Mt. Cangshan

Mt. Cangshan, also known as Diancangshan, is the main peak of the southern Yunling Mountains which is also a section of Hengduan Mountain. Owing to the jade-green appearance, Cangshan got the name (In Chinese, Cang means jade-green). Made up of 19 peaks, it is more like a green screen standing at the west bank of Lake Erhai.

19 peaks of Mt. Cangshan

Composed of 19 peaks, Mt. Cangshan is magnificent for the elevation of each peak is beyond 3,500 meters, among which Malong Peak, 4,122 meters above the sea level, is the highest peak and is covered by snow all the year round. Zhonghe Peak, the third highest peak of the Mt. Cangshan with an elevation of 4,092 meters is the location of the Cangshan Television Broadcasting Station.

18 creeks of Mt. Cangshan

Between the peaks are streams rushing down westward, forming splashing waterfalls and overlapping springs, and finally emptying into Lake Erhai. They are the famous 18 creeks: Xiayi, Wanhua, Yang, Mangyong, Jing, Lingquan, Baishi, Shuangynan, Yinxian, Mei, Tao, Zhong, Luyu, Long, Qingbi, Mocan, Tingming and Yuangnan Creeks.

What to see

Snowcapped Cangshan Mountain

Rated as the top of the Four Wonderful Scenes (wind, flowers, snow and moon) in Dali, the perpetual snow on Mt.Cangshan will feast visitor’s eyes. The snow is so dazzling when the sun rises, especially in March. On a moonlight night, the snow reflecting off the mountain makes one feel that they are in a crystal world.

Changeable clouds

The clouds on the Mt. Cangshan are changing all the time, among which the most popular are “Jade Belt Clouds” and “Husband-Expecting Cloud”.

Jade Belt Clouds

The cloud usually turns up after rainy days in the late summer, resembling a beauty holding a jade belt, elegant and charming. It is said to be the sign of good harvest for the Bai People.

Husband-Expecting Cloud

Frequently turning up over the Yuju Peak, it is a sign of later terrifying waves in the Lake Erhai which claims to the fishermen not go fishing on the sea. Legend has it that the daughter of Nanzhao Emperor fell in love with the local hunter which make the king unsatisfied. However, the princess fled to the top of Yuju Peak and married to the hunter. Unluckily, the prince became weak because of the severe cold environment. The hunter headed for the Luoquan Temple in the east of Lake Erhai to steal a cassock which is priceless for its unique function which is warm in winter and cold in summer. Miserably, He was caught by the master of the temple and was punished to become a stone snail in the Lake Erhai. The princess still kept waiting for her husband day after day, finally, she was sad to death and became the cloud beyond the Lake Erhai in order to see her husband. That's why the name is called Husband-Expecting Cloud.