Shaxi Ancient Town

Some say Shaxi is the Lijiang of thirty years ago. I have never been to Lijiang thirty years ago, so I imagine it was more simple and less commercialized. But anyway, Shaxi is really beautiful. The quiet town is quaint. There are few tourists in the ancient town at dusk, and the atmosphere is very relaxed. Especially in the early morning, the banks of the Heihui River are full of tranquility. Find a restaurant and eat some local delicacies. I especially like the dishes of the "First Encounter Shaxi Private Kitchen" restaurant. The Baizu Sanpin is the most delicious delicacy in Shaxi.

The feeling I get about Shaxi Ancient Town is this: Dali became famous first, and a lot of people flocked to Dali, making it overcrowded; then everyone discovered that Lijiang was very quiet, and a lot of people flocked to Lijiang, making it overcrowded. Then the name was passed down the generations, and the ancient towns and cities gradually discovered in Yunnan, such as Weishan and Jianchuan, were all inherited in this way. Now the baton has been passed to Shaxi.

At least from the places we visited these days, it is hard to say that the customs here are much more unique than those in Gucheng, Xizhou, and Shuanglang, but the biggest advantage is that it is less famous, farther away, and less crowded. So when you visit here, you can really relax and enjoy it comfortably. We saw a wedding parade of local people on this street and bought some local specialty bark vegetables.

The Xingjiao Temple in the ancient town is worth a visit because it has some well-preserved and distinctive murals.

There is a Yujing Bridge in the southeast corner of the ancient town. You can walk to its periphery, that is, further south, and look back to take pictures of the beautiful reflection.

The road to Shaxi Ancient Town is very difficult to travel. To this day, there is still no highway that can directly reach Shaxi Ancient Town. There are only roads similar to county roads that can be used for self-driving and rural buses. Perhaps it is precisely because of the poor transportation that Shaxi Ancient Town has retained some of its historical flavor.

The Heihui River flows slowly in front of the ancient town, with no visible starting point or end. The ancient Yujin Bridge connects the two banks of the river. The ground at the entrance of the town is made up of strips of stones. It is said that these stones are the specialty of Shaxi Ancient Town, whetstones.

Crossing the Yujin Bridge, you will reach the entrance to the ancient town. Walking a hundred meters along the Heihui River, you can see a row of yellow earth walls with a gate in the middle for entry and exit. The gate is made of adobe bricks. Compared with the tall and majestic stone gates elsewhere, it looks a bit shabby, rustic and narrow, but it shows the world what the gate of the Ancient Tea Horse Road market looks like - an adobe wall gate that only allows two horses to pass through at the same time.

I don't know if it's the off-season or because it's remote and there aren't many tourists, but the ancient town seems a bit deserted. Passing through the village gate, there is a narrow ancient alley. The earthen walls on both sides of the alley seem to be telling the ups and downs they have experienced. Walking along the alley to the fork in the road is the most famous Sideng Street in Shaxi Ancient Town.

Today, there are three ancient lanes in Sideng that are still called "Jie Zi Lane" by the locals. These three preserved ancient lanes are more like the ancient Tea Horse Road than Sideng Street. The rows of earthen houses are where the locals live and eat. In the sunlight, there are a few strings of corn and peppers drying, a small potted plant quietly blooming, and a dog drowsily basking in the sun, full of the breath of life.

At the entrance of the town is a post station, which is full of horses raised by locals and doing business with tourists. After negotiating a price with the horse breeder, he will help you get on the horse and walk a section of the former Tea Horse Road, starting from the town entrance, through a large field outside the town, to the commanding heights of the ancient town, to see the whole picture of the entire Shaxi Ancient Town. The horse bells rang, and the horse hooves stepped on the repaired concrete floor, making a rhythmic clacking sound. People on horseback also swayed back and forth rhythmically with the horse. I was still a little scared when I rode a horse for the first time. After walking for a long time, I slowly let down my guard and touched the pony's mane, which was fluffy and warm, and very comfortable.

People say Shaxi is a journey of the soul, and I think it is true. It is not easy to find this small town. Only in the secluded place where the winding path leads to the paradise can you find it. It is a pleasant surprise.

The ancient town is a place for leisure, suitable for walking and stopping, walking on the stone slabs, crossing the small bridge, sitting under the ancient trees, and listening to songs quietly.

Such a small town is especially suitable for sketching and photography enthusiasts. You can even stay here for half a month and enjoy the inspiration brought by the quietness.

Escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, bathe in the lazy sunshine, listen to the stream by your ears, and enjoy a moment of tranquility.

The ancient town is not big and it only takes 20 minutes to walk through it at most. Because of this, it is more relaxing. The silent stone bridges, ancient roads and streets are quietly telling its past.

Shaxi Ancient Town is located between Lijiang and Dali. Due to the inconvenient transportation, there are not as many tourists as Dali and Lijiang Ancient Town. Of course, Shaxi is not overdeveloped now, and still retains its simple customs and slow pace of life.

This place is suitable for daydreaming and thinking. It is one of the few ancient towns in Yunnan where you can enjoy a slow life. Some people also say that if you missed Lijiang 10 years ago, you must not miss Shaxi now, because Shaxi is still quiet and beautiful now.

