Day 1 in Nujiang Grand Canyon: Zhiziluo & Laomudeng.

Nujiang has many beautiful place names. Starting from Lushui, the prefecture capital, National Highway 219 extends north and south along both banks of the Nujiang River. The highway is built on the mountain, with almost no flat land. Towns are built on the dam along the river, and villages are like gems embedded in the mountain. 120 km north of Lushui, you will enter Fugong County. The first night’s accommodation is in Laomudeng. The village of Laomudeng faces the Crown Peak of Gaoligong Mountain. In the Nu language, Laomudeng means “a place people like to visit.” There is a Christian church in the village, and on weekends, villagers come here to worship. Our Lisu driver is a Christian. Christianity has a deep connection with the Lisu people. Their language is similar to Latin letters written backwards, and it is said that a foreign missionary helped create it. Zhiziluo was once the prefecture capital of Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan and the county seat of the former Bijiang County. In 1974, the prefecture capital was moved to Liuku Town (Lushui). With the relocation of administrative functions and population, Zhiziluo changed from a prefecture capital to a village. The village has a small population, and time seems to have stopped here. The illustrations and slogans on the walls remind people of that special era. It takes 20 minutes to drive from Laomudeng to Zhiziluo, all on mountain roads. You can visit both places together.