Sights in Lijiang

Dayan Ancient Town, often referred to as Lijiang Old Town, was built in the late Southern Song Dynasty and boasts a history of approximately 800 years. Unenclosed by walls, the ancient town welcomes every visitor with an open and inclusive attitude.

As you pass through Wangu Tower and wander through the city's winding alleys, you'll find restaurants, shops, bars, and inns lining the streets. The diverse and unique architectural styles create a unique urban landscape. Sifang Street, the heart of the ancient city, is where Naxi elders, dressed in traditional Naxi attire (a unique Naxi attire), gather every morning to perform ancient Naxi dances, attracting numerous visitors. The historic Mu Mansion, a historical monument, documents the lives of Lijiang's aristocracy. The flowing water and the green-tiled, white-walled buildings of the ancient city add a touch of elegance and grace to the area.

Located in the heart of Lijiang Old Town, Lion Mountain, named for its resemblance to a sleeping lion, is nestled at its foot. The park boasts a replica of an antique gatehouse, and a thirty-step staircase leads directly to the summit. Flanked by lifelike stone lions, the gate offers breathtaking views of the Chongcui Pavilion and Tianchi Lake. The Wangu Tower, perched atop the mountain, is a landmark of Lijiang. Its Dongba script translates it as "Thousand-Year Tower," and its Naxi name, "Wengulun," signifies a commanding vantage point. From the summit, visitors can gaze out over Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the ancient city, the surrounding rural villages, and admire Wenbi Peak and Bijia Mountain for breathtaking views.

The Mu Mansion Compound is a Naxi palace-style building rebuilt on the original site of the Mu Mansion, imitating the Forbidden City. It is the "Forbidden City" of the Naxi people. It consists of wooden archways, stone archways, ceremonial gates, meeting halls, Wanjuan Tower, Dharma Protector Hall, Guangbi Tower, Yuyin Tower, Sanqing Hall, Mujia Courtyard and other buildings. The Mu Mansion Compound has an exquisite and elegant layout, with ancient trees and exotic flowers gathered in the garden. The building is magnificent and has the style of a royal palace.

Nestled amidst breathtaking scenery, Lugu Lake is home to the Mosuo people, a rare group of people who maintain a matriarchal clan system. Their unique "Asha" marriage system, natural and pristine folk customs, and breathtaking natural scenery imbue this ancient land with a mystical and captivating beauty, earning it the nickname "The Magical Kingdom of Women of the East."

Shuhe Ancient Town's layout is similar to Lijiang Old Town, but compared to Dayan Town, it's more tranquil. Built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the town's Dashiqiao and Dajue Palace remain well-preserved. The murals within Dajue Palace vividly depict Buddhist figures. Once a hub for Lijiang's leather goods industry, the town also boasts Longquan Temple, built during the Qing Dynasty and dedicated to Sun Bin, the founder of leather crafts.

The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, comprised of 12 snow-capped peaks, is the closest snow-capped mountain group to the equator and the core of the Grand Jade Dragon Scenic Area. Regarded as a sacred mountain by the Naxi people, its glaciers, canyons, waterfalls, and rhododendrons blooming at varying heights create the most breathtaking scenery of the snow-capped mountains. The mountain's main peak, "Shanzidou," stands at 5,596 meters, perpetually shrouded in mist, making it an unconquered virgin peak. The scenic area also includes attractions such as Yunshanping, Ganhaizi, Blue Moon Valley, and the Ice Tower Forest. Ganhaizi is a natural meadow pasture with winding streams and teeming with cattle and sheep. In spring and summer, lush grass and flowers create a stunning contrast with the snow-capped mountains, creating a picturesque scene. Every morning, the scenic area's Blue Moon Valley Square hosts a large-scale live performance of "Impression Lijiang." Blue Moon Valley, also known as Baishui River, offers breathtaking scenery, named for its crescent-shaped valley and azure waters.

The Dongba Valley, a rift valley torn apart during an ancient orogenic movement, stretches 9 kilometers long and boasts steep cliffs, caves, and ancient trees. It is also home to numerous rare birds, waterfalls, and unusual rocks, creating a beautiful natural environment. The name "Lumei Luo" in the Naxi language means "huge valley" in Chinese.

Yufeng Temple, built in the late Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, is one of Lijiang's renowned lamaseries. Though small, it is renowned throughout China for its unique camellia tree. The temple comprises three courtyards, with the renowned "Ten Thousand Camellias" planted in the north courtyard. Legend has it that this tea tree was planted during the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty (1465-1487 AD), with the temple built later than the tea tree itself. This "King of Camellias" boasts a history of over 500 years.