Shaxi is not big, and there are no attractions to visit. You can visit it in one day or even half a day, but we stayed here for two days. The quiet and lazy atmosphere of the ancient town, without the hustle and bustle of life, made me truly feel the slow pace of Yunnan.



The autumn in the town is full of tawny colors, azure blue skies, and sunshine that warms the whole body. Even strolling through the town, walking on the bumpy alleys, or sitting down to enjoy the autumn sunshine is a rare enjoyment on weekdays.

I casually walked into a small shop, and the decoration was very comfortable. I could see the ancient stage through the window on the second floor. The small shop made people want to stay for a while. I ordered a pot of tea and spent the whole afternoon. We spent two consecutive afternoons in Sifang Street.

Shaxi Ancient Town is said to be the only surviving market on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, so there are also horseback riding tours here. However, horses are not allowed to enter the ancient town, so the route for horseback riding tours is to go through Yujin Bridge to the opposite Hualong Village entrance and then circle back. The price varies depending on the time. If it is your first time riding a horse, you can try it.

At night, Shaxi is not as noisy and lively as the ancient towns of Dali and Lijiang. Instead, there are fewer people than during the day. Only one or two small shops can hear the sound of guitars. There is also a grandmother selling corn cakes at the corner of Sifang Street. She promised me that I must buy some when I go to Shaxi. The lights of the ancient stage are twinkling, and the whole Shaxi is quiet and beautiful. When we went there, it was during the full moon period, so we didn’t see the whole starry sky. If you come in the right season, the whole Milky Way will be more intoxicating.

I have read many travel notes saying that Shaxi is a real ancient town, and it is a destination that I really like.

The driver said that we had chosen a good location, Shaxi was indeed very pristine and worth a visit, and he also told us some of Shaxi's history.

It was more than 10 o'clock in the morning when we arrived, and this slow-paced town was still sleeping soundly. No tickets are required for the ancient town, and it seems that only some private old houses and Xingjiao Temple require additional tickets to enter and visit.

There is no hustle and bustle, no noise or crowds, everything is so comfortable and peaceful, and the little animals are so leisurely and contented.

The ancient Tea-Horse Road, the thousand-year-old town, the towering ancient trees, the rustic old houses, less commercialization and more humanistic atmosphere, the quiet afternoon time and the warm sun, Shaxi, every picture is what I like.

It can be seen that the tourism industry in the town is gradually developing. We also saw some inns and facilities under construction. I hope that it can remain the way I like it in the future, and I will cherish it while I have it.

Shaxi Ancient Town is not big, but the streets are designed in a very quaint style. The residential buildings in Shaxi Ancient Town are also very exquisite. Some buildings are refreshing, and the streets are very clean.

The paving of the alley is very exquisite, with small black stones on both sides. It is both beautiful and practical. This kind of paving is very rare.

Whether it is the main street or the alley, there are canals on the roadside with clear water and beautiful shapes. When we saw this nameplate, we realized that the water system of Shaxi Ancient Town was carefully designed and constructed.

The doors of the houses, streets and walls of Shaxi Ancient Town are full of green plants and colorful flowers. Yunnan is truly a world of flowers. We, the tourists from the imperial capital, are amazed and envious. Even the mansions in the capital are not surrounded by such flowers.

In Shaxi Ancient Town, there is an unwritten rule that the coffee bar closes at 10 pm, and the inn also requires guests to return to the store before 10 pm and not to speak loudly in the room. Therefore, in Shaxi Ancient Town, whether it is day or night, Shaxi Ancient Town seems very quiet, which I particularly like, but what is Shaxi Ancient Town like at night?

The ancient stage looks even more magnificent in the night, and the cleverly designed lights make the ancient stage show its unique charm. The ancient stage is really one that you never get tired of watching!

On the streets at night, the lighting highlights the outlines of the buildings, creating a completely different feeling from that during the day.

Walking on the deserted streets, with stars twinkling above your head and the surroundings so quiet that you can only hear your own footsteps, for people who live in a noisy environment all day, this feeling seems like a long-lost spiritual relaxation. It is highly recommended to take a walk in Shaxi at night.

I saw an inn nearby whose name I couldn't even pronounce, and thought it was very cultural, so I checked in. Later I found out that there were many more romantic inns in the streets and alleys.

This was our first time in Shaxi, but suddenly, I felt like I had returned to a place I had visited in my childhood. The houses with wooden pillars and mud bricks, the stage with glazed tile eaves, the shops...all I saw were so familiar scenes, it felt like time had gone back, like a dream.

There are comfortable inns and guesthouses here that are no less comfortable than those in Lijiang and Dali, but without the hustle and bustle of Dali and Lijiang. The few souvenir shops here sell local products instead of the same old imitation accessories. More importantly, there are very few tourists, and most of them are local residents who still live their normal lives in this ancient town.

Shaxi is comfortable and peaceful, and everything feels just right. I hope it won't continue to be commercialized and become another Dali or Lijiang.

