Xizhou Ancient Town

Xizhou is located 18 kilometers north of the ancient city of Dali, facing Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west. Xizhou is an important town inhabited by the Bai ethnic group. It has the largest and best-preserved Bai residential buildings. From the layout point of view, it is a typical Bai courtyard pattern of "three courtyards and one screen wall" and "four courtyards and five patios".

I got to know Xizhou Ancient Town from the movie "Beauty of the Soul" starring Shawn Yue and Gao Yuanyuan. I liked the scenes in this movie very much at that time, so I found this place on the Internet. Now that I think about it, maybe my decision to come to Yunnan was more or less related to this movie.

It’s just that Xizhou Ancient Town had just been developed at that time, and we walked through places that were seldom visited by tourists, so everything looked a bit dilapidated, but perhaps this is the most authentic side of Xizhou.

There are two main points in Xizhou Ancient Town. One is to see the Bai people's houses, and the other is to taste Xizhou Baba. You must look for the ones that are baked in a double-layer charcoal oven, which tastes good. There are usually three flavors: meat filling, meat and egg, and sweet (nothing added). You can try all of them.

In addition, we also tried Yangbi rice noodle rolls for the first time here, and found them to be delicious as well. We highly recommend them.

Compared with Dali and Lijiang, Xizhou is a very leisurely and quiet place, with well-preserved ancient dwellings, old houses, internet celebrity walls, Xizhou baba, and tie-dye experience. There is no one in the ancient town around 9 o'clock in the evening, and people live a leisurely life. It is a very suitable place to relax.

Here are typical Bai dwellings, including Yan Family Courtyard, Yang Family Courtyard, etc. The entire ancient town is built in Bai style, with white walls and green tiles, which means that the Bai people live a clean and pure life. There are also many murals, which look very cute. The old people also wear Bai tie-dyed jackets and Bai ornaments on their heads, showing the ethnic characteristics.

The walls of Xizhou Ancient Town are covered with earrings and tie-dyed cloth with ethnic minority styles.

When we were taking pictures, some enthusiastic tourists took the initiative to help us take pictures. We were really flattered.

The most delicious food we had in Xizhou Ancient Town was [Xizhou Erjia Bing], which wraps meat and side dishes together

(Don't get me wrong, it's not the taste of a big burrito)

It was so delicious that we made it again when we went back.

Wandering around in the ancient town, I don't know which road I got lost on.

I came across the beautiful Xizhou Yellow Wall and was so excited that I did all kinds of weird things.

Many people take beautiful wedding photos on the ridge outside Xizhou Ancient Town

It is afternoon when we return to the ancient town from the ridge outside the field.

Many people stroll leisurely in the ancient town, and when they see an interesting shop or a literary teahouse, they choose to stop and rest.

The old people in the ancient town also brought out their small stools to bask in the sun and greeted, chatted and chatted with neighbors and strangers in a friendly manner;

Or sitting in the shade, meticulously doing needlework, each pair of embroidered shoes is embroidered by the old lady stitch by stitch...

The memorial archway in the central square of the ancient town is easy to find. It is surrounded by a circle of shops making Xizhou Posu. The smoke from burning charcoal is flying everywhere. People who don't know would think they have walked into some place by mistake.

2017 Valentine's Day Vacation in Dali and its Surroundings - Xizhou Ancient Town



Xizhou Ancient Town is very close to Dali Ancient Town, suitable for a day trip. I really like the preserved original ecology here, and it is a small town with a strong breath of life.



Xizhou, formerly known as Shicheng and Dalicheng, is a famous historical and cultural town and one of the key overseas Chinese hometowns. It is a typical commercial market town of the Bai people and the hometown of the movie Five Golden Flowers. According to legend, the King of Nanzhao and his family often left the capital and lived here.



I really like the architecture here. There are hundreds of Bai residential buildings with unique characteristics from the Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, Republic of China and contemporary times. The unique shapes give people a sense of solemnity and majesty while also being light and smart.



The special snack here: Xizhou Posu Baba. There are two types: sweet and salty. Many people line up to buy it.



There are some small handicrafts in the local area, either set up stalls along the street or set up handicraft workshops. I brought back a few as souvenirs.

The streets of Xizhou Ancient Town are the same as those of other ancient towns. There are some local grandmas and aunties selling braided braids at the intersection. The two girls in my group tried it. Later, I bought two wreaths from the grandma and put them on my head. They were beautiful and great for taking photos. There are also many floats at the entrance of the ancient town, but you can just look at them. Almost no one tries them.

