Guided tour and dinner at Shangri-La’s Dukezong Old Town

14 September 2024

We came back to Shangri-La’s Dukezong Ancient Town after visiting two of Shangri-La most popular tourist destinations, namely the Potatso National Park and Songzanlin Monastery. By the time we arrived, it was already slightly past 5 PM.

We entered via the North Gate.

North Gate of Dukezong Ancient Town.

This 1,300-year-old town features traditional Tibetan homes, ancient temples and pagodas, and narrow, winding alleyways. We had already seen some parts of the town the previous evening. The ancient streets and quaint alleys are lined with various local souvenir shops.

Street leading from the gate to Sifang Square.  

Stone-paved streets of Dukezong Ancient Town.

Our guide brought us to Moonlight Square and from there, we climbed the steps up to Guishan (Turtle Hill) Park (龜山公園) where the Big Buddha Temple (大佛寺) and Giant Prayer Wheel (轉經筒) are located.

Guishan Park is a good place to have a panoramic view of Shangri-La city and the Dukezong Old Town.

   View of the old town from top of Guishan.

Prayer flags attached to one of the houses.

We went inside the Buddhist Temple where our guide explained the significance of the various statues of Buddha, deities and dharma protectors and murals on the wall.

He also explained the meanings of the prayer flags. Prayer flags originated in Tibet, but are used in many countries in the Himalayan region, including Nepal and Bhutan.

My T-shirt with the prayer flags is actually a gift that my son bought after his Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal.

The flags do not carry prayers to gods. Tibetan prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras printed on the flags will be spread by the wind and bring goodwill and compassion to benefit all beings. The five different colours of the prayer flags represent the air, fire, water, earth, and space. 

Continuing our walk in a clockwise direction on the hill, we arrived at the landmark of the Old Town, the Giant Prayer Wheel.

21 meter tall Giant Prayer Wheel.

Turning the Giant Prayer Wheel at Guishan, Shangi-La to get blessings.

It contains millions of the traditional six-syllable Om Mani Padme Hum mantras inside. Locals and visitors would turn the prayer wheel 3 rounds by hand using straps handles provided at the base to get the blessings.

Compared to the previous evening, there were less people around. It was harder to turn the 16 ton prayer wheel but we still managed to do it.

After seeing the highlights, we descended from Guishan to explore the town further till dinner time.

We wanted to do some souvenir shopping and found that the shops in Shangri-La were quite different from those in Kunming, Dali and Lijiang. The shops in Shangri-La focused mainly on local products such as yak. Yak milk nougats, yak meat jerky, yak this, yak that. Our guide told us some the products, especially the cheaper ones, are made with beef since yak is more expensive.

Shopping for snacks to bring home.

We saw the Big Buddha Temple (大佛寺) on top of Guishan that we visited earlier. It looked so majestic when viewed from afar. Crows were circling over it. I learnt that monks would sometimes feed the offerings in the temple to the crows. Hence these intelligent birds knew where to hang out.

The Big Buddha Temple perched on top of Guishan.

Crows circling over the big Buddha Temple.

 

Many of the stores in the old town have pet dogs that came out to play.

A Retriever with toy.

While exploring the town, we chanced upon the Flying Tiger Cafe. My wife had read about this cafe when we were searching for places to have dinner and this cafe has good reviews.

For me, I knew about the Flying Tigers from WW II history.  They are US airmen that flew with the Republic of China Air Force in late 1941 and 1942 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The Flying Tigers were based in Yunnan are operated the Curtiss P-40 fighters planes. 

The Flying Tiger Cafe serves Western style dishes and also yak burgers. Since we had already planned to have yak hotpot for dinner at the Three Brother's Cafe, we bought a takeaway yak burger to eat with our hotpot. 

Various options of yak burgers in the menu.

While waiting for our order to be prepared, I took a look at the memorabilia inside the cafe.

Resting at the Flying Tiger Cafe while waiting for our yak burger to be cooked.

Photo of P-40 Warhawks painted with shark face.

We returned to the Three Brother's Cafe for yak hotpot as planned. Yak Hotpot is a popular dish in Shangri-La. The yak meat is sliced thinly, tender and flavorful served in a rich flavour broth that is clear or spicy. There are also rice noodles and vegetables in the hotpot.

It is rich in nutrients and provides warming and invigorating benefits, making it especially suitable for nourishment during the cold winter of Shangri-La.

Watching the local dancing in the town square while waiting for our dinner to be served.

Yak Hotpot Dinner at the Three Brother’s Cafe.

There are also rice noodles and vegetables in the hotpot.

Relaxing time at the Three Brother's Cafe.

We chilled at the Three Brother's Cafe with a couple of beers until it was time to transfer to the Diqing Shangri-La Airport for our 22.50 PM Eastern Airlines flight to Kunming.

The Diqing airport was quiet and relatively empty. Ours was probably the only flight leaving at that time of night.