Shaxi was an important town on the ancient Tea-Horse Road in the past, and it is also the only remaining post station on the Yunnan-Tibet Ancient Road. I heard that under the protection of the United Nations, the ancient market and ancient villages here have been well protected. Due to the traffic problems, tour groups generally do not come here, and it is still very quiet and beautiful. After an hour of wandering on the winding mountain road, I finally arrived at this beautiful ancient town. It was amazing to see this town for the first time. Hundreds of years of residential houses are scattered in an orderly manner. Every street and every lane has an endless desire to explore. I eagerly put my luggage in the booked youth hostel and went to explore here with a small bag on my back. I wanted to leave photos to remember this place when I walked through every street and lane. Sometimes when I saw me poking my head into the inn, the boss would smile and wave his hand to let me go in and take pictures casually - the khaki wall is about 2 meters high, and it has built a series of tea-horse road charm. Although some courtyards are dilapidated, it is difficult to hide the style of the prosperous and wealthy families in those days. The small shops along the street have basically not undergone major changes. The house structure is decorated and renovated on the original basis, which not only retains the ancient architectural style, but also makes people feel like returning to the ancient times. Looking at the shops one by one, although they are all retail, catering, and inns, they have a strong sense of local customs and each shop is worth stopping and lingering. In ancient times, merchants and travelers who passed by here would go to the stage in the town center to watch plays. The stage is the core of the spiritual culture of the entire ancient town and has a history of thousands of years. I deliberately chose a small shop next to the stage to linger. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, drinking papaya honey water, and watching the people coming and going in the square, I really felt like traveling back to ancient times. I still remember that my favorite game when I was a child was the game of dressing up as ancient people. It is really satisfying to be in such a beautiful town.

I like this place very much, the quiet ancient town, the fresh rice fields and sunflowers, the mid-mountain coffee with green and clouds,

Recommended for students who like quietness

If you have enough time, you can stay one night.

Shaxi satisfies all my imaginations of an ancient town. The atmosphere is simple and harmonious, and the appearance is very textured. The whole town seems to have been carefully designed. You can feel the story in every corner, which can also be described as "movie-like".

Impression of Shaxi-A small dam surrounded by green mountains

Shaxi Ancient Town - once a prosperous and important post station on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road

The ancient town of Shaxi - left behind silent stone bridges, ancient roads and ancient streets, quietly telling its past.

I like it so much. It's quiet here.



Shaxi is surrounded by mountains.

So you need to drive a mountain road

That's why

The ancient town of Shaxi in Jianchuan County still retains many of its original architectural features, including ancient temples, ancient theaters, ancient shops, horse inns, ancient red sandstone streets, century-old trees, ancient alleys, ancient village gates, etc. Shaxi Ancient Town is the only surviving market on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, a real ancient town, and my favorite ancient town in Yunnan.

As the only surviving ancient town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, Shaxi Ancient Town seems to have been forgotten by time. There are no fancy voluntary small commodities for sale, and the streets and alleys are sparsely populated. The merchants in the ancient town are mysteriously Buddhist. They open at any time they want and sell as many meals as they want. Many of them are closed for the National Day holiday, just like the couplets posted on their doors: Let him be strong, the breeze blows over the hills; let him be arrogant, the moonlight shines on the river, and the banner: Let's all be open-minded~

The surprise of this trip!

It integrates history, humanities and scenery.

Quiet, leisurely, quaint, with no commercial hustle and bustle, such an ancient town is very rare!

Shaxi Ancient Town is the only surviving ancient market on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. 600 years of time have stagnated on the stone road. The horse hoof prints are still there, and the sound of horse bells can be heard faintly in my ears. I love this place very much. Maybe one day I want to live in seclusion for a few days, and I will choose this place.

Shaxi is known as the only surviving ancient market on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. Due to its inconvenient transportation, it has not been overdeveloped, has very few tourists, is not commercialized, and is quaint and quiet, making it a perfect place to relax.

Walking in Shaxi, you can see green tiles and mud walls, stone roads, ancient village gates, ancient theaters, ancient temples, and ancient alleys.

Sifang Street is located in the center of Shaxi and is the soul of Shaxi. The street is paved with stone slabs, and there are various shops on both sides of the street. There are also three ancient alleys extending to all directions of the ancient town.

The best way to fall in love with a city is to start with the first impression.

There are few tourists, no hawking of merchants, no honking of cars. It lacks the atmosphere of worldly life and has more tranquility that an ancient town should have.

very nice!

After bypassing several mountains and bumping along the rugged mountain road for nearly three hours, ancient pines greeted us and an ancient path with dense shades led the visitors into the door.

Shaxi, just hearing the name is wonderful and fascinating. When you see its true appearance, you will feel spiritually comforted and feel that you have met it too late!

The sky is innocently blue, the white clouds are pure like snow, my heart is drifting with the wind, and my soul is temporarily lost, confused and melancholy!

Shaxi Ancient Town is a real ancient town with an antique charm. It still retains the most original architectural features. There are ancient temples, ancient theaters, ancient shops, horse inns, ancient bluestone streets, century-old trees, ancient alleys, and ancient village gates. It was once an important ancient town with developed economy and trade and prosperous culture on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road.

