Shangri-La: Difference between revisions
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'''Shangri-La''' is a [[fictional place]] described in the [[novel]], ''[[Lost Horizon]],'' written by British writer [[James Hilton]] in [[1933]]. In it, "Shangri-La" is a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a [[lamasery]], enclosed in the western end of the [[Himalaya]]. Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise but particularly a mythical Himalayan '''[[utopia]]''' - a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. The word also eludes the imagery of [[exoticism]] of [[the Orient]]. The story of Shangri-La is based on the concept of [[Shambhala]], a mystical city in the [[Buddhist]] religion. |
'''Shangri-La''' is a [[fictional place]] described in the [[novel]], ''[[Lost Horizon]],'' written by British writer [[James Hilton]] in [[1933]]. In it, "Shangri-La" is a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a [[lamasery]], enclosed in the western end of the [[Himalaya]]. Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise but particularly a mythical Himalayan '''[[utopia]]''' - a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. The word also eludes the imagery of [[exoticism]] of [[the Orient]]. The story of Shangri-La is based on the concept of [[Shambhala]], a mystical city in the [[Buddhist]] religion. |
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Several possible places in the Buddhist Himalaya between north [[India]] and [[Tibet]] have been suggested as the actual basis for Hilton's legend. In [[China]], [[Tao Qian]] of the [[Jin Dynasty]] described a Shangri-La in his work ''[[Story of the Peach Blossom Valley]]'' ([[Chinese character|Chinese]]: [[:zh:桃花源 (文学)|桃花源記]], [[pinyin]]: Táohuā Yuán Jì). The legendary [[Kun Lun Mountains]] in [[Tibet]] offer other possible Shangri-La valleys. There are also a number of modern Shangri-La pseudo-legends that have developed since [[1933]] in the wake of the novel and the film made from it.The Nazis had an enthusiasm for Shangri-La,too, where they |
Several possible places in the Buddhist Himalaya between north [[India]] and [[Tibet]] have been suggested as the actual basis for Hilton's legend. In [[China]], [[Tao Qian]] of the [[Jin Dynasty]] described a Shangri-La in his work ''[[Story of the Peach Blossom Valley]]'' ([[Chinese character|Chinese]]: [[:zh:桃花源 (文学)|桃花源記]], [[pinyin]]: Táohuā Yuán Jì). The legendary [[Kun Lun Mountains]] in [[Tibet]] offer other possible Shangri-La valleys. There are also a number of modern Shangri-La pseudo-legends that have developed since [[1933]] in the wake of the novel and the film made from it.The Nazis had an enthusiasm for Shangri-La,too, where they hoped to find a masterrace in a remote area "unspoiled" by Buddhism. They sent 7 expeditions to Tibet, the most famous one led by Ernst Schäfer in 1938. |
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In the beginning of World War II against Japan, the United States flew most of its bombers from mainland China. In propaganda, they claimed that they started them from Shangri-La. Later, one of the aircraft carriers used in the Pacific ocean was named [[USS Shangri-La (CV-38)|USS ''Shangri-La'']]. Shangri-La was also the original name President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] chose for the new presidential retreat in the [[Catoctin Mountain Park]] in 1942, before it was renamed [[Camp David]] by President [[Dwight Eisenhower]] in 1953. [[Ojai, California]] is said to have been the setting for Shangri-La in the [[1937]] film ''[[Lost Horizon (1937)|Lost Horizon]]''. It is also said to have inspired Carl Barks when he wrote the Disney cartoon 'The Land of Trala La' published in 1954. |
In the beginning of World War II against Japan, the United States flew most of its bombers from mainland China. In propaganda, they claimed that they started them from Shangri-La. Later, one of the aircraft carriers used in the Pacific ocean was named [[USS Shangri-La (CV-38)|USS ''Shangri-La'']]. Shangri-La was also the original name President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] chose for the new presidential retreat in the [[Catoctin Mountain Park]] in 1942, before it was renamed [[Camp David]] by President [[Dwight Eisenhower]] in 1953. [[Ojai, California]] is said to have been the setting for Shangri-La in the [[1937]] film ''[[Lost Horizon (1937)|Lost Horizon]]''. It is also said to have inspired Carl Barks when he wrote the Disney cartoon 'The Land of Trala La' published in 1954. |
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Revision as of 01:53, 4 February 2006
Shangri-La is a fictional place described in the novel, Lost Horizon, written by British writer James Hilton in 1933. In it, "Shangri-La" is a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Himalaya. Shangri-La has become synonymous with any earthly paradise but particularly a mythical Himalayan utopia - a permanently happy land, isolated from the outside world. The word also eludes the imagery of exoticism of the Orient. The story of Shangri-La is based on the concept of Shambhala, a mystical city in the Buddhist religion.
Several possible places in the Buddhist Himalaya between north India and Tibet have been suggested as the actual basis for Hilton's legend. In China, Tao Qian of the Jin Dynasty described a Shangri-La in his work Story of the Peach Blossom Valley (Chinese: 桃花源記, pinyin: Táohuā Yuán Jì). The legendary Kun Lun Mountains in Tibet offer other possible Shangri-La valleys. There are also a number of modern Shangri-La pseudo-legends that have developed since 1933 in the wake of the novel and the film made from it.The Nazis had an enthusiasm for Shangri-La,too, where they hoped to find a masterrace in a remote area "unspoiled" by Buddhism. They sent 7 expeditions to Tibet, the most famous one led by Ernst Schäfer in 1938.
In the beginning of World War II against Japan, the United States flew most of its bombers from mainland China. In propaganda, they claimed that they started them from Shangri-La. Later, one of the aircraft carriers used in the Pacific ocean was named USS Shangri-La. Shangri-La was also the original name President Franklin D. Roosevelt chose for the new presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountain Park in 1942, before it was renamed Camp David by President Dwight Eisenhower in 1953. Ojai, California is said to have been the setting for Shangri-La in the 1937 film Lost Horizon. It is also said to have inspired Carl Barks when he wrote the Disney cartoon 'The Land of Trala La' published in 1954.
Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts is a hotel chain based in Hong Kong which has operation mostly in the Asia-Pacific region. Started in Singapore in 1971, the group recently began expanding into Europe and North America.
Today, various places claim the title, such as parts of southern Kham in northwestern Yunnan province, including the tourist destination of Lijiang. Places like Sichuan and Tibet also claim the real Shangri-la was in its territory. In 2001, Tibet Autonomous Region put forward a proposal that the three regions optimise all Shangri-la tourism resources and promote them as one. After failed attempts to establish a China Shangri-la Ecological Tourism Zone in 2002 and 2003, government representatives of Sichuan and Yunnan provinces and Tibet Autonomous Region signed a declaration of cooperation in 2004. Also in 2003, Zhongdian County in northwestern Yunnan officially renamed itself Shangri-La County.
Use as Metaphor and Figure of Speech
Shangri-la is often used in a similar context to which "Garden of Eden" might be used, to represent a perfect paradise that exists hidden from modern man. It can sometimes be used as an analogy for a life-long quest or something illusive that is much sought. For example a man who spends his life obsessively looking for a cure to a disease, such cure could be said to be that man's "Shangri-la". It also might be used to represent perfection that is sought by man in the form of love, happiness, or utopian ideals. It may be used in this context alongside other mythical and famous examples of somewhat similar metaphors such as The Holy Grail, El Dorado, The Fountain of Youth, and to an extent "white whale" (referring to the white whale chased by the obsessed Captain Ahab in the book "Moby Dick").