Tourist Attractions in Yingjiang

The Daying River and Ruili River flow through Yingjiang County and Ruili County in Dehong Prefecture. The scenic area is around 800 kilometres from Kunming, with an altitude of more than 900 metres. It boasts the most typical subtropical scenery in Yunnan. Its unique attractions are as follows:

Everywhere you can find green mountains and clear waters surrounded by rolling hills. The mountain slopes are covered with subtropical plants including oak, ironwood, lemongrass, fishtail bamboo, oil palm, banana trees, wild ginseng, blood vine, all-year-round blooming flowers and south subtropical fruits. The forests shelter rare wild animals such as wild elephants, clouded leopards, grey leaf monkeys and brown bears. On Lushan Mountain in Yingjiang, which rises above 3,300 metres above sea level, the peaks are shrouded in mist all year round and capped with snow, presenting a spectacular landscape. The mountain boasts abundant flora and fauna. Above 2,000 metres lie untouched primeval forests rarely visited by humans.

Here stands the largest banyan tree in China. It features a thick trunk and enormous crown. Its aerial roots grow down into the soil and develop into dozens or even hundreds of new trunks, forming the stunning natural wonder of "one tree forming a whole forest". There is also the world-famous "Tree Wrapping the Pagoda". Visitors can also see China’s oldest rubber mother tree, which was introduced from Malaysia in 1904 by Dao Anren, a pioneer of the Dai people’s democratic revolution. It is listed as a nationally protected tree species. In front of Mangshi Hotel, two lush and sturdy osmanthus trees mark the China-Myanmar friendship. They were planted personally by Premier Zhou Enlai and Myanmar Prime Minister U Ba Swe on December 16, 1956. The northern sapling was planted by Premier Zhou Enlai, and the southern one by Prime Minister U Ba Swe.

The Ruili River has crystal-clear emerald water. Stilt-style Dai villages scatter among green bamboo groves along both banks. Bright sunshine, flowers blooming all year round, fresh air and birdsong combine to form picturesque scenes full of ethnic charm.

① Magnificent Gorges The Tiger Leaping Rock in Yingjiang features precipitous and grand canyon scenery. The mysterious and perilous cliffs on both sides greatly appeal to explorers and sightseers.

② Karst Caves Sanxian Cave and other limestone caves boast high ornamental value and pleasant environments, adding new highlights to tourism.

③ Hot Springs Hot springs spread all over Dehong. Hewan Hot Spring, Mangke Thermal Spring, Peacock Spring in Ruili and others are ideal resorts for sightseeing, bathing and recuperation.

Plenty of historic sites remain intact, including Tongbi Pass, Giant Stone, Wanren Cliff, Shenhu Pass, Dai murals and Guangmu Jiele. In particular, the Jianyan Pagoda at Mengmengding in Yingjiang is a well-known cultural relic home and abroad and a protected historic site at the provincial level.

Dehong is home to ethnic minorities including the Dai, Jingpo, Lisu, De'ang and Achang peoples. Their traditional festivals such as the Water-Splashing Festival, Munao Zongge Festival, Knife-Pole Festival and Kuoshi Festival feature distinctive folk culture and attract numerous tourists.

In ancient times, three routes connected China and India: the South Sea Route, the Western Regions Route and the Shu-Sindu Route. The Shu-Sindu Route passed through parts of Dehong before entering Myanmar. It was the earliest trade passage linking China and India. This ancient trail still draws historians, explorers and adventure seekers today