Xizhou is the most important gathering place for the Bai people in Dali, and there are many well-preserved Bai dwellings. I originally thought that I could just walk around the ancient town, stop and stroll around, but after asking the locals, I found out that the ancient town is quite large and it is estimated that you can walk around for a whole day. There are many yellow small B-B-B-s on the roadside. The driver will take you to several scenic spots in Xizhou for 10 yuan per car. They are called scenic spots, but they are basically places where things are sold.

I particularly like Xizhou, which has a quaint feel. Unlike the ancient city of Dali, which is only surrounded by city walls, the inside feels no different from a city.

TIPS: The ancient town has bluestone roads, so the ride is a bit bumpy. There is a road under construction outside the ancient town. If you want to go to Haishe Park, you have to take the national highway outside or take a horse-drawn carriage/tricycle in the ancient town. You must try Xizhou Baba, it is super delicious!

Recommended playing time: 2-3 hours

Recommendation index: 3 stars

The Ti Ming Fang is probably the most central landmark of Xizhou Ancient Town, and nearby is the Yan Family Courtyard.

The entrance to the archway leads to a road with people selling goods on both sides, and inside are some buildings from the Qing Dynasty or earlier.

If you want to explore the ancient town without any effort, you can take a horse-drawn carriage. However, the ancient town is not big, so it is better to walk around by yourself.

In addition to horse-drawn carriages, there are also small green eco-friendly cars that can go to the Sea Tongue Park.

Xizhou Ancient Town is not big. With Sifang Street as the center, four main streets spread outwards, and various shops and stalls are lined up on the streets. It is not as noisy as Lijiang and Dali, but more full of historical vicissitudes. There are various deep alleys in the ancient town, and thousands of years have left traces here. It seems that you can hear the story of this thousand-year-old ancient town.

If the history of any town is the history of Dali, it is Xizhou. In Xizhou, more than 80% of the residents are Bai people. A large number of residential buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties are preserved here, making it the best-preserved Bai residential building complex in Dali. The Bai architecture is mainly white. The layout and shape of three squares and one screen wall, four courtyards and five patios, one entrance and two courtyards, and corner towers are somewhat similar to Huizhou architecture. However, in addition to white walls and gray tiles, Bai architecture has never lacked bold use of colors.

Xizhou has three unique features: business communities, architecture, and baba. Today in Xizhou, you can still see the prosperous trade on the ancient Tea-Horse Road from the Yan Family Courtyard and the Yang Family Courtyard.

The old streets of Xizhou also have various accessories with strong ethnic style, such as feather earrings, Cangshan pine cone earrings, and the colorful braids that tourists love the most.

Perhaps Xizhou Ancient Town deserves its name, as every street and alley is so quaint and authentic.

When we went into the alley to take pictures, we happened to meet a super enthusiastic local grandma. She told us in Mandarin with a thick accent that there was a super delicious potato casserole for us to try. Unfortunately, my boyfriend and I had been eating and drinking all the way and had no stomach to go to the restaurant that the grandma specially recommended.

I didn't fall in love with Xizhou at the time, but now that I'm back in the city, I miss its quaint temperament just like my grandma's! Personally, this town is like tasting tea. When I first came into contact with it, I felt it was bland and even repulsive, but later I was left with endless aftertastes.

I was eager to see Erhai Lake, but the driver said that we could go to Xizhou Ancient Town first if we passed by it. I had high expectations before I came here, hoping that this ancient town would be as I imagined, but unfortunately it was not... There is a lotus pond at the entrance of Xizhou Ancient Town. Everything is newly built later, which seems a bit like the white bridge and embankment in the village after the construction of the new countryside. After passing the white bridge, you will reach Xizhou Ancient Town. On the way to the Baizu, you will pass an alley with Dali tie-dye hanging on the walls.

The tie-dyeing along the road is very beautiful, which is very common in Yunnan. The tables in the restaurants are mostly tied with tie-dyeing cloth pressed under the glass. From Yan's Courtyard, Xizhou is basically the same. Xizhou Ancient Town is relatively small.

Tie-dyed cloth can be seen everywhere, with its mysterious and ever-changing patterns, revealing the town’s beauty and simplicity interwoven in a lively way.

There are many iconic buildings in Xizhou Ancient Town, such as the ancient building at the crossroads in the east of the town. It is not easy to take a photo of the empty round-cornered ancient building. I waited for a long time and seized the opportunity. Click! I left. Among the landmark buildings in Xizhou, the outer wall of Xilinyuan is one of them, which is enough to make people stop and take a commemorative photo.

The rape flowers in Xizhou begin to bloom in February.

