![]() ![]() ![]() Some believe Hilton's Shangri-la was partially inspired by the writings of botanist, explorer, photographer and ethnographer Joseph Rock, who visited Tibetan areas of Yunnan and Sichuan in the 1920s. The book was one of the first popular paperback novels, captivating readers around the world with its blend of mystery, adventure, fantasy and exotic travel. Since then the city has undergone a rapid transformation into a popular tourist destination.Įnglish writer James Hilton's novel Lost Horizon first introduced the term 'Shangri-la' to the collective consciousness in 1933. In 2001 the mountain town of Zhongdian in northwestern Yunnan beat out several other cities and was allowed to officially rename itself Shangri-la. Naturally, the term 'Shangri-la' has become commodified and is being used to sell everything from hotel rooms to coffees and soaps – even a small city. The idea of a real Shangri-la existing in the mountain valleys of Asia has long captured the imagination of disillusioned individuals who come to the conclusion that modern life is rubbish. Shangri-la has long been a metaphor for a mountain utopia in which spiritual harmony and physical well-being are a way of life. ![]()
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