UPFRONT
COVER STORY
Lost Horizon Found
Utopia In Nyima Pratten
Shangrila County
Originally called Zhongdian County, or Gyalthang in Tibetan, Shangrila County, situated in Yunnan Province and part of Greater Tibet, was given its current name in 2001. They hoped to boost tourism in the area due to its association with the fictional, isolated paradise written about in James Hilton’s Lost Horizon. However, even before the fire at the beginning of 2014, which burned down the majority of Shangrila Old Town, the county had not managed to compete with the level of tourism seen in neighbouring Lijiang, and since the devastating fire, tourism numbers have dwindled. We went to discover what makes Shangrila County a true utopia, and why the area inspired such a timeless piece of literature.
I
n the early 1930s, Hilton relied heavily on the imagery of connotations of Tibetan culture and the Buddhist religion to transport his readers into a utopian, mythical world, even though he had never visited this region. There is a lot of discussion surrounding the true location of Hilton’s Shangrila. Many believe that he drew inspiration from National Geographic articles about Eastern Tibet, written by Joseph Rock, an Austrian-American explorer. Others say that the book is based on Shambhala; a mythical kingdom written about in ancient Buddhist scripts. Nevertheless, Zhongdian claimed the name due to its location, nestled in a valley between soaring mountain peaks, its Tibetan culture and its Buddhist traditions. The concept of Shangrila has become synonymous with true paradise on earth in many countries and cultures around the world. And as such, hardcore fans of the novel may initially be disappointed when arriving in the capital town of the county, also confusingly named Shangrila, because it looks pretty similar to many other backwater towns in China, except the Tibetan Sanskrit translations on multinational corporations’ signage. The town is separated into various ethnic groups including Han, Naxi and Bai residents, however, the surrounding countryside is made up of traditional Tibetan farmhouses housing an entirely Tibetan population. It is only when you journey out of the main town and into the countryside
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that you start to appreciate what the first Western explorers must have felt upon arriving in this magical land. Blue skies and white clouds add to the beautiful Tibetan countryside scenery of rolling green hills, distant snow capped mountains and wandering yaks. Thanks to crystal clear visibility and fantastic light, your eyes are able to pick up the colour of far-flung prayer flags raging in the wind. Bright, enticing traditional patterns of turquoise, magenta, jade, gold, cobalt and coral can be found on everything from clothes to house decorations, monasteries to horses. The air is thin, due to the high altitude, and can leave you feeling a little lightheaded, adding to the otherworldly experience. The sounds of grazing cattle, grunting yak and flapping, auspicious flags are a constant, and often accompanied by the sound of a local person, clad in bright, traditional Tibetan robes, quite happily, and unashamedly, singing, punctuating the serene peace with their songs, but without disturbing the tranquillity. The Tibetan people’s unique and high-pitched throat Traditional Tibetan Farmhouse in Ringha
Prayer flags at Ringhai Monastery
singing, we were told by our guide, was one born out of necessity, as goat herders needed to effectively communicate with their peers on neighbouring hills. But is now a skill that Tibetan people take great pride in, it seems to be embedded in their DNA in these parts, along with dancing, and it is said that a Tibetan child learns how to sing and dance before they can walk and talk. As well as long treks in the countryside, and becoming acquainted with the local people, visitors must make a trip to Sungtseling Monastery. A very important monastery in Tibetan Buddhism, it was built in 1679, is the largest of its kind in Yunnan province and currently houses around 700 monks. You can see the golden roofs of the monastery, sitting on a hill looking out towards the main town, glinting in the sunlight. Locals and tourists freely intermingle with monks at the working-monastery, with many leaving offerings and lighting incense. Each village in the county has its own separate shrine, and it is possible to tour the villages’ temples. You might also be surprised to find pictures of a famous Tibetan face. Shangrila County, and more specifically the outlying villages, is not a place that should become lost amongst the many other tourist
Local Tibetan women in Ringha
destinations in Yunnan. It has a unique cultural heritage and a strong, traditional community. Therefore, it's an ideal place to visit and appreciate many aspects of Tibetan culture and customs without the restrictions that come with journeying into Tibet. This county is a deeply spiritual and sacred place, where you will find hard working and high-spirited Tibetans enjoying the same type of lifestyle that their ancestors would have benefitted from generations before. Quality of life is also on the rise for locals due to improvements in health and education for the Tibetans in the villages, at a grassroots level. You would be wrong to heed the advice of those who say it is not worth visiting since the Old Town burnt down. In actual fact, the Old Town was not truly authentic and packed to the rafters with Tibetan trinkets, which although exciting to visit, is not the Shangrila that the world first fell in love with way back in the 1930s, or even before.
