The beauty of the exotic southern landscape of China is legendary, as is a journey to Zhongdian, the stunningly picturesque setting believed to be the inspiration of the mythical Yunnan Shangri-La described in James Hilton’s novel, the Lost Horizon. Many make the long journey in quest of the promise of paradise, and many leave disappointed because they did not expect to find touristy knickknacks and Western-style cafes in paradise, nor that the nearby Gansu Monastery was not to be anything like the lamasery of the novel. Paradise is not confined to a single place; it moves with us like a rainbow; paradise depends more on our perception than on the location itself, the writer of the article, Paradise Found in Shangri La, wrote. What a wonderful realization – armed with this kind of awareness and attitude, you are guaranteed not be disappointed traveling to Shangril La!