Shaxi Ancient Town is located in the southwest of Jianchuan, Dali, Yunnan, China. It is also a nature reserve of three parallel rivers. This is a real ancient town with ancient charm and ancient style. The ancient temples, ancient theaters, ancient alleys... all have ancient flavors. The repairs here are all based on ancient methods, so a lot of ancient charm is preserved and full of ancient memories. There are the well-known Shibao Mountain, the "Millennium Ancient Market" Sifang Street, the "Secret Wonderland on Earth" Bailongtan, and the charming Dongjing Ancient Music.

I stayed in the ancient town for 3 days and 2 nights. I happened to run into their market on the day I went there. There were many old ladies wearing ethnic costumes and carrying bamboo baskets. The market was open-air, and you could see the blue sky and white clouds as well as the surrounding mountains. The ancient town was quiet in the early morning, and the stream flowed slowly in front of the village. I miss the days in the ancient town, when the sky was blue and time was slow. I miss the two girls who met because of Shaxi. When will we go together again?

Shaxi Ancient Town is located in Sideng Village, Jianchuan County, Yunnan Province. Its history can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, which is 400 BC. It has a long history of more than 2,400 years.



As early as the Tang and Song dynasties, Shaxi was an important ancient town on the ancient road during the Nanzhao Kingdom and Dali Kingdom periods. Due to the profound influence of Buddhism on the local area, the Buddhist grottoes excavated in Shizhong Mountain in Shaxi during the Nanzhao Kingdom and Dali Kingdom periods, that is, during the Tang and Song dynasties, are located in the Shaxi Shibaoshan Scenic Area.



Sifang Street is the center of Sideng Street in Shaxi Ancient Town. It is a historical building block connected by Sifang Street, East Lane, and South and North Ancient Lanes. It mainly includes Xingjiao Temple, Kuige with a stage, Madian, Yujin Bridge, East Gate, South Gate, and Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient buildings and residential complexes.

Here

You can smell the horses' hooves approaching

You can feel the ancient road

You can let the fragrance of flowers fill your nose

You can listen to the birdsong

You can indulge in the thoughts of tea and horse

I didn't know you existed before I came

I will never forget it after I leave

As soon as you arrive at Shaxi Ancient Town, you will be greeted by a literary and artistic atmosphere. The shops and homestays here are very exquisite, and you can tell at a glance that the owners have put a lot of thought into them.

I didn’t expect that I, who was immune to ancient towns, would fall in love with Shaxi Ancient Town!

The isolated town is really quiet. The sunlight shines on the yellow brick walls, just like the old times in memory.

A very interesting place. I used to say that I like Dali the most when I come to Yunnan, but now I have changed my mind and choose Shaxi first.

Arrived at Shaxi at night, exited the highway and entered the winding mountain road for 20 km. I thought I had taken the wrong road. I booked the inn inside. During the day, I had a drink in the coffee shop opposite the ancient theater and basked in the sun. It was so comfortable.

Shaxi Ancient Town is not big. If you visit it as a tourist attraction, you can visit it in two or three hours. It happened to be the National Day, so if you go to Dali, there will definitely be crowds of people. So I stayed in Shaxi for two days and two nights to enjoy its tranquility and leisure.

Today, Shaxi still retains a bit of ancient silence in its vitality. Although there are more than 100 inns in the small town, the tranquility at night and the starry sky can still make people who come here feel a little bit of peace and quiet. It is said that a low-carbon community center is under construction nearby, which is gratifying from the perspective of an ordinary traveler. Although we have not seen its original appearance and some of the rebuilt landscapes have been criticized, we do not want it to become the next Lijiang and Dali. I don’t know whether the planning and restoration of Shaxi can be regarded as a qualified model, so that the thinking of sustainable development can be implemented in more projects.

We originally planned to arrive at Shaxi Town at 4pm, but we didn't arrive until 5pm. After putting down our luggage, we couldn't wait to "grab" the sunset! The temperature in Shaxi is only 2 degrees in the morning. Those who insist on waiting for the sunrise to take pictures are her true fans! After visiting so many ancient towns, this is the most worthwhile place to stay for a few days. Recommended!

The ancient town is not big, but it feels good. It retains traces of history and is very literary. I like the quietness here! I like the strong autumn here! I like the starry sky here (taken with a mobile phone, professional equipment will be clearer)!

There are cars that can go to Shaxi Ancient Town

There is a famous mural over there, but the ticket is also quite expensive, so be careful not to get scammed.

I have been to countless ancient towns. From the south of the Yangtze River to the border, Shaxi is one of the real ancient towns in my mind. It is quiet and simple, with an antique flavor, and still retains the most ancient architectural features. Ancient temples, ancient theaters, ancient shops, horse inns, ancient red sandstone streets, century-old trees, ancient alleys, and ancient village gates.

This place was once extremely glorious. It was an important distribution town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, promising countless carriages and horses. After thousands of years of prosperity, it finally became the silent ancient town of Shaxi in the torrent of history. Only the silent stone bridges, ancient roads, and ancient streets are left to quietly tell its past, and only the Heihui River silently carries Shaxi's glorious journey on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road into the distant sea.

