The Stone Moon lies on the Gaoligong Mountains. It is a round stone cave formed by long period of erosion of rain and snow. When the sky is clear and bright, it looks like the bright moon high in the sky.
At the central part of Gaoli Gongshan Mountain, there is cloud-kissing peak. At the place of 3,360 meters, there is a marble corrosion hole. The hole is about 40-50 meter wide and 30 meters high. People view the distance, would find the hole just like a bright moon over the sky. Local people also call it Yabaha, which means Stone Moon. The precipice is very cliffy and the weather on the mountain top is very changeable, so nobody has ever climbed up to mountain top at present.
Mysterious Lengends
The “Moon Stone” has been the source of many beautiful legends. On the pinnacle of the Gaoligong Mountain which stands 3, 300 metres alove sea level, is a huge hole with a diameter of about 100 metres. Viewed at a distance, the dark green peak seems shrouded in mist but the Moon Stone resembles a bright moon.
From Liuku to fugong Courty, the 135-kilometre road switches from the left bank across a bridge to come to the right bank of the river where the Lawuya Waterfall is found. Known for its gentle grace the water washes down from the towering mountain to the river, resembling a huge piece of silk hanging down. Lisu folk often come here to wash clothes or take a bath. In this section of the valley, there are numerous magnificent mountain passes, bizzare rocks, waterfalls, and rapids and shoals.
Fugong is an area with a large numer of Lisu people living in small compact communities. According to history, by the 8th century, the Lisus were already settled along the Yalong River in Sichuan and the Jinsha River that borders Yunnan and Sichuan provinces. After the 16th century, they migrated to the Lancang and Nujiang valleys in the northwest of Yunnan.
Legend says that the estuary of a huge pool below the cliffs at the foot of the east Gaoligong Mountain was guarded by a pair of little green sparrows. When local people gave parties, year after year, these green sparrows magically provided all the bowls, chopsticks, tables and chairs needed. Then a man failed to return the borrowed articles to the birds and enraged the Dragon King, who ordered that the pool be filled up. The birds turned into girls who bathed in the hot spring near the pool and departed. Consequently, early spring every year, local residents camp near the spring to offer sacrifices to the Dragon King and the magic sparrows, and bathe.
How to get there:
Traffic: Start from Fugong County by car, after ten kilometers drive, you will arrive at Lisha Di Town. Then you can climb Gaoli Gongshan Mountain by a small mountain road.
Travel Tips:
Start from Fugong County by car along the road in north direction. Get off at Lisha Di Town and climb up the mountain along a mountain road. Arrive at a small village, Mi’e Luo after a day’s journey. At the next morning, climb the Stone Moon. You will enjoy the wonderful sight of Nujiang River Grand Canyon while you astonished by the beautiful view of the Stone Moon.