Yushuizhai, a sacred Dongba site in the central Naxi region, is the source of Lijiang Old Town's civilization. Nestled against the southern slopes of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and facing Lijiang Old Town, Yushuizhai was considered a prime feng shui site by the Naxi people, and rituals were often held there. The Shenlong Triple Waterfall, a spectacular series of waterfalls of varying heights, is a major attraction. The scenic area also features a Dongba cultural relic exhibition hall, traditional Naxi song and dance performances, a Dongba mural gallery, a Dongba ancestral temple, and a Baishaxi music exhibition.

The Lijiang Songcheng Tourist Area is divided into five themed zones: the Tea Horse Ancient Town, Nacuo Village, Lijiang Paradise, the Love Encounter Valley, and the Valley of Suicide. These attractions feature thrilling rides like a pendulum and free-fall, as well as live-action theater and interactive performances such as the "Shocking Flame" and "Mu Mansion Seeking a Husband." The Tea Horse Ancient Town, encompassing attractions such as the Lijiang Eternal Love Theater, the Sanduo Temple, the Caravan Square, the Dai Village, and the Lisu Village, offers a sense of time travel. Nacuo Village, with its Tibetan houses, white pagoda, and mani piles, evokes a sense of Shambhala. The Love Encounter Valley offers classic sights such as Lijiang, Nacuo Lake, snow-capped mountains and beaches, the Mosuo Village, and the Wa Village. The Love Encounter Valley encompasses the mysterious Golden Summit Tibetan Temple, Yue Lao Temple, the Observatory, Tibetan watchtowers, the Love Suicide Temple, and the Love Street. The scenic area also regularly organizes themed event seasons, such as the Tea Horse Road Ethnic Carnival.

Lijiang's Black Dragon Pool, also known as Jade Spring Park, is located about a kilometer upstream from Sifang Street in the ancient city, following the crisscrossing Jade River. Water gushes from rocky crevices, flowing from the mountain streams to form a 40,000-square-meter pond. Surrounding the park are picturesque mountains and clear waters, offering a backdrop of lush greenery and a backdrop of bright flowers. Dotted among the surrounding landscape are graceful ancient buildings nestled against the water's edge. Its vibrant charm and beauty often draw visitors in for a moment.

Guanyin Gorge is the entrance to Yulong Pass, one of the six major passes in Lijiang Basin. It is a comprehensive scenic spot that integrates natural landscapes such as mountains, lakes, canyons, waterfalls, and forests with cultural landscapes such as Naxi villages, ancient tea-horse streets, folk customs, religious temples, and historical sites. It is known as the number one scenic spot in Lijiang.

Historically, Baisha Village was the birthplace of the Mu clan, the chieftain family, and the earliest Naxi settlement in the Lijiang Basin. It was once the political, economic, and cultural center of Lijiang. Fifty-five Baisha murals, mostly created during the Ming and Qing dynasties, blend the fluid and vibrant style of Tibetan Buddhist painting. These masterpieces are now housed in the ancient town's Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Hall, Dading Pavilion, and Dajue Palace.

Xuesong, called "Wuluken" in the Naxi language, means "at the foot of the snow-capped mountains." This small village is also known as Yuhu Village because of the jade-like clear spring to its west. Xuesong Village was once the home of Joseph Locke, a National Geographic contributor, renowned photographer, and explorer. Locke entered Yunnan via Burma in 1922 and captured over a thousand photographs of its ethnic customs. He also translated numerous Dongba scriptures and authored "The Ancient Naxi Kingdom of Southwest China" and "Naxi-English Encyclopedia." Locke's former residence is now preserved as it was when he lived there, and an exhibition hall has been opened to help more people learn about him.

Shigu Town is not only a land of abundance and a riverside town steeped in legend, but was once a crucial battleground for military strategists. The Yangtze River abruptly bends here, flowing northeast, forming the famous "First Bend of the Yangtze River." Legend has it that Zhuge Liang's "Crossing the Lu River in May" took place here. Kublai Khan divided his troops into three groups and marched south to recapture Dali. The Second Red Army also crossed the river from here to march north. Shigu Town now boasts an observation deck, providing the perfect spot for viewing the "First Bend of the Yangtze River."

Baoshan Stone City, built during the Yuan Dynasty, is one of the earliest settlements of the Naxi people and still preserves some ancient Naxi traditions. April and May, when spring arrives and flowers bloom, are the most beautiful seasons in the city. Surrounded by cliffs on three sides, the city boasts a single main gate on the west, the only access point to the outside world. The imposing presence of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot break through" evokes the aura of "one man holding the pass, ten thousand cannot." The Sanduo Festival, held annually on the eighth and eighteenth day of the second lunar month, is the most distinctive festival here. Additionally, the annual Heavenly Sacrifice in the first and eighth months of the lunar year, as well as the Ancestor Worship in the sixth and seventh lunar months, are among the city's oldest and most solemn religious ceremonies and are truly worth seeing.

