Stunning: These blossoming pink trees make a real splash on the mountainous landscape of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County in south-west China
When most of us think of China, we probably imagine heavy industry and fast-growing megacities bristling with forests of skyscrapers.
But as these photographs show, there is another side to the country, one which is rarely seen in the West.
China is full of picturesque countryside, covered in unique plants which look like something from another world.
These particular trees were pictured in Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, near the town of Dali in Yunnan province.
Yunnan, which is in the south-west of China bordering Burma, Laos and Vietnam, is one of the less industrial areas of the country.
It is a largely mountainous region - and the temperate climate means the hills are covered in lush greenery like that shown here.
However, the gorgeous landscape could be under threat from the province's rich mineral deposits.
The land is rich in substances such as zinc, lead, tin and rarer substances like thallium and crocidolite.
So the natural resources of the area are likely to be exploited to help fuel the country's fast-growing economy, risking its aesthetic glories.
置顶卡
变色卡
千斤顶
显身卡
