The Lancang Canyon is located in Deqen County, Yunnan Province, stretching from Foshan Township to Yanmen ToWnship. Over 100 kilometers to the south, and has the largest elevation difference in Yunnan. The river surface in the canyon is 2,006 meters above sea 1evel: on the left bank rises the Kawagebo Summit(6,740 meters) of the Meili Snow Mountain and on the right the Zhalaqueni Summit of 5,460 meters of the Baima Snow Mountain, giving a maximum elevation difference of 4,734 meters, within a slope distance of only 14 kilometers. When the Lancang River flows from Tibet into the Meili Canyon, it suddenly narrows,causing a violent rushing torrent. It is a key passage between Yunnan and Tibet. The Meili Canyon area. as one 0f China's largest and most important nature reserves, the main objects of its protection being such rare species as the Yunnan golden monkey. and natural scenery such as typical Hengduan Mountains mountain-forest vertical zone.