There are multiple routes to enter Yangliucun Meadow. We set out from Weishan and navigated to Yangliucun Meadow, taking a mountain road on the north side. Before reaching the meadow, we passed a management station where staff collected a meadow management fee of 8 yuan per person (half price for children) from each visitor entering the meadow. To protect the ecological environment of the meadow, protective fences have been installed around the vast meadow to prevent visitors from driving cars onto the grass, which would cause irreversible damage. At the same time, because visitors are allowed to camp and barbecue in the meadow, the management staff hand out garbage bags to each visitor, reminding them to bag their trash and dispose of it at the garbage station at the entrance. When we were camping at a high point, an elderly staff member came over and asked if we needed garbage bags. (No matter where we go, we always bring extra garbage bags; for us, the scenery in the mountains is never a disposable commodity.)
We have been to Qingyun Meadow in Weishan, where the scenery is also very nice, and cars can drive up. However, there is no management station or staff there, and no management fee is charged. As a result, we witnessed a heartbreaking scene: two strong men ignored the existing road and drove their car onto the fragile grass, leaving obvious tire tracks as two scars that will remain there forever. As for garbage, various plastic bottles and packaging bags were scattered everywhere on the meadow, and there were multiple traces of fire on the grass near the stone forest. A reader commented that he had seen two families camping on the grass who left behind a vast amount of white garbage when they left…
Entering Yangliucun Meadow from the management station, you can quickly see breathtaking scenery. However, there are many photography studios taking wedding photos nearby, and several shepherds graze their flocks on the grass. If unsuspecting visitors wander into the photographers' shots, the shepherds will come forward to stop them. On our way back, we witnessed an argument between a shepherd and a visitor. Additionally, if you find the sheep cute and want to take a photo up close, ask the owner about the price first, otherwise it may lead to unpleasant disputes. Therefore, it is not recommended to linger too long here. You can continue along the small stone road marked to Wulongba Village and stop at the place marked Yangliucun Meadow on the map. The meadow here is not only open and gentle, accommodating many visitors, but the windmills on the windmill mountain rotate leisurely in the summer, exuding romance. There are also sheep passing by, and the poetic scene of wind blowing grass low to reveal cattle and sheep is free to enjoy.
Entering the meadow, the gently undulating mountains and the vast, breezy sky deeply captivated everyone's eyes, but I was more inclined to focus on the colorful wildflowers hidden in the green grass: silver plum blossom, golden plum blossom, wild strawberry, Muyang hibiscus, fleabane, lousewort, wolf poison flower, alpine aster, Yunnan alpine bean… and many other wildflowers whose names I couldn't recognize, scattered in every corner of the meadow, happily twinkling on the vast land like a galaxy.
Groups of visitors chose their campsites, set up tents and canopies, and freely roamed on the cool summer meadow with a gentle breeze, staying for the whole day. We took a big circle around the meadow and finally chose a hilltop with a wide view to set up camp, away from the crowd. In the afternoon, we cooked a pot of hot soup, feasted on the beautiful scenery as our main course, and took a nap in the shade under the canopy. There was nothing more pleasant than this. On the best alpine meadow for camping in Dali, children were as free as the mountain wind, carefree.
The children walked together towards the distant ridge, chasing and playing, frolicking and jumping. They walked along that soft curve, with windmills whirring beside them and clouds tumbling and falling behind them, as if they could jump into the thick clouds on the other side of the curve and fly into the blue sky if they ran with all their might.
As the sun set, a large flock of sheep and a gray-white goat appeared on the distant grass. They happily ran over, followed the flock, and walked all over the wonderful meadow again. Who could resist turning into a fish and swimming into this green meadow, especially the playful children?
Perhaps the shepherd had cast a spell, as the sheep docilely curled up on the grass, undisturbed by the comings and goings of people. The soft light of the setting sun fell on the sheep's backs, like a warm, gentle hand, patting the flock with a silent lullaby, waiting for the cold, dark night to come.
