Landslides are common in Yunnan, a far-flung and largely impoverished region of China where steep mountain ranges butt against the Himalayan plateau.
Monday’s disaster occurred in a rural area surrounded by towering peaks dusted with snow, state media footage showed.
There was no immediate official explanation for what may have caused the landslide.
Efforts to establish what happened are underway, Xinhua reported.
China has experienced a string of natural disasters in recent months, some following extreme weather events such as sudden, heavy downpours.
Rainstorms last September in the southern region of Guangxi triggered a mountain landslide that killed at least seven people, according to media reports.
In August, heavy rains sparked a similar disaster near the northern city of Xi’an, killing more than 20 people.