At the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain lies the village of Shitou – Yuhu Village
Just over ten kilometers north of Lijiang Ancient Town, on the southern slope of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, there is a village called 'Wulukun', meaning 'village at the foot of the snow mountain'. This is Yuhu Village. In 1922, Joseph Rock, as an explorer, writer, and photographer for the American 'National Geographic Magazine' and the Harvard University Arnold Arboretum, entered Yunnan, China from the Thai-Burmese border and settled down at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain for 27 years, most of which he spent in Yuhu Xueli Village. Yuhu is an artificial lake dug by the Mu family clan before the Ming Dynasty. The Mu family built a summer palace, the Jade Dragon Academy, and a deer farm by the lake. The earliest residents of Yuhu Village were those who served the Naxi king by guarding the palace and raising deer, hence the village was also called 'Cuan Kuo Luo'. Naxi folk songs often mention Yuhu and the snow mountain deer farm. In Yuhu, the snow water is clear, aquatic plants sway gently, and the grand Jade Dragon Snow Peak is reflected in the lake against the backdrop of blue sky and white clouds, as if nature itself has settled at the bottom of the lake. This 'Reflection of Yuhu' is one of the famous 'Twelve Scenic Spots of Jade Dragon'.
It takes about half an hour to get there by taxi from Lijiang, costing over 50 yuan. Along the way, you can see a train, which the driver says starts from the Lijiang Tourist Distribution Center and ends at Ganhaizi of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The whole line is 20.47 kilometers long, with five stations: Tourist Center Station, Baisha Ancient Town Station, Yushui Village Station, Dongba Valley Station, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Station. The ticket price is 70 yuan, which is more expensive than a ride-hailing service. If you drive yourself, you can stop by the roadside to take pictures of the snow mountain, which is very beautiful. When you get to Yuhu Village near Longnv Lake, it's too close for good photos. Once you reach the parking lot of Yuhu Village, you're stopped; local drivers say you used to be able to drive straight in, but now it's fenced off. There's no entrance fee, but you have to buy a round-trip ticket for the electric shuttle, which costs 30 yuan per person and cannot be purchased one-way, which feels a bit like forced buying and selling. Walking into the village is free, but it's over 2 kilometers to the village and very sunny. Taking the electric shuttle to the village, you have to walk an uphill stone path of over 400 meters to transfer to Longnv Lake. The road is rough, but you can take pictures along the way. Many villagers will ask if you want to ride a horse, and I heard the price is 168 yuan. I didn't want to ride, nor did I ask how long or where to ride. At the transfer point, it takes about 5 minutes by car to Longnv Lake, which is just a large lawn with the snow mountain as a backdrop. The lake is very small, and there's a concrete dam being built on the opposite shore, losing its original charm and resembling a reservoir. The wind is strong at the foot of the mountain, and hats can be blown away while taking photos. That's the visit!
Yuhu Village, in the south of Yulong Snow Mountain, is the closest ancient village to Yulong Snow Mountain and is one of the oldest villages of the Naxi people. Yuhu Village is also called Xueyan Village or Wuluken. It is the meaning of the village at the foot of the snow mountain and enjoys the reputation of "the first village under the Yulong Mountain". I like the name Xueyan Village, and I can feel from the name that this is a fairyland-like village.
The earliest residents of Yuhu Village were deer-rearers for Naxi's King's Palace. So it is called "Cang Kuo Luo". Yuhu and Snow Mountain Deer Farm are often mentioned in Naxi folk songs. In the Yuhu Lake, the snow water is clear, the water grass swaying, the blue sky and white clouds are reflected in the lake with the tall Yulong Snow Peak, and nature seems to be precipitation at the bottom of the lake. This "Yuhu reflection" is one of the famous "Jade Dragon 12 scenes".
Yuhu Village also belongs to one of the places to visit in Lijiang area, and is currently in a state of development. The biggest feature of the village is that its architectural style is basically made of a variety of stones. The especially famous explorer Locke has been here for a long time. It’s just a little troublesome to arrive, and it’s more convenient if you have a self-driving car or a teacher and apprentice camping.
This is a small Naxi village on the slopes of the Yu Long Xue Mountain. Not far from the village is Jade Lake, which is the origin of the village name, literally meaning Jade Lake Village. It was very interesting to visit this place on our route and take a look at wooden houses of local Naxi group and their lifestyle.
Lijiang is not only Dayan, Baisha and Shuhe Ancient Towns. Many people don't know the Yuhu Village at the foot of the snow-capped mountains. There is also a super design homestay like a paradise. 🌟 Shujia Yuxue Xueqi Hospital 🌟! Because it is not the first time to come to Yunnan, this time it is purely a holiday. Because there are more people this time, we booked two small villas. It feels so happy to have tea and party at the foot of the snow-capped mountains with friends! Our room can see the starry sky. The small two-story bedroom has a skylight above its head. When the weather is good, you can see the stars in the sky without going out. It is really happy! There is also an oversized bathtub and kitchen in the room. It feels like living here. ~📍 Address: 400 meters below Yuzhu Qingtian Scenic Area, Yuhu Village, Lijiang City ✅ Transportation: Because it is relatively remote here, we took a taxi from the city.