Immerse Yourself In Ringha Banyan Tree Ringha is located in Ringha Village, in a mountainous area of Shangrila County. In this setting, 3200 metres above sea level, you can experience the magic and beauty first conjured in Lost Horizon and immerse yourself in the history and culture of the region.
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ingha was the first Banyan Tree property in China, as they felt that the unexplored location epitomised the spirit of travel, adventure and romance that has come to be expected from the brand. Ringha is about a 30 to 45 minute taxi journey away from Shangrila town and is named after the ancient Ringha Monastery, or Temple of the Five Wisdom Buddhas; a sacred and prominent temple where visitors from nearby villages still come to pray for good karma. There is a famous fable in the village that the monastery was placed here after an esteemed Buddhist monk, who was on a pilgrimage to Tibet 800 years ago, accompanied by his goat,
travelled here. When he reached the hill where the monastery is now located, the goat stopped and would not move one step further. The monk then realised that it was an auspicious place and built a monastery on the site. Ringha village is made up of a handful of extended families that have been working the land for generations and who live in beautiful, oldfashioned Tibetan farmhouses. Every few decades, or as the needs of the household evolve, families start work on building a new farmhouse. The Banyan Tree realised this trend, and began buying the discarded rustic farmhouses and painstakingly reconstructed them on the outskirts of Ringha, before repurposing them as accommodation. This had a positive impact on the environment because it ensured no newly cut timber would be required for the site, while keeping the original character of the dwellings intact. These authentic buildings form the heart and soul of the resort.
Handcrafted wooden bathtub
Banyan Tree Ringha features three Ringha Lodges, six Tibetan Spa Suites, eight Tibetan Lodges and 15 Tibetan Suites. Each spacious twostorey Suite and Lodge comes with a luxuriously designed bathroom fitted with a handcrafted wooden bathtub, while the spacious dining and living areas are warmed, during the winter, by a blazing fireplace. Thick Tibetan robes are also provided for guests who want to venture out in the evenings after the sun has set and the temperature has dropped. Banyan Tree Ringha is a place to relax and slowly unravel the myriad of adventures and unknown delights available when you disconnect from the modern world and adapt to a slower pace of life. It is amazing how enjoyable a trek can be when there are no modern-day distractions surrounding you and pulling your attention away from the real-time moments you are living. It is a chance to patiently discover Tibet’s storied past. The highlight of your stay will certainly be an adventure with a member of the Tours And Treks team. Take it easy with a Shangrila Cultural Tour and see the true Tibetan countryside, littered with stupas and auspicious symbols. You get to visit
a working, intricately designed Tibetan farmhouse to sample local dishes, such as homemade yak butter tea, cheese and tsampa, and chat with the open and friendly villagers. If you are feeling adventurous, and have acclimatised to the high altitude, more challenging routes are offered such as the Nomad Alpine Trek. Horses are also provided in case the journey proves too tiring. In the hotel, it is possible to book an authentic Tibetan hotpot meal. Slightly healthier than the neighbouring Sichuan variety; the yak meat, fish and vegetables are boiled in a broth inside the charcoal powered stone hotpot. The most striking experience about any stay at Banyan Tree Ringha is the kind-hearted, welcoming and spiritual nature of the staff, many of whom are local people from the adjacent villages. It is easy to speak to any of the wait staff or guides to find out about their personal story, and many of them have studied in India, making conversing in English easier. The popularity of the property seems to have brought great fortune to the village, with the farmland also producing ample harvests to provide the community with food and profit. A stay in the Banyan Tree Ringha is guaranteed to move you, and help you get to grips with an entirely different culture, in the comfort of five star surroundings. Web: www.banyantree.com
Tibetan hotpot
Tibetan Spa Suite bedroom
Sungtseling Monastery Tibetan Farmhouse accomodation at Banyan Tree Ringha
August14  TalkMagazine