Situated 15 miles southwest of Jianchuan County, Shibaoshan (Stone Treasure Hills) is a religious sanctuary and nature preserve that offers old-growth forests along with some of the finest forest temples in Yunnan Province.
While it’s close to the popular tourist stopover, Dali, Shibaoshan receives surprisingly few visitors. The result is pristine hiking country with virtually no crowds. The temples scattered throughout the site are exceptionally well preserved, and many boast superb frescoes that depict life in old Yunnan.
Baoxiang Temple is one of the most famous. It began as a Taoist site but was later subverted to Buddhism. Known as the ‘Suspended Temple’, Baoxiang is accessed by long flights of stairs and sky ladders. Another major temple, Shibaozhai, is the usual favorite. It is several centuries younger (but still 500 years old) and is capped by a magnificent, red pagoda.
Another highlight of the region is the many rock carvings dotting the hills. Among these, Lion Pass Rock Carvings are some of the finest. They were cut well over 1,000 years ago and were forgotten for centuries. Today, local officials are working out a plan to preserve them, and while visitors are welcome, flash photography is forbidden.
Getting There & Away
There are two main ways into Shibaoshan. Jianchuan is the nearest transport hub, with minibuses that visit the region and usually park in Shaxi. The option is to book a river cruise from Jianchuan (or even as far away as Dali) to see the countryside. From Jianchuan, buses head for Xiaguan Airport (recently opened), where 45-minute flights for Kunming regularly depart.