As a small city in Yunnan's very west, Tengchong is known best for its hot springs, the volcanic and geothermal surroundings as well as close Heshun Ancient Town. But one more thing should not be missed on a visit close to the Myanmar border: the local jade art, unique and excellent in its kind! This has given Tengchong the name Jade Town.
In Tengchong, jade is not just a product or commodity, it's a part of the people's and city's culture. The history of using and dealing with it dates back thousands of years. Due to its favorable geographic position, Tengchong always was an important location along the Southern Silk Road (the Burma Road), connecting China with today's Myanmar and India as well as the Tea Horse Road, leading north to Tibet. Over the years, Tengchong became the largest jade trading and business center and in the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) the most important jade hub of China. Till today, Tengchong is still famous for the natural product jade.
People say that a good piece of jade has a magical nature and it becomes more and more beautiful over time. It was believed that jade is a gift from heaven and thus priceless. A saying goes: Gold can be priced but Jade not!
Another reason for Tengchong being the picturesque Jade Town is, that the whole town is green like jade. Furthermore, Tengchong is located just west of the densly forested Gaoligong Mountain Range.
Thought about experincing charming Tengchong with its amazing environment and long history and culture? Visit it during your Yunnan and China tour. For any support and customized tours, please don't hesitate concacting us!
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