Live Your Best Lives
The west gate of Dali Ancient City is opposite March Street. It faces Cangshan Mountain, so it is also called Cangshan Gate.
Attraction Location: South entrance of Cangshan Mountain Scenic Area, Dali City, Yunnan Province, China (中国云南省大理市苍山景区南门)
History: Cangshan (苍山) is a famous mountain range located west of Dali Ancient Town (大理古城). The Cangshan Gate (苍山门) serves as the main entrance to the scenic area, historically functioning as a pass to the mountain trails. The site has long been a starting point for visitors exploring the "19 Peaks and 18 Streams" (十九峰十八溪) of Cangshan.
Architecture: The gate is designed in traditional Bai ethnic (白族) architectural style with white walls, grey tiles, and decorative elements such as flower-pattern carvings and calligraphy. It symbolizes both a cultural and natural threshold.
Cultural Value: Cangshan is deeply embedded in Bai ethnic traditions, poetry, and local legends. Many ancient scholars and monks climbed through this gate to visit temples and observe landscapes, making it a cultural hub.
Other Information: Today, Cangshan Gate is also the access point for the Cangshan cableway (苍山索道) and popular hiking trails, making it one of the most frequented entry points for tourists.
Opening Hours: 08:30–18:00 daily
Ticket Price: Cangshan Scenic Area entrance: 40 RMB
Cangshan Cableway (Round trip): ~200 RMB
Cangshan + Dali Ancient Town combo tickets sometimes available
Best Photo Spots: In front of the Cangshan Gate with the mountain backdrop
On the cableway overlooking Erhai Lake (洱海)
Streams and waterfalls behind the gate trails
Time Reference: 2–3 hours for a short visit near the gate and lower mountain trails
Half to full day if taking the cableway or hiking deep into Cangshan.
The name of [Cangshan Gate] must have come from the existence of Cangshan Mountain. Not too far away, there is a lush and rolling mountain facing Cangshan Gate, so this ancient city gate is called Cangshan Gate.
Dali Cangshan Gate is the west gate of the ancient city. Opposite March Street, the west gate of the ancient city faces Cangshan Mountain, so it is also called Cangshan Gate.
One of the gates of Dali Ancient City, closer to the core scenic area.
The iconic building in the ancient city ~ nothing special.
One evening, I walked to the city gate and listened to the songs. Everyone stood around him comfortably, enjoying the collision of ancient history and humanistic feelings. The breeze on my face was very pleasant.
The west city tower of Dali Ancient City is called Yongzhen Tower, and the west city gate is also known as "Cangshan Gate". It is an ancient city tower with a full wooden structure restored to its original appearance. The tower is solemn and simple, with a harmonious combination of rigidity and flexibility, and covers a total area of 10,520 square meters.
From here you enter Cangshan Mountain and you can climb to the top to overlook Erhai Lake.
Close to the Cangshan Mountain, Dali has strong sunshine and warm weather during the day.
The gate closest to Cangshan Mountain is a commercial street.
Dali is a place suitable for a leisurely vacation. Don't rush. If you have enough time, it's best to walk around.
Ximen Village, Dali Town, Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
Cangshan Gate is the gate to the scenic area.
The surrounding scenery is pretty good
The West Gate of Dali Ancient City, across from March Street, faces Cangshan Mountain, earning it the nickname Cangshan Gate. Facing the towering Cangshan, one feels a surge of excitement, a sense of lofty ambition rivaling the heavens. Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, a romantic city. The city tower square is primarily planted with large trees, though not centuries old, but there are over 200 of them in the ancient city.
At the entrance of Dali Scenic Area, you need to take a tour bus to reach the ancient city. You can climb the city wall to overlook the ancient city.
Several major city gates, walking back and forth in Dali, are all a beautiful sight
How should I put it? The impression Dali Ancient Town left on me was particularly bad. Electric vehicles, motorcycles, and cars could all enter. It was a very chaotic feeling. Trash cans were also hard to find. The most important thing was the merchants selling things. Some of the vendors setting up stalls were simply the worst of the best. I don't understand what quality and understanding are.
