Jade Peak Monastery

Yunnan


This small peaceful monastery at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was established in 1756. Once home to Kublai Khan during his military travels through Yunnan, the monastery (now much reduced in size) is nowadays most famous for the Camellia Tree of 10,000 Blossoms (Wànduǒ Shānchá). Ten thousand might be something of an exaggeration, but locals claim that the tree produces at least 4000 blossoms between February and April.

Jade Peak Monastery is on a hillside above Baisha, about 6km by road. Bus 6 continues past here from Baisha, or else a taxi costs ¥10 to ¥15 each way.