Shangri-La Ancient Town, also been called Dukezong in Tibetan which is an ancient town in northwest of Yunnan, China. Dukezong's authentic Tibetan dwellings, gilded prayer halls and pagodas, and lanterns of various shapes lighting the way along narrow, winding lanes are permeated with the grace as well as the mystique of antiquity that enchants visitors the moment they set foot in it. Dukezong was a key stop on the Ancient Tea-horse Road and a focal point for Han-Tibetan exchanges. It is the largest and best-preserved Tibetan city among China's 147 Tibetan counties. It is also site of the largest ancient Tibetan community. There was human life in Shangri-La at the Paleolithic Age, and a tribal society inhabited it during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1100-771 BC). It was in the 7th century that the Tubo Regime conquered Deqin, and then built Dukezong.
The old style jewelry, painted scrolls, cottage industry-produced earthenware, incense and religious ornaments can be found at the town. As its fame has reached far beyond China's borders, this ancient town is also surprisingly cosmopolitan. People of different cultures staying in the Yunnan Tibet Post house communicate with ease, despite having no common language. The Hazelnut Bar is popular as a comfortable venue in which to observe and learn about Tibetan song and dance, and the Delhamo Bookstore is a good place to take a break during an afternoon stroll. In the depths of one lane American Amy is working hard on renovations to an old hut she has rented. William from Britain is busy organizing an exhibition of his photographic works. Carter S. Malik, wife of Khalid Malik, UN resident coordinator in China, also once enjoyed a sojourn in a leased house in Dukezong. Dukezong, this land of love, peace and sunshine, has always drawn throngs of migrants and travelers. Artists find it a source of inspiration, and those jaded from city life come here to get away from its purely material pursuits. Dukezong boasts the dual accomplishments of a perfectly preserved aboriginal culture in a town open to modernity and progress.