Shaxi is a place that makes people "amazed at first sight and still amazed at the second sight". If you have enough time, you must stay here for a few more days, it will definitely bring you unexpected surprises. The first time I stepped into Shaxi, before I had time to savor the flavor of the ancient town, I was shocked by the tranquility that seemed to have drifted from ancient times. The ancient town is not big, and most of the homestays are decorated in simple wood. 5-star recommendation, it is recommended to stay here for a few more days, you can empty yourself here, you can visit families, and you can feel the last ancient Tea Horse Road...

As it is far away from major transportation routes, Shaxi has been able to retain its original appearance without the hustle and bustle of Dali.

It is an ancient town with a long history. You can visit it on the way from Dali to Lijiang, and you may as well stay there for a night if you have time.

It is a very quiet ancient town where you can relax more easily than Lijiang or Dali.

Shaxi is said to be the only intact ancient town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. It has only a few small streets and alleys, but it condenses more than 2,400 years of horse caravan history. There are ancient theaters, ancient temples, ancient shops, and red sandstone streets that have lasted for thousands of years. There is no commercial atmosphere, but there is a restaurant run by a Bai owner that tastes very good, and they raise their own chickens, ducks, and fish.

Listening to "Youthful Times" makes me want to go back to the ancient town of Shaxi immediately, where there was only one bus into the city and no luxury shops.

Coming to Shaxi can't be seen as accidental. Warm sunshine, ancient temples, old stone bridges and people sleeping under the shade of trees. I didn't grow up in such an environment, so I often yearn for such a life. The prosperity of Shaxi is a matter of history. The ancient Tea Horse Road brought tea and markets, as well as culture and stories. At that time, Shaxi had the heroic spirit of the women of the caravans and the intoxication of the dreams of the women of the world. Sitting in front of the door, watching the endless stream of business travelers and the wonderful performances on the stage, the clear and melodious words on the stage and the wonderful applause from the audience complement each other, full of vitality and colorful.

Now the sound of horse hooves has disappeared, leaving only the small town far from the highway and the sunshine as before. The town is not big, if you don't skimp on your steps, you can walk through it without any psychological preparation. However, it is not an easy task to really understand his mood. The old but still solid stage, the rammed earth city gate, and the large stone bridge that must be passed to Tibet, together sort out the memories of the past time of the ancient town for passers-by. Outside the town gate, there is a stream that I don't know if it is related to the name of Shaxi. It flows carefully around the town, quietly giving the town vitality and agility. The sunshine in Shaxi is lazy. I always have a strange feeling that when I am in such sunshine, I will think of some long-ago time, vague, stagnant and infinitely happy time. This makes me doubt the relationship between happiness and time, whether they complement each other in the constant intersection. There is a breath in my heart, and I always believe that it can blow away the filth of human nature for me, until all the sails have passed, revealing the calmness and luster in life that others cannot see, until the wind stops, the dust is fragrant, and the flowers are gone, then I can see my own clear and bright wind.

Time in Shaxi is equally lazy, and like my personality, I am also good at wasting time in boredom, making the troubles and worldliness that entangle in my heart so useless. Here, the morning sun can easily turn into the sunset, but I don’t feel that time is so useless. It passes through my life minute by minute with the distant sound of horse hooves and wandering figures. Since the most luxurious thing in life is to waste time, why not waste it in the most sentimental time?

It was just two days, but even the time for a nap seemed to have carried several years, making people unable to forget and leave. Just like the song says, there are houses covered with ivy, playful teenagers, and persimmon trees that will give us enough to eat for a long time when autumn comes.

With more tourists, the number of original residents in the ancient town is decreasing. Although Shaxi is not big, there are various inns with unique features. Look up at the sky, take a deep breath, and your mind will be settled immediately. Riding a horse along the river in the ancient town is also a way for tourists to experience Shaxi. The price is not expensive, 50 yuan per round, and you can ride for about half an hour.

There are many foreigners in Shaxi. Perhaps this is what makes Shaxi so rare. It has not been overly commercialized and has always retained some simplicity and innocence. This is probably its most attractive feature.

There are many unique shops on Sideng Street, you can appreciate and experience them slowly. Shaxi is very small, so don't be in a hurry. Please slow down and slowly appreciate its beauty.

Shaxi Ancient Town is really worth a visit. Compared with the water towns I have seen in Jiangnan, those are so low-end. This place is more original and well-preserved.

The tranquility and simplicity of Shaxi make our arrival seem like a disturbance, but it is still worth coming. Come here to sketch and take photos. Come to stay in the inn in the deep alley of the old house. Come to meet the French woman who is good at chess and has lived here for ten years. Come to encounter the starry sky, the Milky Way and the Scorpio. You will definitely fall in love with this simple ancient town on the Ancient Tea Horse Road.

I really like Shaxi. The prices here are affordable, the people are simple, the food is delicious, and it is very secluded. I always hear many tourists from other places say that they stay here for more than half a month. I think I will come again next time.

In Shaxi, it is suitable for sketching and photography. There are many light and shadow materials waiting for you to explore. It is suitable for concentrating on creation and becoming a craftsman. There are many handmade shops here, which are very special and tasteful.

