GATEWAY TO PSYCHEDELIC YUNNAN
Like the famous Catalan artist, there’s nothing ordinary about the city of Dali. Perched on a 2,000 meter-high plateau, and surrounded by the 4,000 meter-high Cangshan mountains, the place is nothing remotely similar to any other Chinese city.
Perhaps because it is not entirely Chinese.
I took these pictures of the massive Chongsheng Temple when I visited the place a few years back. In reality, however, no picture can fully describe the sheer colors, vividness, and diversity of Dali. Nor can it even begin to accurately portray the Yunnan Province it is situated in. So for the sake of impression, I decided to use some HDR software to bring into life the psychedelic nature – the “Daliness”, so to speak – of Dali.
How special is Yunnan?
Excluding controversial Tibet, Yunnan is the most un-Chinese province in China. 38% of its inhabitants are not even Hans (the ethnic group we colloquially refer to as “Chinese”). Among China’s 56 recognized ethnic groups, twenty-five are found in Yunnan. Each one of these tribes/nations has its own heritage, clothing, language, and traditions. This makes Dali and the entire region (about the size of France and Germany combined) shine with colors, shapes, and sounds that are truly out of this world.
We rented a beaten up Pajero 4×4 in Dali to head north and explore the valleys of the three rivers. This is where Asia’s three mighty rivers, The Mekong, Yang Tze, and Salvin flow right next to each other down from the Tibetan Plateau.
Beyond the Three Pagodas
But before heading up the route to Tibet (coming in a future post) we first stopped at Dali’s main attraction. The world-famous “Three Pagodas” and the adjacent Chongsheng Temple. The Pagodas – remarkable in their own right – have been photographed from every imaginable angle. Their image is printed on every Chinese traveling brochure. I, on the other hand, found the Temple remarkable no less. Full of colors, shapes, and grandeur the temple’s massive wooden structures are perched on a top of a steep hill at the foot of the mighty Cangshan mountains. With the 4000 meter high rocks acting as a dramatic background I took the following photos, thinking they were dramatic enough.
Two weeks later I came back home full of the many experiences Yunnan had enriched me with. Looking again at Chongsheng pictures, I decided an added drama was needed.
You may say these pictures – digitally re-mastered – are not completely authentic, but – and you’ll have to take my word for it – they are 100% honest to the experience.
In Yunan’s case – Dali is truly (Salvador) Dali.