Dehong Landscapes

In the western part of Baoshan Prefecture the Gaoligong Mountain Range runs north to south, unusual in a province where the main mountain ranges run northwest to southeast. In Dehong, however, the ranges run from northeast to southwest, as do the two major rivers the Dayingjiang and the Ruilijiang. The main highway from Tengchong runs southwest above and then along the Dayingjiang almost to the Myanmar border, then turns south and crosses the mountains to descend to the plain around Zhangfeng, the biggest town in Longchuan County.

From Zhangfeng the road south crosses another mountain range and then descends to the long narrow plain of Ruili. The hills are not very high and 22 km south of Zhangfeng a lateral road west stays high on the ridge to Mengxiu, an assimilated Jingpo village, rather modernised, but at its eastern outskirts it offers a splendid view of the plain around Ruili and the Myanmar town of Muse across the border. About one km from the Mengxiu turn-off, just past a Catholic church, a great view can be had of the Longchuan County plain.

Ruili is the westernmost county in Yunnan, with the county seat at its northeast quarter. The border with Myanmar runs roughly, only roughly, along the course of the Ruili River. Sometimes the river is wholly within China, sometimes its course runs through strictly Myanmar territory. The famed road continues past Ruili to Nongdao, where boats take passengers across to the Myanmar town of Nankang.

From Ruili the road goes northeast to Mangshi, sometimes called Luxi, the prefectural capital. The route follows river valleys for the most part, ascending slightly south of Santaishan, then winding down to the plain and on to Luxi. The well-made road connecting the major cities of Dehong makes travelling in the prefecture seemeasy. The mountain ranges are not too high in between, and usually thickly forested, and for those using public transportation the minibuses are frequent.

Beyond the highway, though, it's a different landscape, often quite hilly, with rougher roads, some still unpaved and slow-going in the monsoon months. The highest mountains in Dehong are in the north and west above Yingjiang, where the Hua Lisu live, and in the southeast below Luxi, where a .mall branch of the Yi called the Umi reside. They are not as imposing as the peaks of Gaoligongshan, rising only to 2500-2800 metres. But they are viewed from lower altitudes to begin with, so can be just as impressive. One of them, just beyond the Han mountain village of Sanjiaoyan, 35 km east of Zhefang, contains a huge karst cave called Sanxiandong (Three Fairies Cave). A walkway has been constructed through the small chambers, passing the usual weird stalactites, tall pillars, corrugated cavern was and anthropomorphic stalagmites common to Yunnan's subterranean scenery.