A laughingthrush endemic to China, it lives in the understory of montane broadleaf, mixed, and conifer forests. Its back and flanks have black and buff scale-like markings.
It is 23–26 cm long, warm brown, with a conspicuous white eye spot. The upperparts except the crown and the flanks have black-and-buff scale-like markings; the wings and outer tail feathers have grey edges, and the white tail tip has a black bar before it.
It occurs among understory shrubs and bamboo in mid- to high-elevation forests and gives a repeated, clear three-syllable call.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.