The Balcony of the Canyon: Witnessing the Imperial Crown Mountain and the Sacred Cross Above the Clouds at Laomudeng

The "Place People Like to Come To"

1.Perched halfway up the verdant slopes of the: Biluo Snow Mountain in Fugong County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, lies a village with a name that perfectly captures its allure: Laomudeng. In the local Nu language, "Laomudeng" translates to "a place people like to come to." It is widely revered by travelers and photographers as the "Balcony of the Nu River Grand Canyon." This scenic viewpoint is not just a single observation deck but an entire village experience that offers the most commanding panoramic views of the vertical canyon landscape. From here, visitors can gaze across the deep V-shaped valley to the imposing Gaoligong Mountain Range on the opposite bank, where the famous Crown Mountain (Huangguan Shan) rises majestically, shaped by nature into a perfect imperial crown.

The Iconic Church in the Clouds

2.The visual heart of the: Laomudeng viewpoint is the Laomudeng Church (Laomudeng Christ Church). Built by French missionaries in the early 20th century (and restored in the 1980s), this red-and-white structure is the largest Christian church in the Nujiang canyon. It sits on the edge of a cliff, framed by a reflecting pool that captures its inverted image against the backdrop of blue skies and jagged peaks. The church is not a relic but a living center of faith for the Nu, Lisu, Bai, and Yi villagers. On Sundays, the sound of four-part harmony hymns, sung a cappella by villagers in their native tongues, drifts over the canyon, creating a spiritual atmosphere that is as breathtaking as the physical scenery. The juxtaposition of the Western-style cross against the backdrop of the wild, primitive canyon is a defining image of the region's unique cultural fusion.

3.A Photographer's Dream: The Crown and the Cloud Sea

Laomudeng is a paradise for landscape photography. The view from the village square or the church grounds offers a direct line of sight to the Crown Mountain. In the early mornings, the canyon is often filled with a thick, rolling "Sea of Clouds" that obscures the rushing Nu River below, leaving only the mountain peaks floating like islands in a white ocean. As the sun rises over the Biluo peaks behind you, it illuminates the Crown Mountain in golden hues, creating a spectacle known as the "Sunshine on the Golden Mountain." The area is also famous for its tea plantations. Laomudeng Tea, grown in the mist-shrouded high-altitude fields, is a local specialty. Walking through the tea terraces provides a foreground of lush green that contrasts beautifully with the rugged gray cliffs and the red soil of the canyon.

Gateway to the "Memory City"

Just 5 kilometers up the winding mountain road from Laomudeng lies Zhiziluo, known as the "Memory City" or the "Abandoned City." Laomudeng serves as the perfect basecamp for exploring this time-capsule town, which was once the prefectural capital before being abandoned in the 1980s due to geological concerns. Visitors often stay in Laomudeng's guesthouses, enjoying the warm hospitality of the Nu people, their traditional "Oh-De-De" folk songs, and the local cuisine, before heading up to explore the nostalgic, Soviet-style architecture of Zhiziluo. Whether you are sipping local tea on a guesthouse terrace or staring into the abyss of the canyon, Laomudeng offers a perspective on the world that feels both elevated and deeply grounded in history.