Xizhou Town is more like a well-mannered scholar, gentle and elegant, with inner qualities hidden in the alleys and courtyards. A peek into it reveals a different world. This is also the reason why Lao She compared Xizhou Town to Cambridge in England and praised it as a miracle city. As a tourist, I hope that the pace of commercial development in the town can be slower and slower~~~

Xizhou Ancient Town is not too big or too small. There are many yellow cars on the roadside. They will take you around the ancient town for 10 yuan and explain the history of the ancient town to you. It's actually quite good, but there are actually a few shopping stores. If you don't buy anything, they may give you a cold shoulder.

It was almost noon when we arrived, so we found a restaurant on the roadside and sat down to eat. We originally planned to just walk around after eating, but an uncle behind us enthusiastically helped us get soup and said we could take his car to go around after eating. We told him at the beginning that we were traveling on a budget and had no money to buy things, but he still greeted us warmly. When we went in, we came out empty-handed at every point, and the old man still enthusiastically told us about the culture of Xizhou. I am very happy to meet a beautiful and kind old man. Thank you for leaving us with a good impression of Xizhou.

When we arrived at Xizhou, it was already dark. We thought it would be lively at night, but the night in Xizhou was very quiet. It was so quiet that only a few stores were open and the rest had already closed.

The lady selling fruits said that our place is different from Dali. We don’t have a night market here. There is no one on the street after 7 o’clock in the evening, and most of the shops are closed.

There are many rice fields near the Xizhou Ancient Town. When we went there, it felt like the rice was about to be harvested and was beginning to turn yellow.

Looking out of the car window, Xizhou becomes even more beautiful as the mud caused by road construction is filtered out and only the greenery on both sides of the road and the sky can be seen.

What is there in Xizhou? It can be said that it is “Miracle Xizhou”.

It was once known as "Little Hong Kong" and "Little Shanghai". The yellow wall of Xilinyuan also witnessed the rise and fall of a century of history, but nowadays, few traces of the ancient town are left.

Surrounded by rice fields, the white walls and black tiles of the Bai ethnic courtyard are looming, and the quaint round building is there. If you have to give a reason to stroll around Xizhou, it is the simplicity and purity of this place.

The ancient town is very small. If you don't love it, it will just be a tourist attraction for killing time. But if you love it deeply, it is not too much to stay there for a day and a night.

The ancient town is centered on Sifang Street, with all the ancient buildings and shops surrounding it. Buying a broken crispy baba and eating a piece of milk popsicle is a luxurious day.

Xizhou Po Su Baba is a local snack that you must try when you come to Dali. Don’t worry about the street snacks, you must try this divine delicacy when you arrive at its birthplace.

The salty taste is sprinkled with chopped green onions, peppercorns and pork filling, while the sweet taste is enhanced with diced ham and rose sugar filling. It tastes crispy and delicious.

I visited Xizhou Ancient Town, but there wasn't much else there except Xizhou Baba and some relatively well-preserved ancient folk buildings.

When you leave Xizhou Ancient Town, it really feels like you are in Kyoto. I passed by a strawberry farm and bought a lot of fresh strawberries.

Xizhou Baba can be said to be famous far and wide, but only after arriving in Xizhou did I understand why some people say that you can no longer eat it once you leave Xizhou.

Because when I was making the travel guide, I learned that this ancient town seemed to have not been overdeveloped, and it retained the simple customs and quaint Bai ethnic minority houses. But after actually going there, I was both surprised and disappointed.

As soon as you enter Xizhou, the charm of the ancient town hits you. The wind chimes on the eaves of the city gate make crisp sounds, and the ancient buildings of the Bai ethnic group are set against the blue sky, exuding a unique charm.

The streets of the ancient town are not big, but they are lined with snack stalls and tie-dye stalls. Various styles of tie-dye are hung on the walls, which are indeed very ethnic.

The biggest surprise in Xizhou was finding a great place for taking photos, a building with red walls next to a rice field. You can see it by walking straight to the right of the iconic cylindrical building. The exterior walls of the traditional Bai building are painted in retro red, which is perfect for taking photos with the clear blue sky of Dali.

When I went there, I happened to meet a group of villagers returning home after a day of farm work. It gave me a real sense of rural life.

The harvest season in Dali in November has long passed, and only bare soil remains in the farmland. If you come in spring or autumn, the green or golden rice in the fields will add a lot of color to the photos.