One of the four major city gates of Dali, facing Cangshan Mountain, is very distinctive.
Check in. Nothing special and not busy.
Passing by on the way to Cangshan, there are local apples and pears for sale, highly recommended.
That's it, too ordinary. I don't want to spend too much time walking around. I just look at it and leave. It's a large antique street commodity market.
The gates of the ancient city are quite exquisite. Although this one is not the most famous
Buy a ticket to go in and take the cable car up the mountain. It feels pretty ordinary!
Ancient city tower, Chaozhou also has Guangji city tower gate~~~
A city gate close to Cangshan Mountain, very historical.
Dali Ancient City is located between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake. The west side is Cangshan Gate, outside of which are hotels, restaurants and entertainment. The east side is Erhai Gate, outside of which are stalls near the pier.
We usually enter the ancient city through Cangshan Gate, also known as the West City Gate, named after its proximity to Cangshan Mountain. This gate was damaged in an earthquake and rebuilt to its original appearance in the early 20th century.
The ancient city gate of Dali is worth a visit. Tourists can take a good look around the ancient city of Dali.
A beef hotpot restaurant near Cangshan Gate in Dali Ancient Town is highly recommended, called XX Fat Beef King. Many locals enjoy the hotpot with beer.
From the west gate of Dali Ancient City, you can walk to the west of March Street Racecourse and take the cable car directly to Zhonghe Temple on Zhonghe Peak. Then, along the Jade Belt Road that winds along the hillside of Cangshan Mountain, you can reach Taoxi, Zhongxi, Fengyan Cave, Seven Dragon Girl Pool, Qingbi Creek, Gantong Temple and other attractions.
The west gate of Dali Ancient City faces Cangshan Mountain, and it is recommended to climb the tower for sightseeing.
One of the four gates of Dali Ancient City, opposite is March Street
Cangshan Gate, right in front of the city gate is Cangshan Mountain
A night tour of Dali Ancient Town on a rainy day has a unique charm
Actually, I was in a bad mood when I went there. I felt that the worst thing in my life was about to happen, so I didn't have much fun. I just looked at the city gate and didn't go in to stroll around. It was crowded and I was stuck at the gate of Dali Ancient City for a long time. I must go there again and slowly appreciate the scenery of Dali.
The city wall doesn't have any special features, but there is a shuttle bus to Dali Shuanglang Ancient Town.
The west gate of Dali Ancient City is opposite March Street. It faces Cangshan Mountain, so it is also called Cangshan Gate.
The Cangshan Gate has a better feel at night, but the journey is more interesting if you travel with friends.
Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, wind, flowers, snow and moon, everyone should come to Dali once in their life, once you come to Dali, you will love it forever
Cangshan Gate is a small passenger transport center, with departure points for many scenic spots, including Chongsheng Temple and Cangshan Mountain. Dali Ancient Town is actually not very large. Walk about 500 meters south from Cangshan Gate to reach Yu'er Road. I remember that if you went to Dali University to see the winter cherry blossoms, you also exited from this gate, but it was a little further away.
The scenery is nice. I mainly walked on the city wall and saw a lot of pig signatures. Haha, I was also wondering which era these marks belonged to.
The scenery is OK, the air is very good, and the sky is very blue
The closest gate to Cangshan Mountain in Dali Ancient City, with convenient transportation
Close to the side of Cangshan Mountain, there is a mosque nearby and there is a bus outside.
The group we signed up for waited for two girls in front of this gate for a long time. I can only say that the scenery is all in other people’s photos.
I think it's just a city gate, no different. But because it's well preserved, you can go and check it out.
Corresponding to the Erhai Gate, the Cangshan Gate in the south feels ordinary and nothing special.
