When Wang Ning, Secretary of the CPC Yunnan Provincial Committee, extended a heartfelt invitation to the world to “Live and Travel in Yunnan,” the poetic charm and vibrant life of this land were no longer just a distant dream but a way of life within reach. As an indispensable part of Yunnan's cultural and tourism landscape, Dongchuan, with its magnificent natural scenery, rich cultural heritage, and diverse cuisine, calls out to every wind-chaser: Why wait for the wind when you can chase it?

Chasing Nature's Wind: Mystical Red Lands and Mountain Lakes

Dongchuan Red Land - Palette of the Earth

Due to its high iron oxide and aluminum content, Dongchuan Red Land glows with a striking crimson hue. The terraced farming creates a vibrant mosaic of colors, earning it the nickname “God’s overturned palette." On this miraculous land, the uncanny artistry meets the wisdom and toil of generations of local people. Using plows as pens and sweat as ink, they have crafted a colorful dreamscape — a living poem of harmony between humanity and nature. It is both a paradise for photography enthusiasts and a poetic retreat for city dwellers to escape the hustle and bustle and embrace the nature world.

Yaojingtang - The Alpine Pearl

Yaojingtang is a glacial moraine lake nestled deep in the mountains of Dongchuan. Set against the backdrop of steep mountains, it resembles a green gem scattered there. In spring, everything comes back to life, and the meadow bursts with vitality. In summer, the lake water is crystal-clear, teeming with aquatic plants, and dotted with grazing cattle and sheep. When autumn arrives, the lush greens give way to golden meadows that stand in striking contrast against the blue sky. In winter, snow blankets the surrounding mountains and the lake freezes over, casting a serene and mysterious charm.

Chasing Cultural Winds: Red Memories and Yi Ethnic Customs

Shujie Red Army Ferry Crossing- Red Culture

As one of the three major ferry crossings used by the Red Army during the “Skillful Crossing of the Jinsha River” in the Long March, Shujie Red Army Ferry holds a profound historical memory. The nearby Long March Memorial Hall, with its vivid bronze statues and historical exhibits, vividly reproduces the fearless revolutionary spirit of the Red Army back then. This site has become a must-visit destination for Red-themed education and cultural exploration. Take a ferry across the Jinsha River, uncover the historical stories of the Red Army ferry, measure the gifts of nature with your footsteps, draw the strength to forge ahead, and inherit the Red legacy, ensuring that this enduring revolutionary flame continues to shine for generations to come.

Qiangu Yi Village in Sun Valley - Ethnic Customs

Qiangu Yi Village, nestled in Dongchuan's Sun Valley, has risen from what was once a barren hillside. With red-clay walls, stone-slab houses, small bridges over flowing streams, and wooden walkways along stone steps, it integrates farming traditions, Yi ethnic culture, and natural ecology. As a spiritual haven along tourism routes in Kunming and northeastern Yunnan, it is a place where you “can see the mountains and water, hear the local dialect, remember your hometown, and hold on to a sense of nostalgia.” It offers an “idyllic escape” for returning to nature's embrace. With white mist curling and cooking smoke rising, life unfolds beside the ever-burning fire pits inside the red-clay-walled and stone-roofed houses. Old earthenware pots for roasting tea, along with the boiling water in the copper kettles, brew rich and fragrant everyday stories. Here, no filters are needed—every scene is a poem, every moment a painting.

Chasing the Wind: Conquering Steep Roads and Extreme Sports

Guniu Mountain's 48 Hairpin Bends – The Most Thrilling and Beautiful Road in China

This is a road that blends thrill, excitement, and beauty. Known as a "devil's road," it features 48 sharp hairpin turns packed into just 5 kilometers, winding up the steep 70-degree slope of Guniu Mountain. It is hailed as “the most dangerous and scenic road in China.”At the summit, you are rewarded with a stunning contrast — the gentle romance of the sea of clouds, the vibrant bloom of mountain flowers, the ever-changing mountain vistas, and the awe-inspiring sight of a magnificent sunrise.

Mudslide Cross-Country Rally - Speed and Passion

Every May Day holiday, Dongchuan hosts the Mudslide Cross-Country Rally alongside a variety of exciting activities. By“using one race to fuel multiple festivals,” it ignites the upsurge of outdoor sports, giving adventure seekers the perfect opportunity to experience an adrenaline rush.

Chasing the Wind of Residence: Poetic Guesthouses

Far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, find a quiet mountain ridge. After enjoying the magnificent scenery, it's time to let your soul unwind. You can choose a homestay, fall asleep under the starry sky, wake up to the morning light, and leisurely enjoy a slow-paced life. Whether it's “Guniu Guiyuan” nestled in the embrace of Guniu Mountain, “Luoxiaju Homestay” on the red soil land, “Jiujiantang · Xiangjian Courtyard” overlooking the city from the sky-long plank road, or the vacation cottages by the Jinsha River where you can watch the water and listen to the wind, they can all enable sojourners to experience the slow life where “living is the scenery.”

Chasing the Wind of Cuisine: Special Dishes

Dongchuan's culinary culture is rich and diverse, and each dish is infused with a strong sense of local flavor. Whether it is the free-ranged ecological sheep raised on the mountains, the "Kaihua Yangyu"—potatoes that bloom like flower petals when steamed or boiled, turning out crispy, fragrant, and tender—or the noodles that stay chewy even after long cooking, remaining smooth and flavorful, every dish in Dongchuan leaves a lasting impression.

Come and chase the wind in Dongchuan! This is not only where nature and history meet; it is also the starting point of the soul and dreams. Feel life in the vibrant colors of the red land. Transcend yourself on the steep slopes of Guniu Mountain. Listen to stories whispered by the flowing Jinsha River. Dongchuan, with its warmest embrace, is waiting for you to write your own legend of chasing the wind!

Click here to view Chinese report

(Editors: Simon, Ines)