On the border between India and Tibet the rocks have been raised eight kilometres above sea level, creating the world's highest mountain range, the Himalayas.
But to the east, the rocks have buckled into a series of steep north-south ridges, cutting down through the heart of Yunnan, the parallel mountains of the Hengduan Shan.
These natural barriers serve to isolate Yunnan's plants and animals in each adjacent valley. While the huge temperature range between the snowy peaks and the warmer slopes below provides a vast array of conditions for life to thrive.
Through spring, the Hengduan slopes stage one of China's greatest natural spectacles.
The forests here are among the most diverse botanical areas in the world.
Over 18,000 plant species grow here, of which 3,000 are found nowhere else.