earthquake centred near the mountain damaged Lijiang and prompted its reconstruction and rise as a tourist destination.

Through the seasons

  • Spring

    Rhododendrons and primulas flower on the meadows; the air is dry and the peaks often clear.

  • Summer

    The monsoon brings rain and cloud from June to September; the peaks are frequently hidden, but the meadows are green.

  • Autumn

    October and November give the most reliable views, with clear skies and the first fresh snow.

  • Winter

    Cold, dry and sunny; the glacier platform is bitterly cold and high-altitude facilities may close in storms.

Routes and ways in

  1. Glacier Park cable car

    The main cable car climbs from the eastern foot to a boardwalk at around 4,500 m below the Baishui No. 1 Glacier; entry to the upper station is managed with daily quotas.

  2. Spruce Meadow and Yak Meadow

    Two lower chairlifts or cable cars reach the forest meadows, each with short boardwalk loops.

  3. Blue Moon Valley

    A level walk along the terraced pools below the eastern face, often combined with the meadows.

  4. Western side from Tiger Leaping Gorge

    The gorge trail on the Haba side of the Jinsha gives the most dramatic views of the mountain's western face.

Practical notes

  • The upper cable car station lies at about 4,500 m; visitors coming straight from Lijiang (about 2,400 m) often feel the altitude, and walking slowly is essential.
  • Warm clothing is needed on the upper slopes in every season; the weather changes quickly and the peaks can cloud over within an hour.
  • The scenic area is managed with visitor quotas in busy periods, and advance booking through official channels is usual.
  • Climbing the main peaks is not open to ordinary visitors and requires official mountaineering authorisation.

Cities to start from

Frequently asked questions

Sources

  1. Yunnan Provincial People's Government — Yunnan Provincial People's Government (retrieved 27 September 2026)
  2. Old Town of Lijiang — UNESCO World Heritage Centre (retrieved 27 September 2026)
  3. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — Encyclopaedia Britannica (retrieved 27 September 2026)

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