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| Utopia: A cow grazes in the hills outside Shangri-La in southwestern China. Ariel SJ Mieling |
Paradise found in Shangri-La
Paradise was easier to hold onto than she thought.
By Ariel SJ Mielingfrom the September 13, 2007 edition
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I never thought I'd find myself in paradise – but then I never thought I would be displeased by it either. When I got off the bus in a little town in the isolated mountains of southwestern China, I discovered myself in what bills itself as the paradise of James Hilton's 1933 novel "Lost Horizons." In 2001 the town adopted the name that rings of mystery and enchantment, Shangri-La. In less than 24 hours, I was ready to leave.
Although the town is in a remote valley, just as Hilton's Shangri-La was, the author didn't describe the stores of touristy knickknacks and the Western-style cafes I found.
Nor was the nearby Gansu Monastery anything like the lamasery of the novel. Even though it is the largest Tibetan monastery outside Tibet, it lacked the religious vibrancy I had become fond of in other parts of Asia. The monks loitered around looking bored or irritated, and the buildings pulsed with tourists.
Farther afield, I was unable to find the lake that, on the map, was as large as the town itself. Nonetheless, there was still a Lake Scenic Area where you could have your picture taken on a horse saddled in the Tibetan style.
Disappointed by all this, I was still persuaded to go to the town's weekly dance with my fiancé and a few others from our guesthouse. I prepared myself not to be impressed and gave little weight to our fellow guest's description of the dance as "a local thing."
Arriving at the square, we found the event in full swing. People danced, spinning in multiple circles along the square's edge. Everyone knew the steps to each song. Although I saw some obvious tourists in Gor-Tex jackets with new digital cameras around their necks, most of the crowd seemed to be local. Old men danced with gusto, embellishing moves they'd practiced for years. There were shopgirls and teenagers and even the occasional toddler, following Mom with awkward steps.
I searched for the source of the music and found a loudspeaker installed in one corner of the square. It seemed public and official enough to have been installed by the government. I wondered if the speaker was for the community's enjoyment or to create another event to attract tourists. But with the music and the movement, I couldn't remain cynical for long.
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