The Greater Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China 大 研, 白 沙, 與 束 河 – 大 麗 江
Lijiang City 麗江市, Yunnan Province 雲南省
Lijiang is a prefecture-city in Yunnan Province and includes the administrative seat of Gucheng District 古城區 or Old Town District and four counties namely, Yongsheng County 永勝縣, Huaping County 華坪縣, Ninglang Yi Autonomous County 寧蒗彝 族自治縣 and Yulong Naxi Autonomous County 玉龍納西族自治縣.
Greater Lijiang 大麗江
Greater Lijiang is a UNESCO-listed heritage site that includes Dayan Town 大研鎮 – alias Lijiang Old Town 麗江古鎮, Baisha Town 白沙鎮 and Shuhe Town 束河鎮.
Dayan Town was established around the time of Southern Song 南 宋 (1127 – 1279) and Yuan 元 (1271 – 1368) and has been accredited for preserving the architectural style of that era.
Based at the Old Town District in Lijiang 麗江
Rooms are plentiful, inside and outside the old town area and you are supposed to book in advance. I didn’t. I checked the rooms of a few hotels which were not ideal for me. By chance, I saw a banner from a hotel offering a reasonably good rate, including buffet breakfast too. It was in the best location next to the river walk to the Black Dragon Pool 黑龍潭. With no further thought, I settled at this hotel.
Black Dragon Pool 黑龍潭 in Dayan Town 大研鎮
Dayan Town 大研鎮 is commonly known as Lijiang Old Town 麗江古鎮.
The town is named Dayan 大研, which means 大硯, for it is surrounded by hills with water pooling like a big ink-slab 大硯. The town has an underground water table, though much depleted now due to dense city development, and the Black Dragon Pool has become an icon of Lijiang. Li Jiang literally means Beautiful River (System).
Greater Lijiang 大麗江 on a Day
I hopped on the local bus that took me to Baisha Town 白沙鎮, Yushui Village 玉水寨, Yufeng Si 玉峰寺, Shuhe Town 束河鎮 and finally back to where I started in the city of Lijiang. My bus trip costs CNY 1 each.
Ethnic groups such as Yi 彝族，Lisu 傈僳族, Pumi 普米族, Mosuo 摩梭族 and Naxi 納西族 have a long history in the Greater Lijiang.
Baisha Old Town 白沙古鎮
Baisha was the cultural and political capital of the Naxi 纳西 people and one of the Tea Horse Ancient Town 茶馬古鎮 on the Southern Silk Road 南絲綢之路.
Baisha is famous for keeping the Fresco Art from the Ming Dynasty 明朝 (1368 – 1644) and for founding the Naxi Hand-made Embroidery Institute 800 years ago.
Yushui Village 玉水寨 or Jade Water Village
Yushui village is an ethnic village that showcases the Naxi Culture 納西文化 and Dongba Religion 東巴教.
You know you have come to a tourist place when you see stalls selling treats on the path and someone offering horse-riding adventures. The village has dwelling, place of worship, cemetery, music hall, restaurant and landscape gardens for a leisurely outing.
Naxi Culture 納西文化 and Dongba Religion 東巴教
Lijiang 麗江 has been the stronghold of the Naxi in the last 1400 years.
Descending from Qiang 羌族, Naxi 纳西族 is one of the 56 ethnic groups in China and its language belongs to the branch of Tibetan-Burmese Language Group 藏缅语族. Nashi, Nakhi and Nahi are the alternative names for Naxi. The Dongba religion founded 900 years ago has been intrinsic to the Naxi culture.
Yufeng Si 玉峰寺 or Jade Peak Monastery and Ten-Thousand Camellia 萬朵山茶
Established in 1756, Yufeng Si is in Xuesong 雪嵩, at the base of Jade Dragon Snowy Mountain. 玉龍雪山
Tourists come for the 500 years old camellia tree, said to blossom with 20,000 flowers over a period of 100 days in a year. Nadu 納 督 is the monk who has spent his life diligently and lovingly caring for the tree.
Shuhe Old Town 束河古鎮
Shuhe was a staging post on the Tea Horse Ancient Road 茶馬古 道. All kinds of tourists come to the village-town.
Shuhe still has its old charm and tranquillity, but you have to look pass the shopfronts to appreciate the architecture and layout of the town.
Dayan Town 大研鎮 or Lijiang Old Town 麗江古鎮
At 2400 m above sea level, Dayan was first built during the period of Southern Song 南宋 (1127 – 1279) and named Dayan 大研, same as 大硯, for it is surrounded by hills with water pooling into it like a big ink-slab 大硯.
A catastrophic earthquake in 1996 had damaged many structures in Lijiang and parts of the old town were rebuilt in later years.
Greater Lijiang
大麗江 之 大研, 白沙, 與 束河
This slide show is created by
Siu Ping
Pic n’ Mix Travel®