Every step you take in Shaxi is a beautiful scene

If you come to Dali, promise me you will come to this town!!

I heard from a friend before that Shaxi Ancient Town is great and very quiet. Most importantly, it is an ancient town that has not been completely commercialized. It is a real ancient town with ancient charm and it still retains its most original architectural features.

When we arrived at Shaxi Ancient Town, we met a group of foreign children. They were very cute and could speak some Chinese.

To be honest, there are indeed quite a lot of foreigners in Shaxi Ancient Town.

Maybe this place is only suitable for drinking tea, daydreaming and playing with dogs!

When I first arrived here, I was really attracted by the simple folk customs. The vegetables and fruits sold everywhere on the street reminded me of the scene when I went to the market with my parents when I was a child. On both sides of the street were local farmers who brought their own vegetables and poultry to sell. They sat on the ground, spread a piece of oil paper in front of them, and neatly placed their own goods, a few wild cucumbers, a few cabbages, a few shallots with soil, some dried mushrooms, and a big rooster with tied feet squatting next to them. They smoked their pipes and chatted with their neighbors who were also selling vegetables. If someone came to buy, they would tie the vegetables with dry straw and hand them to him, which was considered a completed transaction.

The ancient town is not big. The main street, Sideng Street, is the only surviving ancient market on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. It has intact theaters, hotels, temples, and gates, making this ancient market that connected Tibet and Southeast Asia at that time still quite well preserved.

There is nothing interesting about Shaxi. It is just an ancient village. Two hours is enough to see it all. There is nothing new to come here after visiting Lijiang. I don’t recommend you to come here, but when I saw the photos, I felt that the atmosphere was good.

I suggest that those who are prone to motion sickness should be prepared in advance. To reach Shaxi, you have to go up the mountain, and the mountain road is very rugged. My companions experienced motion sickness. When I went there, the town was not yet known to everyone, and there were few tourists. At night, there were few people on the road. I finally found a small shop that was still open. I quickly ordered a few dishes and ate them up. They were all local dishes, which were neither good nor bad, just to fill my stomach. Shaxi is quiet and peaceful at night, with many lights turned on, adding a bit of warmth. The early morning in Shaxi is so beautiful. There are locals in the village walking around with horses, mainly for tourists to take pictures. We arrived at the entrance of the village. There was a stream, sparkling in the sunlight, which instantly reminded me of the comfort of returning to my grandmother's house when I was a child, far away from the bustling city, away from the hustle and bustle of the market. At this moment, I really let go of all my worries~~ We first had fun for a while, taking all kinds of photos. After a while, a local uncle came singing and dancing. He talked and played with us enthusiastically, and took a lot of photos with us. Although the final ending was inevitable that they asked us for model fees, but I still felt very happy throughout the process. So some people can make you willing to spend money.

I fell in love with this place as soon as I got off the car. It is really quiet and comfortable, with an ancient charm. The names of the shops are more literary than those in Dali Ancient Town and Lijiang Ancient Town; the rural scenery is also very beautiful.

Shaxi Ancient Town is an important town on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road. It was once prosperous but is now quiet. It is known as "the only surviving ancient market on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road". It is a place where people cannot feel the time. It is very suitable for daydreaming and relaxing. There are not many tourists, which is very good.

Shaxi is quieter and more ancient, and has better preserved the style and features of the former tea-horse town.

Day 2: The seemingly forgotten ancient market on the Tea Horse Road - [Shaxi Ancient Town]. Some people say that this is Dali 20 years ago. If you think that the ancient city of Dali and the shores of Erhai Lake in Shuanglang have been gradually submerged by commerce, you can still feel the tranquility in Shaxi. When we arrived at Shaxi Ancient Town, it was already evening. It was dark after a while of strolling. We couldn't fully experience its appearance during the day. Overall, it felt less commercial! The stone slabs on the ground are the same color as the loess earth, adding a sense of simplicity!

Dinner: [Meet Shaxi Folk Art Restaurant], the delicious one is [Dairy Corn]

Overnight: Bai ethnic style B&B [Xizhu Inn] is a newly opened inn with a good environment inside, but the environment outside is a bit messy!

In fact, Shaxi is really a bit like a paradise.

It’s not just because of the beautiful scenery of the fields with interconnected paths and the sounds of chickens and dogs, but also because of the simple people who have been working on this land from sunrise to sunset for thousands of years.

It was the forest ranger's enthusiastic directions, Grandpa Ouyang's proud smile, and the old nun's warm noodles.

Shaxi is quiet and familiar. We chatted together the day before and saw each other the next day, in the coffee shop... next to the Nanzhao Grottoes... this is the so-called feeling of being both strange and familiar... It is said that the ancient Tea-Horse Road in the early years reached Shaxi, and a Yujin Bridge was built over the Heihui River. It is a great place to take pictures of the morning scenery, with morning mist and swaying reflections.

The best time to visit is from February to May, when the ancient town is open all day and admission is free.

Shaxi Ancient Town has a different flavor indeed. Many art students come here to paint, and there are also many foreigners.