It was a short domestic flight to Kunming.  We arrived shortly before midnight. Compared to Diqing, Kunming Airport at near midnight was still bustling with activity. Our local Kunming guide was waiting with a car and driver to transfer us to the Cachet Boutique Hotel.

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Our visit to Songzanlin Monastery

14 September 2024

A trip to Shangri-La would have been incomplete without a visit to the ancient Songzanlin Monastery or the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery.

Songzanlin Monastery is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple complex in Yunnan Province. The main monastery structure is built in Tibetan style with a gilded copper roof similar to the one at the Potala Palace in Lhasa and is hence called the “Little Potala Palace”. The other buildings in the complex are built-in Han Chinese style. It was originally build between 1679-1681 by the Great 5th Dalai Lama, got destroyed during the revolution of 1966 and was rebuilt in 1982.  It used to house over 2000 monks but the temple is now home to about 700 monks belonging to the Gelug Yellow Hat sect.

As we walked to the entrance of the monastery, we could see the homes of the monks located on the sides of the main monastery building.

The quarters for the monks on the sides of the Songzanlin Monastery.

The entrance is quite grand. A pair of stone lions guards the gate like most Chinese temples. On the top, there are symbols of Buddhism, a pair of male and female deer at either side of an eight-spoke dharma wheel.

Main entrance to the monastery.

Dharma Wheel and a pair of deer on top on the entrance.

View of the monastery from the gate.

To get to the monastery, we had to climb a flight of stairs. The monastery is at an altitude of 3880 meters. At this high altitude, climbing the stairs is not easy due to the thin air. This is similar to what we experienced at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. We still had a can of oxygen leftover from our visit to the mountain. It was put to good use although we could have made do without it.

       Walking through the main street lined with traditional Tibetan style buildings with white walls and colourful windows.

146 steps to the top.

Like us, many people were resting and catching  their breath on the way up. Once at the top, we were rewarded with excellent views of the surrounding, including Lamuyangcuo Lake.

View of Lamuyangcuo Lake from the Songzanlin Monastery.

After enjoying the views, we went to see the insides of the main buildings. The monastery houses many religious items and precious Tibetan Buddhist cultural relics, such as gilded statues of Sakyamuni, palm-leaf scripts, thangka (religious tapestries), and golden lamps.

Our guide told us the rules for visiting this religious site.

• No photo-taking inside the building.
• No wearing of sun glasses inside.
• Step over and not on the threshold when entering.
• Always go clockwise direction when visiting.
• No loud voices.

      

Large terrace with the religious buildings.

We went to the Prayer Hall where we saw many glided statues. This included the deities and dharma protectors, and also statues of Past Buddha, Current Buddha and Future Buddha. Thanks to our guide, we learned that the Future Buddha sits with legs down, like in chair while the Current Buddha sits crossed legged.

Unfortunately, no photography is allowed, so I could not take photos to show these statues.

The altar is decorated with many yak butter lamps and floral pieces carved from yak butter.

Front view of the main assembly hall.

In the main assembly hall, we also saw rows of seats where monks can gather to chant and meditate in unison. There is capacity for thousand of monks but currently only 700 monks reside in monastery.     

There are murals on the side that told the story of Buddha. It was good that we went with a guide. He told us story of how a prince in India named Siddhartha Gautama saw death, sickness and old age. He decided to give up his lavish lifestyle and embraced a life of extreme self-discipline to seek enlightenment and founded Buddhism.

We visited the last hall on the right where our guide explained the Buddha’s teachings. The Four Noble Truths comprise the essence of Buddha's teachings. They are the truth of suffering, the truth of the cause of suffering, the truth of the end of suffering, and the truth of the path that leads to the end of suffering.       
View of the Shangri-La city in the distance.

One of the many chapels on the side.

One of the must do when visiting the monastery is to spin the prayer wheels. There are several prayer wheels in Songzanlin Monastery, varying in size and arranged in a harmonious layout.

The prayer wheel inside the monastery should be spun clockwise. Each spin is equivalent to reciting a scripture once, making it an excellent way to repent past deeds, ward off disasters, and accumulate merit.

Spinning the prayer wheel at the Songzanlin Monastery. We are to spin this wheel 3 times.

More prayer wheels.

Group photo before leaving the monastery.

After visiting the monastery, we went to take a walk around Lamuyangcuo Lake. This must not be missed as there are several spots for taking excellent photos of the Songzanlin Monastery reflected on the surface of the lake. 

The colourful roofs and structure of the monastery are best viewed from the path to the lake.

Zoomed in photo of the roof structure.

We took the lakeside boardwalk where are two panoramic viewing platforms for admiring the monastery: one is at the center of the lake and the other is near Conggulong Village, which is considered the best viewpoint.  

View of the monastery and its reflection on the surface of the lake at the first viewing platform.  

We could see dark clouds approaching!

By the time we walked to the second viewing platform, the wind had picked up forming ripples on the surface.

Taking photos at the second viewing platform at the center of the lake.

The dark clouds rolling in add drama to this photo. Will there be a storm soon?

