If the altitude of Daocheng County doesn't leave you speechless, the magnificent mountains and meadows in the vicinity of this 4,000-meter-high plateau surely will. Holy snow-capped mountains, lakes and temples, once accessed only by the odd explorers, now attract a host of visitors seeking ``the last Shangri-la.''

Beauty has its price. Perched on the 4,000-meter-high plateau in western Sichuan Province, Daocheng County's brilliant vistas come at the price of a difficult journey at high altitudes, along rutted mountain roads and across endless wind-swept plains.

There are no airports or railways, just a winding road that's constantly under repair and more closely resembles a roller-coaster ride: The road passes through a 4,176-meter-long tunnel through Erlang Mountain and skirts several 4,000 to 5,000-meter-high snow-capped mountains. If the road is passable and the vehicle you are traveling in is in good working order, it is a bumpy two-day plus trip from Chengdu, the provincial capital, to Daocheng, which is near the Sichuan-Tibet border -- during which one invariably develops a throbbing headache from the altitude. But its remote location and the daunting journey to get there have kept the hordes away, allowing Daocheng to maintain its pristine beauty. Those who do undertake the trek are drawn to Daocheng's most famous attraction -- the Yading Nature Reserve Park. Eighty-three kilometers south of the county's central town, the reserve is anchored by Nianqing Konka Risumgongba as the ``three protective sacred mountains where the snow will never melt.'' The three peaks were blessed in the 8th century, when Buddha Padmasambhava shed his divine light on the range, and named the three elevations after three bodhisattvas. The 5,958-meter-high southern peak, Jambeyang (or Yangmaiyong in Mandarin), represents Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, while the eastern peak Chanadorje (Xiaruoduoji), of the same height, stands for Vajrapani, the Bodhisattva of Wrath. As the tallest of the soaring trio, the 6,032-meter-high north peak, Shenrezig (Xiannairi), represents Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and the patron-saint of Tibet. As leader of the U.S. National Geographic Society's Yunnan-Sichuan Expedition, Joseph F. Rock, the renowned American explorer and botanist, visited Yading in 1928. Awed by the sacred snowy peaks, he wrote and took photographs for an article entitled ``Konka Risumgongba, Holy Mountain of the Outlaws,'' published in National Geographic in July of 1931. ``The Shenrezig peak resembles a huge white throne, such as Living Buddhas use when meditating -- a worthy seat for a Tibetan deity!'' wrote Rock. ``In a cloudless sky before me rose the peerless pyramid of Jambeyang, the finest mountain my eyes ever beheld.'' Topped by a crown of snow and veiled by wispy clouds, three peaks tower magnificently over an 1,280-square-kilometer area, but are visible only on clear days. Buddhists believe that a pilgrimage around these mountains is the spiritual equivalent of saying the Mani scripture 100 million times. But the site also attracted bandits, who believed that their earthly crimes would be forgiven at such a sacred spot. ``We make a pilgrimage around the sacred peaks several times a year, and it's an arduous trip. We have to walk for more than 10 days and sleep in cowsheds,'' says Ci Zhen, a 26-year-old Tibetan horse-minder, who is accompanied on these pilgrimages by his wife, son and daughter. The best views of the three peaks are from the Luorong Pasture, and if energy permits, visitors can clamber up the peaks to behold two mirror-like sacred lakes, Wusehai (Five-Color Lake) and Niunaihai (Milk Lake). This otherworldly spectacle also comes at a price, of course: It's a six-hour climb, broken into two legs, and with camping on the open pasture. If that seems too high a price to pay, there is always Zhenzhuhai (Pearl Lake), an emerald-shaped sacred lake that's accessible without climbing. The park itself is a green carpet of forests and plains inhabited by wild animals, isolated Tibetan villages, sacred lakes and a small monastery called Chong Gu Temple. In late October, red, yellow and green trees form a dazzling autumn montage. Imposing snowy mountains, golden grassland, streams twinkling in the sunlight and the azure sky form a beautiful backdrop for the 800-year-old stone temple built in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). After heavy rains, a silken fog hangs over the temple, creating a dreamscape that leaves one speechless. A small, two-street Tibetan town, Daocheng is surrounded by wild countryside. The beautiful hills look like chocolate truffles, sprinkled with powdered sugar and red berries -- which are in fact thin snow and red trees. The area seems torn from the pages of a fairytale -- scarlet-colored meadows, infinite aspen forests, jewel-like pools and ivory Buddhist pagodas. Yaks, the ``plateau's black pearls,'' graze leisurely in the meadows where golden highland barley and purple wildflowers wave in the gentle breeze. The high-plateau county is home to an abundance of black sheep, pigs and birds. Located 4 kilometers from the town, the colorless, odorless Rubu Chaka Hot Spring is clean and drinkable, with a temperature of 68 degrees Centigrade. There are also hot spring spas, with pools for soaking. But perhaps the region's most interesting aspect are the inhabitants who still live off the land. About 96 percent of Daocheng's 30,000 residents are Tibetans, and thanks to their seclusion from the outside world, they are extremely hospitable to outsiders. Every passing jeep wins a smile, a wave and a greeting. With snow-capped mountains, prehistoric glaciers, steep gorges, luxuriant forests, crystal lakes and vast grasslands, both Yunnan Province's Zhongdian and Daocheng lay claim to the Shangri-la of legend. ``Shangri-la'' is a Tibetan word, meaning ``land of sacredness and peace,'' which came into common usage through James Hilton's description of a mysterious kingdom of the same name in his novel ``The Lost Horizon.'' Shangri-la has come to describe a ``heaven away from the turmoil of the mundane world'' -- a definition that only begins to capture the magnificence and splendor of Daocheng, known as ``the last Shangri-la.'' How to get there: a two-hour-and-20-minute flight to Chengdu from Shanghai, followed by a two-day bus trip from Chengdu to Daocheng, which departs from Xin Nan Men Bus Station (028-5446-979) at around 6:30 a.m. everyday, and finally a one-day bus journey from Daocheng to Ya Ding. Important: * Tourists with heart disease and hypertension are discouraged from making the journey as the altitude may worsen the condition. Colds are also to be avoided, as they can be dangerous there. * The best time to visit is in May, or from late September to mid-November. * Bring what you need -- you won't find much in Daocheng -- include film, warm clothes, cold and stomach medicine, and packaged food. Taking Hong Jin Tian, the Tibetan herb medicine, two days ahead of the trip may prevent an adverse reaction to the altitude.

(eastday.com October 25, 2002)