Shaxi Ancient Town is really not big. It only took me an hour and a half to finish the tour. I also bought some dried persimmons (I love shopping).

In Shaxi Ancient Town, you can see a few leisurely foreigners sitting there drinking coffee and basking in the sun, and you can also see a few students sketching in the scenery. It is mostly quiet. No wonder so many people say that Shaxi is the place that looks most like an ancient town.

I recommend Shaxi Ancient Town. Actually, it is not in Dali, but in Jianchuan County, which is two and a half hours’ drive from Dali. If you like quietness and have enough time, I suggest you go to Shaxi Ancient Town. If you are just looking for a place, forget it. You will be disappointed if you go there. Don’t pollute that place. Shaxi Ancient Town is an ancient town that has been well preserved on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. The whole town is not big and you can walk around it in about 40 minutes. There are stages, shops, village gates, alleys, and century-old trees. If you happen to catch up with the local residents going to the market, it will be more lively and the things are cheaper. I Every time I go to Shaxi, I stay in the same inn. The environment is very good and the price is ridiculously cheap. I also eat at the same restaurant. It’s just that it’s a bit troublesome to go to Shaxi Ancient Town if you don’t drive yourself. You have to take a bus from Dali to Jianchuan County first. Then you can see a lot of green vans at the entrance of the bus station. They are their township buses. The fare is about ten yuan. Because Shaxi is in the mountains, you have to take a bus over a mountain to get there. The road conditions are good, so you don’t have to worry about safety issues. It would be more convenient if several people charter a car together.

No wonder they say it is well protected. It is not easy to come here. The place is hard to find.

It happened to be the local big market every Friday, just in time for the dispersal

Perhaps it is because Shaxi is remote and inconvenient to travel to compared to other ancient towns. Or maybe it is because there are too many famous ancient towns in Dali and Lijiang, which overshadows its brilliance. But it is the only ancient town that I think of. At night, the red lanterns cast a gentle light on the ancient stone road. There is no noise, only the comfort and tranquility that is enough to forget the world. And it does have a long history. You will not regret going there.

In Shaxi, I met two sisters who were hiking from Taiwan. They said Shaxi was like heaven. I don't think so. When I went there, it was supposed to be the last day of the Shibaoshan Singing Festival, but the rain delayed the trip for a day. When I arrived, the singing festival had already ended. There were obviously more tourists in Shaxi than I thought. There were at least three university inspection groups alone. There were so many tourists in front of the ancient stage on Sideng Street that I felt like I was on an antique pedestrian street.

Shaxi has been popular among backpackers for about four or five years. The descriptions of Shaxi are always so fascinating, "the last surviving market on the ancient Tea Horse Road" and "Lijiang 20 years ago", etc., but these words are always followed by this sentence - go as early as possible! It seems that I was late. Fortunately, Shaxi redeemed some of my bad impressions on the second day. There were obviously fewer tourists on the second day.

Shaxi Ancient Town is very small. There are three main streets starting from Sideng Street. It takes less than half an hour to visit all of them. In order to protect the buildings, most of the residents of Shaxi were moved out of the town. I won’t comment too much on this practice, but one of the effects is that Shaxi is now almost all inns, cafes and bars opened by outsiders, which is very similar to Dali and Lijiang. The quiet town on the ancient Tea Horse Road is becoming a different look.

We went here because the locals recommended it. They said it was the only surviving living Tea-Horse Road in the world.

The ancient town is not big, and you can walk around it in an hour and a half. But these small streets and alleys condense more than 2,400 years of horse caravan history. Due to the inconvenient transportation, there are few tourists and it has not been overly commercialized.

There are no noisy bars, no tourists flocking in with small flags like they are going to a market. Sitting on Sifang Street to bask in the sun is so quiet that you can hear your own breathing.

As the last market town guarding the ancient Tea-Horse Road, Shaxi Ancient Town has been gentle and stunning. If you really want to be quiet instead of hanging out in bars looking for romance, then come to Shaxi.

We arrived at the destination at 2pm, and walked to the ancient stage where I had seen many photos before. The sound of birds singing in the quiet afternoon sky filled my ears, and the ancient buildings that had been baptized by time were everywhere. There were few tourists in the streets and alleys, and the locals were in a state of leisure and ease. Recalling the ancient towns I had visited in the past and what I had seen in the past few days, I would say that Shaxi was the biggest gain of this trip besides the Erhai Lake and Lushan Lake. Maybe it was because there were few people in the off-season, but since it was fate, Shaxi was really my favorite ancient town.

It’s hard to say what exactly I like about Shaxi, but this liking makes me want to record more of Shaxi with my camera, so I switched to a wide-angle lens, hoping that each photo can capture a wider field of view.

I like Shaxi not because it has not been influenced by commercialism. It is a place where the ancient Tea-Horse Road passes through. It has been prosperous since ancient times, but it seems that it has not been completely caught up in the wave of "modernity".

While strolling in Shaxi, I suddenly felt a little regretful for spending too much time in Lijiang. It’s not that I have any opinion on Lijiang Ancient Town and Shuhe Ancient Town, but I really like Shaxi more.

