Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the 1933 novel Lost Horizon by British author James Hilton. In the book, "Shangri-La" is a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains. Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise but particularly a mythical Himalayan utopia—a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. In the novel Lost Horizon, the people who live at Shangri-La are almost immortal, living years beyond the normal lifespan. The novel also described in great detail the stunning scenery in the area: the azure sky, the breathtaking beauty and the hospitality of unsophisticated people.In Tibetan, Shangri-La means a place of good fortune and luck. The word also evokes the imagery of exoticism of the Orient. The story of Shangri-La is based on the concept of Shambhala, a mystical city in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition.

The area in the Buddhist Himalaya between southwestern Sichuan and northern Yunnan have claimed to be the basis for Hilton's legend, especially Yading in Sichuan and Zhongdian in Yunnan.

Yading, discovered by Joseph Rock in 1928, is renowned for the 3 holy peaks, which were blessed in the 8th century by Buddha Padmasambhava of projecting his divine light onto the range and naming the 3 elevations after 3 bodhisattvas.

The south peak Jambeyang (or Jampelyang, Yangmaiyong) of 5,958m is the avatar of Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom. The east peak Chanadorje (or Xianuoduoji) of the same height represents Vajrapani , the Bodhisattva of Wrath. The north peak, Chenresig (or Chenrezig, Xiannairi  ) of 6,032m, the highest of the trio, symbolizes Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. The 3 peaks are the patron saint of the Tibetan. It is said that if a Tibetan pilgrimage to the shrine 3 times in life, he can be blessed with all he desires. Therefore, pilgrimage to this holy range is a long-cherished wish of each Tibetan.

Yading is one of China's most awe-inspiring nature reserves, Tibetan's holy land. Every stunning vista here is celebrated with a gompa, prayer flags or Mani Stones. On this adventurous trip you will take in relatively remote areas of Tibetan culture - small towns reminiscent of the wild west, rolling landscapes characterized by wheat and barley fields and Tibetan houses.

Located in the midst of Three Paralell Rivers, Zhongdian is a sacred scenic region blessed with majestic mountains.

The area in the Buddhist Himalaya between southwestern Sichuan and northern Yunnan have claimed to be the basis for Hilton's legend, especially Yading in Sichuan and Zhongdian in Yunnan.

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