Shangri-La
The Songzanlin Plateau
Portrait
Zhongdian was officially renamed Shangri-La in 2001 after Hilton's 1933 novel, a decision that was commercial and worked; the Songzanlin monastery above it, founded in 1679 and modelled on the Potala, houses several hundred monks and justifies the visit regardless. The old town burned in 2014 and has been rebuilt, which visitors should know before judging its authenticity.
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