Ludian Town in Yulong County, Lijiang 

Ludian Township (鲁甸乡) is located in the northwestern part of Yulong Naxi Autonomous County (玉龙纳西族自治县), at the junction of Lijiang, Diqing, and Nujiang prefectures. It is situated in the heart of Laojun Mountain (老君山), a UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Three Parallel Rivers.” The township has a forest area of 46,000 hectares, with a forest coverage rate of 80%, and is home to the largest and most well – preserved virgin forest in Yunnan Province. Ludian Township is home to seven ethnic groups, including the Naxi, Pumi, Lisu, Yi, Han, Tibetan, and Bai.

Economic Development

Ludian Township is renowned as the “Hometown of Yunnan Medicinal Herbs” and is a famous base for the cultivation of traditional Chinese medicinal materials. In 2024, the area under cultivation for medicinal herbs reached 85,000 mu (亩), with an expected output value exceeding 750 million yuan. In recent years, with the support of funds from the Shanghai – Yunnan cooperation projects, Ludian Township has constructed a comprehensive market facility integrating the trading, distribution, storage, cold storage, and logistics of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, further perfecting the industrial chain of medicinal herbs. In addition, Ludian Township has actively developed “order – based planting” and cooperated with enterprises such as Yunnan Baiyao Group to promote standardized, scaled, and standardized cultivation of medicinal herbs.

Infrastructure and Social Undertakings

  • Education: Ludian Township has several primary schools and one middle school, which basically meet the educational needs of local students. In 2024, the Ludian Township Central School issued a recruitment announcement for primary school teachers (professional and technical positions).
  • Healthcare: The township has a health center equipped with basic medical devices and medical staff, capable of providing basic medical services.
  • Transportation: The transportation conditions of Ludian Township have been gradually improved, with the main roads within the township being paved. The transportation between the township government and the county seat of Yulong has become more convenient.

Tourism Resources

Ludian Township is rich in both natural and cultural landscapes. With its beautiful mountains and clear waters, the township is a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and photography lovers. In addition, Ludian Township has preserved many traditional Naxi villages and cultural relics, such as ancient Naxi residences and Dongba cultural sites, which hold high cultural value and potential for tourism development.

Latest Developments

  • Industrial Park Construction: On January 8, 2024, the inauguration ceremony of the Ludian “Digital and Intelligent Cloud Medicine” Industrial Park, a local medicinal material production warehouse, was held in Ludian Township, Yulong County, Lijiang City. The industrial park will provide comprehensive services from bidding and procurement to logistics, finance, and insurance for planting partners, ensuring stable income for growers and sustainable development.
  • “Two Centers” in Operation: In December 2024, the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Agricultural Products Distribution Center in Xinzhhu Village and the Special Agricultural Products Material Center of Ashizhu Agricultural Cooperative in Ludian Township were completed and put into operation. The two centers, with an investment of 2.1 million yuan from the central government’s financial funds for rural revitalization, have completed the project construction.
  • Development of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry: In 2024, the area under cultivation for traditional Chinese medicinal materials in Ludian Township reached 85,000 mu, with an expected output value exceeding 750 million yuan. Through cooperation with enterprises such as Yunnan Baiyao Group, Ludian Township has promoted the transformation and upgrading of the traditional Chinese medicine industry, gradually forming a relatively complete industrial chain from seedling propagation, standardized cultivation, primary processing at the place of origin to storage and logistics, and market sales.
Ludian Township is actively utilizing its unique natural and cultural resources to promote comprehensive development in the economy, society, and tourism, striving to achieve the goal of rural revitalization.