People say "the chirping of cicadas makes the forest even quieter, and the singing of birds makes the mountains even more secluded." How quiet is an ancient town where you can hear the constant singing of birds? I felt that I had made a mistake in planning and should have stayed in Shaxi for one night.

Shaxi is not big, and it doesn’t take much time to walk around it. It’s inevitable to have regrets when traveling, so maybe I will come again.

Shaxi is probably the quietest ancient town now. Commercialization is not particularly serious, but there are still many more inns than when I first came to Shaxi 4 years ago.

Here you can escape from the real world.

There are no high-priced buildings.

No gold diggers

No city brand

Shaxi is more of a complex!

A 12-year-old girl on the plane told me about Shaxi, which sounded like a beautiful wonderland. So we rented a car and drove around the mountain roads to get here. There are mountains, water and villages, which were not considered a scenery at all 20 years ago. However, people who have worked in modern metropolises for a long time want to return to the primitive times, so they want to go to the most remote places to see them when they travel.

Its water is not so beautiful, its mountains are not famous, its ancient town is not so commercialized but it is full of accommodation. Its Yuxi Bridge Tea Horse Road is a trace of history, but it is not very attractive.

So in the end it’s not a place I particularly recommend going to, but you can go there if you have time.

Shaxi has been recommended by countless people. My friend once swore that "Shaxi is the best ancient town in Yunnan". However, I, who have traveled to countless ancient water towns and Miao villages, was nervous before seeing the true face of Shaxi. I dared not be eager for it because I was afraid of disappointment. But this time, Shaxi did not disappoint me after all. This place, known as "the only surviving ancient market on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road", has survived miraculously in its original form after years of changes, the baptism of nature and the impact of modern civilization. No matter how busy the outside world is, it guards this ancient place by itself; it is like a time tunnel, taking us through thousands of years and back to the ancient road with the sound of horse hooves...

Traveling alone, it's my first time to Dali and Shaxi. I'm very happy to meet a small town that is not very commercialized. It's suitable for daydreaming. I will bring friends here again if I have the chance. The first one is the little lady at the Cape of Good Hope in the town opposite. She is very beautiful. I took a few photos when I went to have tea. I forgot to ask for her WeChat ID after taking the photos. If you see it and want more photos, you can add my WeChat.

A great ancient town, not very commercialized, the stars are beautiful at night

This trip was the best. There is such a paradise near the scenic spot, warm sunshine, and quiet ancient town. I love it so much~ Muah~

Shaxi Ancient Town itself is very small, with Sifang Street as the core. The ancient stage sits opposite Xingjiao Temple, the ancient locust tree stands in the center of the town, the South/North Ancient Zong Lane runs through the Sifang Village Gate, and the Heihui River flows through the Yujin Bridge on the east side of the ancient town. It doesn't take much time to walk around the ancient town, which is very friendly to people with poor directions. The long street market on Friday is a scenery that Shaxi cannot miss. The surrounding dams and Bailongtan are suitable for three or two people to walk or ride around. The dams are the essence of the beauty of Shaxi.

An ancient town that is not heavily commercialized, and even retains buildings from the last century. It is different from Shuhe, and has its own unique tranquility. I went to Shaxi in late December, and it took more than two hours by car from Lijiang. At that time, Shaxi was very deserted, and there were many woodworking artworks, each with its own characteristics. It was a pretty good town.

Today is December 14, 2017.

I drove here alone to find some quiet time to create inspiration.

The night is nice and quiet, and I find the entry point for new works.



Here comes the point.

Tomorrow, Friday the 15th, we will return to the vicinity of the Three Pagodas in Dali. Is there anyone who wants to go with us? You can contact me on WeChat: woowpunk

Please indicate your purpose. It doesn't matter if you have money or not.

Well preserved, not overly commercialized, riding a horse at the entrance of the village costs 10 yuan, which is not found anywhere else in the country, no entrance fee, no "ancient city maintenance fee"

It is well preserved, with few people and quiet. But now the inn has started to be built, so you should go there as soon as possible😹

I came to Shaxi because I wanted to escape from something. Everything here makes me feel particularly relaxed. There is no overdevelopment and no commercialization... Maybe everything is the best arrangement~

This is a quiet and quaint town. I prefer it to the bustling Lijiang. However, the last 20 kilometers of mountain road leading into the ancient town is not easy to walk.

The most worthwhile place to visit in Lijiang is the Tiger Leaping Gorge Baishuitai for a day. The scenery is so beautiful. You can book it on China-TravelNote. I highly recommend it.

Look for the gradually yellowing rice at Yujin Bridge in the ancient town of Shaxi in Jianchuan, and experience the rice field scenery in the mountainous area of ​​Yunnan.

It is 100 kilometers away from Dali Ancient Town and can be reached by car from Dali.

It was once an ancient market on the Tea-Horse Road.

When I went there in 2014, commercialization was not too serious.

There aren't many people, but it's very charming.

There are many interesting inns in the ancient city.

Well worth a night's stay.

However, in the past two years, Shaxi has often appeared on lists of various niche travel destinations, and the number of tourists should be much higher than before.

It is still worth a visit if you avoid the winter and summer vacations and National Day.