IT IS said that no one has ever conquered this dragon.

At an altitude of 5,596m, Shanzidou, the tallest of the 13 peaks of Lijiang's Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, is no Everest (8,848m).

STEP THIS WAY: Naxi women in their distinctive traditional garb performing a folk dance in the Old Town.

Yet, many guidebooks claim that no one has ever reached its summit, a fact much bandied about in tourist promotional literature about the Yunnan city.

The southern-most glacier in the Northern Hemisphere, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain stretches a length of 35km and a width of 20km.

According to The American Alpine Journal 2003, an American team did make an ascent in 1987 though it is not specified if it actually reached the summit. It is not known if there were any other successful climbs.

But whether the peak's alleged virginity is due to its treacherous icy surface or simply because of a lack of interest from climbers, there is no denying that these peaks are imbued with a sense of majesty and mystery.

In 1933, James Hilton wrote the novel Lost Horizon, which depicted a mystical land called Shangri-La, an earthly paradise of free love and long life sheltered by snowcapped mountains.

Though the novel was steeped in the exoticism of the Orient, Hilton had in fact never been to Asia, doing much of his research in the British Library.

The Old Town

It is believed that one of his inspirations was the writing of one Joseph Rock, an explorer for National Geographic who stayed for 17 years in a village outside Lijiang, in the shadow of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

While the mountain got its name because of its supposed resemblance to a reclining dragon, there is another legend passed down by the Naxi people, the dominant tribe in the region.

This mountain and the neighbouring Haba Snow Mountain in nearby Zhingdian (which, incidentally, renamed itself Shangri-La County in 2001) were twin brothers who fought an evil beast.

Haba died in the fight but Jade Dragon drove off the monster by wielding 13 swords. The two brothers then turned into the two mountains, the 13 swords becoming the latter's 13 peaks.

Despite the machismo of this legend, the Naxi society that flourished in its shadow is decidedly matriarchal. Women are the merchants and farmers while men play musical instruments and look after the children.

Accordingly, a man moves in with his wife's family after marriage. She is the head of her house and inheritance passes to the youngest daughter.

Even today, you are likely to see Naxi women out and about, distinctive in their characteristic costume - a blue blouse and white cape and apron.

Easy to get around

The oldest form of written language, the Naxis' dongba wen, can be found on signboards and posters in the Old Town.

AS CHINA has thrown open its doors to tourists, getting to Lijiang is relatively easy. Despite being a small city of about a million people, it has its own domestic airport from which at least eight Chinese carriers operate flights to and from major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

For 15 yuan (S$2.96), a shuttle will take you from the airport to the New Town where there are numerous hotels to suit every budget.

Those looking for culture-rich surroundings, however, should try one of the inns in the Old Town, which is a 10-yuan ride by taxi from the New Town. Try websites like asiarooms.com or sinohotel.com to find rooms to suit your pocket.

For adventurous types who hope to trek Tiger Leaping Gorge 21/2 hours outside Lijiang, it is also from the Old Town that you can catch a bus (15 yuan) to the start of the route at Qiaotou.

The city's beautiful scenery also makes it the perfect location for luxury resorts, including Banyan Tree Lijiang, located about 15 minutes away by taxi from the Old Town.

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is located 35km north of Lijiang. You can rent a car or van from a car dealership in the New Town for 150 yuan or take a taxi for about 160 yuan.

You also have to pay an entrance fee of 40 yuan, which is collected at a toll booth on the road from Lijiang.

At the mountain, you can catch a cable car for 110 yuan from Snow Flowers Mountain Village.

WHERE NAXIS RULE: The Old Town has small canals running past doorsteps.

Billed as the highest cable car ride in the world - it takes visitors up to 4,200m - its rapid ascent might cause altitude sickness for some.

Another option is to take a chairlift, which costs 50 yuan and takes you to a lower altitude where there are some meadows. Here you can hire ponies for rides.

Though the majesty of the mountains is more than awe-inspiring, those who enjoy the human touch can catch Impression Lijiang, a one-hour song-and-dance extravaganza staged at a specially built theatre 3,100m up the mountain.

Choreographed by renowned Chinese film-maker Zhang Yimou, the performance involves 500 local people from 10 ethnic groups and over 100 horses. The show is on every day, rain or shine, at 1.30pm, and tickets cost 190 yuan each.

But to truly get a taste of Naxi culture, head for the Old Town which was declared a Unesco World Heritage site in 1997.

Start at the north end, which has the useful landmark of two rather large waterwheels. This is near the tourism booth which sells maps of the town, including English versions.

But even without a map, the Old Town is easy to navigate, comprising cobblestone alleys and small canals which run right past doorsteps. It has a water supply system which still works, and it is not unusual to see local folk drawing water from the canals using wooden buckets.

As you walk past souvenir shops and cafes selling round baba (fried wheat bread) and yin jiu (Naxi wine), you will see hieroglyphic-like writing on signboards and posters.

This is dongba wen, the Naxi's own language which is the oldest form of written language still in use in the world.

About a 10-minute walk away from the Old Town is the Black Dragon Pool.

A picturesque lake dotted with graceful bridges and pavilions, it also provides a dazzling view of the snowcapped mountains.

Surrounded by such beauty, you can believe that you are truly in paradise - for a while.

ysteph@sph.com.sg

Photos: Stephanie Yap

5 things to do 1 Dress warmly when going up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as the temperature goes below 0 deg C. 2 Apply sunscreen. It might not feel hot but the high altitude means you're closer to the sun. 3 Carry cash as ATMs are hard to come by, especially in the Old Town. 4 Try yin jiu (Naxi wine) which is sold at most eateries in the Old Town. 5 Be prepared to speak Mandarin - this is China after all, and only hotel service staff are likely to speak English. 2 don'ts 1 Don't stay in the New Town which is bland. Opt for an inn in the Old Town. 2 Don't bother watching the song-and- dance performance Impression Lijiang (below) which is just a tourist trap.