Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan Protected Areas was approved by the State Council in 1988 and was designated as the second batch of state-level scenic spots. Three Rivers refers to the Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nu River, which rushing in the mountains side by side and jointly breeding for thousands of years "river culture".

Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan Protected Areas implies the world's most abundant geological and geomorphologic museum. 40 million years ago, the collision between Indian subcontinent and Eurasian continental plate triggering a sharp squeeze, uplift, and cutting of the mountains, the mountains and the river alternately spread, forming the world's unique natural wonder-- three rivers parallel flowing 170 kilometers.

Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan Protected Areas is known as "the world's biological gene pool." As Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan Protected Areas were not covered by Quaternary glacial continental glaciers, combined with the region Mountains is located from north to south, so it is a main migration channel and shelter of Eurasia biological and it has become the richest region of Eurasia biomes.

When warmth spring coming, here is full of flowers. Therefore, Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan Protected Areas has named as "natural alpine garden" by botanical circles. Meanwhile, there are 16 ethnic enclaves in the region, it is the coexist regions of world's rare multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious beliefs and customs.

For a long time, Three Parallel Rivers in Yunnan Protected Areas has been a desirable place for scientist, explorers and tourists, and they give a high evaluation in scientific value, aesthetic significance and unique ethnic culture to this area.