Bingzhongluo Valley

丙中洛

A rare open valley basin in the Nu River Gorge, home to Nu, Tibetan, Lisu and Derung peoples, where Buddhism, Catholicism and animist beliefs coexist. It is known as “a place where humans and gods dwell together.”

Bingzhongluo lies in the north of Gongshan Derung and Nu Autonomous County, in the upper reaches of the Nu River Gorge. It borders Chayu in Tibet to the north, the Gaoligong Mountains to the west and the Biluo Snow Mountains to the east. Surrounded by high peaks, it is a gently sloping valley basin encircled by the Nu River, at an elevation of about 1,400–1,700 metres with a mild climate. Nu, Tibetan, Lisu, Derung and other peoples live here. Puhua Monastery (a Tibetan Buddhist temple), Chongding Church (a Catholic church) and traditional nature worship all coexist, which is why the area is described as a place where humans and gods dwell together.

Suggested itinerary: stay 2–3 nights in the town and use it as a base. By day, visit the First Bend of the Nu River, Chongding Village, Wuli Village (hike along the Tea Horse Ancient Road, with villages clinging to the mountains above the river), and Qiunatong (a Nu village and Catholic church at the northern end of the gorge). In the evening, watch the sunset over the valley and snow peaks from the Bingzhongluo viewing platform. The town has guesthouses and restaurants, where you can try slate flatbread, lacquer oil chicken and Nu hand-grabbed rice.

Getting there: it takes about 6–7 hours north from Liuku along the Nujiang Scenic Highway, or about 1 hour from Gongshan county seat.

Note: landslides and road closures are common in the rainy season, so check road conditions before setting out. Temperature differences between morning and evening can be large.

Bingzhongluo Valley

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby