Shangri-La

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/shangri-la

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the literary genesis?Introduced in James Hilton's 1933 novel 'Lost Horizon'
2. What is the fictional geographic context?Located in the western reaches of the Kunlun Mountains
3. What is Shangri-La in the book Lost Horizon?Shangri-La is a secret valley in the Kunlun Mountains where people live for a very long time and stay young.
4. Why do people in Shangri-La live so long?In the story, the people have almost no aging, so they can live for centuries and look young.

Mythical Sanctuary: A legendary place of safety and peace, often hidden and idealized.
Lamasery: A Tibetan Buddhist monastery, serving as a center for spiritual practice and learning.
Utopian Ideal: A concept of a perfect society characterized by harmony and well-being.
Beyul: Sacred, hidden valleys in Tibetan Buddhism, considered places of refuge and spiritual power.