Walking back to the monastery along the boardwalk.

After enjoying the views of the monastery and the lake, we had to return to the entrance of the monastery to take the shuttle bus back to the entrance of the Songzanlin Monastery Scenic Area. Fortunately, there was no rain, despite the dark sky.

From there we returned to Dukezong Ancient Town, about 8 km away.

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Lunch at a traditional Tibetan family's house in Conggulong Village

14 September 2024

We went by car to the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery Scenic Area, after our morning visit to Potatso National Park. Ganden Sumtseling Monastery Scenic Area is a big place, consisting of Ganden Sumtseling Monastery (also known as Songzanlin Monastery), Lamuyangcuo Lake in the front, Conggulong Village in its east, Xiaojiezi Village and Dongqusheng Hill in its west, and the celestial burial platform in its south.

After lighting from our car in the large parking lot attached to the Tourist Service Center of Ganden Sumtseling Monastery Scenic Area, we entered the clean and spacious service center. There was a diorama in the service center that our guide used to explain our plan at this area. The main attraction is, of course, the Songzanlin Monastery. Prior to the visit to the monastery, our guide had arranged for us to visit a Tibetan family’s house in the Conggulong Village and have our lunch there.

Our guide purchased the entrance tickets which included a shuttle bus service from the service center to the monastery which is about 3 kilometers away. We have the option to walk but the roads are under maintenance and hence muddy or dusty.

Once on the shuttle bus, our guide requested the shuttle bus driver to make an unscheduled stop at Conggulong Village. From there we took a short walk into the village. We could see many traditional Tibetan houses. Traditional Tibetan houses are designed to blend in with, rather than stand out from, the beautiful natural landscape that surrounds them. As such, they are constructed largely from natural materials, such as wood, stones, and dirt or mud. Many families raise animals as well, including cows, yaks, sheep, and horses. We saw only chickens running around in the village.

Typical Tibetan residential houses are painted white in colour.

Beautifully decorated window with colourful eaves on top and black frame.

Firewood and a lone chicken outside a house.

We went to one of the largest and most beautiful building in the village.  Upon entering the large nicely decorated door, we found ourselves in a spacious courtyard. The courtyard is covered with a transparent roof allowing natural light in and keeping the place warm.

 We will be visiting this Tibetan family home.  

Exquisitely decorated doorway leading to a courtyard.

Covered courtyard with transparent roof. Photos of the Chinese flags, China’s past and present leaders are hung on the eaves.

We were then invited to view the residential area which consists of a 2 story building made entirely from wood. The living quarters for the family were on the second floor.

Living room with traditional wooden furniture but modern flat screen TV.

Much of the space was open with a wood-burning stove for heat and cooking in a corner.

Traditional stove with 4 chambers sits in a corner.

Mythical Qilin figures sit on top of the stove’s cover.  The Qilin symbolizes goodwill, benevolence, gentleness, integrity, and kindness towards other living beings.

There is a room with a shrine for worship and meditation. Next to this room is a guestroom with a queen size bed for guests which may include a monk who comes for prayers with the family and then stay over.

Our guide also showed us the apparatus used to make the traditional yak butter tea or po cha. The po cha is made from tea leaves, yak butter, and salt that is churned and mixed in the long cylindrical apparatus.

Apparatus used to make the traditional yak butter tea or po cha.

We then proceed down to the dining area on the ground floor. We had the option to have lunch in the courtyard or inside the house. Our guide recommended that we sit in the house as it would be more comfortable.

Walking down to the dining room. The entire house is made of wood and look and feels solid. We could see the thick wooden columns made from local pine trees.

Dining room with a pot of pre-made yak butter tea sitting on a electric stove.

Yak butter tea.

Table already preset with some appetisers and sauces.

We sat and helped ourselves to some homemade Tibetan snacks which included dumplings, cured salty pork, peanuts, yogurt and pancakes.

More snacks brought to our table.Eating pancakes the local way. 

More hot, freshly cooked dishes for our lunch were then brought to our table.

So much food for just the three of us.

Stir fried mushrooms with vegetable.

Minced yak meat with celery and chilli.

Pickled cucumbers.

Fried egg with bitter gourd.

Grilled chicken that is surprising well seasoned and tender.

While we were enjoying our lunch, the family sat in the table next to us to have their lunch too. I noticed their food was not as elaborate as ours. Due to language difference, we did not interact much with them except the smiles and nods of heads to express our gratitude of having us in their home.

We were also served some homemade barley wine to try. The clear white colour liquid has high alcoholic content and tastes like the more familiar Korean soju.

Enjoying Tibetan hospitality and delicious lunch.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience, delicious lunch and opportunity to see the insides of a typical Tibetan home In Shangri-La.

From there, we took a short walk from the village to the entrance of Songzanlin Monastery, perched on top of a hill. We could see some of the quarters that the monks lived in along the way and some cosmos flowers that were in bloom.

Walking to Songzanlin Monastery. 

Next post: Our visit to Songzanlin Monastery.

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