After a bend at Shigu Town, the Jinsha River remains wide and gentle. Encountering the Jade Dragon and Haba Snow Mountains before it, it doesn't retreat, but instead carves a narrow path northward, forming the renowned Tiger Leaping Gorge rapids. Spanning Lijiang and Shangri-La, Tiger Leaping Gorge consists of three sections: Upper, Middle, and Lower. It is a renowned hiking destination, attracting numerous hikers and trekkers annually. The best times to visit Tiger Leaping Gorge are in late spring and early summer (April to June) and autumn (September to October). Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge is the longest-visited section, boasting 28 steep bends and breathtaking scenery. Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge is even more treacherous, featuring a "Line of Sky" and "Sky Ladder" (likely a ladder), offering close-up views of the crashing Jinsha River. Lower Tiger Leaping Gorge is the most treacherous section, with a massive chasm extending one kilometer deep. Near the gorge's exit, it offers the best views of the gorge.

Lashi Lake, the largest plateau lake in Lijiang, is ablaze with mountain blossoms in spring and summer, with vast expanses of rapeseed, peach, and pear blossoms creating a breathtaking spectacle. In autumn, the sky is clear and the cosmos bloom in profusion, creating a breathtaking spectacle. In winter, flocks of rare migratory birds call the lake home. Birdwatching, boating, and horseback riding along the Ancient Tea Horse Road are popular activities here.

Wenhai, located at an altitude of 3,180 meters, is part of the Lashihai Plateau Wetland Nature Reserve in Lijiang. The waters within the scenic area are known as Wenhai Lake. Every spring and summer, Wenhai is a sea of ​​flowers. In late spring, over 20 varieties of azaleas bloom across the mountains, creating a breathtaking display of vibrant blossoms. In the past, this area was a key route along the Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Road, where horse caravans often stopped to graze their mules and horses. To the south of Wenhai Lake stands a stone pillar, said to be the reincarnation of the sacred staff of the Karmapa, the leader of Tibetan Buddhism.

Laojun Mountain, also known as the "Grandfather of Yunnan's Mountains," boasts a peak at 4,240 meters above sea level and forms a central part of the Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area. Its natural scenery is dominated by alpine meadows, lakes, and flower-filled streams. It is a natural forest and wildlife park, and a popular eco-adventure itinerary. Key attractions include the Ninety-Nine Dragon Ponds, the Jinsi Stone, Jinshan, and Jade Lake Scenic Area, the Yunnan Golden Monkey Nature Reserve, the Dawn Scenic Area, the Meile Danxia Landform Scenic Area, and the Xinzhu Botanical Garden. The peak season for eco-adventure tours of Laojun Mountain is around the Qingming Festival (April-May).

On the way to Jiujiu Longtan, you'll see nine magnificent boulders, each with its own unique shape and a mysterious aura. Locals call them the "Nine Sons Stones." Jiujiu Longtan gets its name from the numerous lakes and swamps within the area. The three intertwined pools within the scenic area also give it the nickname "Three Eyes Pond." In late spring and early summer, azaleas bloom across the mountains in a dazzling array of colors, while the winding waters of Jiujiu Longtan are as clear as a mirror. Strange peaks and rocks, emerald lakes and clear streams, the fragrance of flowers and birdsong, the refreshing air, the interplay of sky and water, create a fairyland-like scene.

In Liming Township, the wooden houses of the Lisu villages nestle amidst primeval forests, amidst vast expanses of fiery red sandstone, like jewels, a truly dazzling sight. The scenery here is even more breathtaking than its name suggests. The red sandstone forms a myriad of shapes, some resembling galloping horses, others monkeys, and still others dancing beauties. From here, you can take in the breathtaking scenery of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks. Except for the rainy season (July-August), visiting Liming is a must-see at any time. In Liming Township, there's no need to worry about accommodations; staying at a local farmhouse will save you money and allow you to learn about local customs.

Qiangui Mountain boasts the largest and highest Danxia landform area discovered in China to date. The rock formations within the scenic area are diverse and varied. Among them, the "Turtle Back" is composed of rocks weathered into giant scales. Its red, rounded shapes, punctuated by small bumps, resemble the back of a tortoise and are one of Qiangui Mountain's most unique sights.