Cangshan Gate is also the west gate of Dali Ancient City. Outside Cangshan Gate is the provincial road, from which you can go to Tianlongbabu Film and Television City and Cangshan.
It's a decent attraction, but I still prefer Erhai Lake.
The quaint old town is a dream place...
Cangshan Gate is also the west gate of Dali Ancient City. Outside Cangshan Gate is the provincial road, from which you can go to Tianlongbabu Film and Television City and Cangshan.
Very beautiful and fun. The weather is very comfortable. Worth going
The second time I came to Dali, the feeling was different. It was more commercialized.
It's a building with national characteristics, just a visit.
When we went there, there was not much snow on Cangshan Mountain, but we could see snow on the top of Cangshan Mountain from a distance at Cangshan Gate.
It's just a stone gate, a bit of ancient history, boring
Whether you can see this view depends entirely on luck. Only in good weather can you take the cable car to the summit and climb to Ximatan. It rained on our first day in Dali, so the cable car service was immediately closed. Unexpectedly, the weather cleared up the next day, and we hiked the Jade Belt Road to the summit in the afternoon. After climbing Cangshan Mountain, we experienced the scenery of the four seasons and saw Erhai Lake and the ancient city below. The scenery is truly magnificent.
It is the way to Cangshan Mountain. We did not go to Cangshan Mountain because we did not have enough time, so we cannot comment on it.
The one worth visiting is actually the March Street opposite. On market days, you can see a lot of local food and the Bai people going to the market.
The ancient city of Dali is a scene not to be missed, with its green ancient city walls, fresh air and local ethnic characteristics.
Standing below and looking at the majestic Cangshan Mountain is even better.
Cangshan Gate is the west gate of Dali Ancient City. It is close to Cangshan Mountain and Three Pagodas Park. When entering from the outside, there is a plaque on the building written by Emperor Kangxi (?)
After all, this is my first time seeing the gate of the ancient city wall, and it feels very unique.
There are a lot of people from travel agencies soliciting customers outside, which is a bit annoying.
I walked around Dali Ancient Town and found it. There was a map, so it was easy to find. There were many people taking photos in front of the door.
The Cangshan Gate in Dali looks very majestic from a distance and is well maintained. With Cangshan Mountain behind it and Erhai Lake in front, it is an essential photo spot when visiting the ancient city of Dali. Because it is just across the street from the inn where we stayed, we passed through here in the morning and evening when entering and leaving the ancient city.
The west gate of Dali Ancient City is opposite March Street. It faces Cangshan Mountain, so it is also called Cangshan Gate.
I pass by this place every day because I live nearby and walk through this door every day.
It is majestic, beautiful and magnificent. It is a representative architectural work of the Bai people.
I only stayed there for three days, so I didn’t get close to Cangshan Mountain. I just communicated with it from afar. It was pretty good. I will go to see it next time!
Go up along Foreigner Street and you will reach Cangshan Gate.
A great place to take pictures. Almost everyone who comes to Dali will take a picture here. After the Chinese New Year, the cherry blossoms in Dali are in full bloom. The whole ancient city is full of pink, which adds to the ancient charm.
It looked good from a distance but I didn't go in to see it.
Very good, worth a visit, I'll come again if I have the chance!
Dali Cangshan Gate is the main gate of Dali Ancient City and also the symbol of Dali Ancient City.
Cangshan Gate, the western gate of Dali Ancient City, boasts a majestic, ancient tower that evokes the millennia-old Nanzhao style. The grayish-gray brick walls are stained with age, and passing beneath the gate feels like stepping back into the days of the Tea-Horse Road. From the tower, the Nineteen Peaks of Cangshan Mountain loom in the mist, and the gentle tinkle of bronze bells on the eaves creates a striking contrast to the bustling streets of the Foreign Market below. Visit early in the morning to savor the tranquility of the gate and Cangshan Mountain, or in the evening to capture the glow of sunset as the bricks of the city walls glow crimson. This free entrance offers a perfect opportunity to experience the essence of Dali.