Xizhou Baba is a major feature of Xizhou, which makes people curious and want to try it, but this is also the most disappointing thing for me in Xizhou. Xizhou Baba is not as delicious as advertised. I think it is a bit dry and has no unique taste. What is even more disgusting is that the current Xizhou Baba, as a business card of Xizhou, is not priced well. The lowest price is 10 yuan per piece, and there is a small shop named after the filming place of "A Bite of China" that sells it for 15-20 yuan per piece. Although it is understandable, it does make people feel disgusted.

Xizhou Ancient Town has preserved more of its original features, and the commercialization is not too excessive. The coachman showed us several old houses, which were still inhabited by people, and had a breath of life. After the carriage ride, we stepped into the core area of ​​the ancient town. We bought the famous Yangji Xizhou Baba, which tasted good; we also went to another famous Sifang Street restaurant, but because it was the off-season, there were not many customers. The dishes were indeed delicious, especially the braised pork that was praised by everyone.

Although the main street of the ancient town is full of shops, it is not noisy. What impressed me most were several shops named "XX Handmade". I drank pomegranate juice for 10 yuan and bought a tie-dyed small bag for 10 yuan.

Xizhou is quite artistic and petty bourgeoisie, with many beautiful shops on the streets.

It's definitely not mainland stuff.

A bit of modernity meets the past

I feel like I can't stay here for too long. There's not much to see.

There are many Bai ethnic minority dwellings in Xizhou that are open to the public.

Usually it will be written at the door, 2 yuan for visiting, or 1 yuan

But we didn't go in at all. There were people living there and clothes were drying in the yard.

Xizhou Ancient Town is an important town inhabited by the Bai people. It is the hometown of the movie "Five Golden Flowers". The vendors in some small shops in Dali call us girls "Golden Flowers". It has the most and best preserved Bai residential buildings. Xizhou Posu Baba is a famous snack in Xizhou. It is called Chinese pizza by foreign tourists. Great, a Posu Baba, a glass of pomegranate juice, and then continue on the road. It is best not to ride a small electric bike to Xizhou. There is no place to store it, and it is troublesome to push it.

Compared with Shuanglang, Xizhou has a stronger ancient flavor. Many old houses with a long history guard the town like guards, with white walls and gray tiles, watching the people coming and going indifferently, spring and autumn. In addition to Xizhou Baba, pomegranate flowers are also good in this town with a pleasant name.

The wind blowing the wheat waves is more intoxicating than the song. The wheat fields outside the town may be my favorite place in Dali~ Full of golden color, it seems like another time and space, standing at the border and not daring to step in. I was accidentally sucked in, and before I could adjust my breathing, the wheat fragrance filled my whole body. The last time I had this experience was when I was skydiving in Maoqiu...

It is quiet and simple here, and most importantly, there is the Xizhou baba that I like. The core area of ​​the ancient town is still called Sifang Street, but it is not very large, but the entire ancient town is still quite large, so you can take a small yellow car driven by a local resident for 10 yuan, which is very cheap. Of course, he will take you to some root carving shops, embroidery shops, tea shops, etc., but it’s nothing. After all, 10 yuan is too cheap, and others have to make money to support their families. You don’t have to buy anything. Just let him take you around the ancient town. If you see something interesting, you can also ask him to stop and take pictures. There are two scenic spots in the ancient town that require a fee. I don’t think it’s very interesting. It’s better to wander around and see these old buildings.

I was hungry and walked around Xizhou, and found many snacks.

The Xizhou baba restaurants connected here are very popular. You can tell from the looks that they are delicious.

There are popsicles everywhere.

The restaurants in Xizhou Town are quite Buddhist: no queuing, no reservations, if you just happen to come and they just happen to have a seat, then you can sit down or just wait, they won’t rush the guests or put pressure on them.

The first time I came to Xizhou was in 2015. At that time, there were not many tourists in Xizhou Ancient Town, and it felt like we had monopolized the place.

The Bai ethnic group has the largest and best preserved residential buildings here, with a typical Bai courtyard layout of "three courtyards and one screen wall" and "four courtyards and five patios".

The colorful decorative art of these dwellings, with their carved beams and painted buildings, overlapping brackets, upturned corners and flying eaves, gatehouses, screen walls and gables, fully reflects the architectural talent and artistic creativity of the Bai people.

Against the backdrop of blue sky and green mountains, the eaves of the walls have winding and complex patterns, which are very beautiful. In the deep courtyards, the time of the world is endless, and the narrow alleys also have a deep meaning. Locals set up stalls at the door, and strolling in the ancient city is the best time.

When you come to Xizhou, you must try Xizhou Baba, which is a special snack of Xizhou. The main raw material is flour. There are two flavors: sweet and salty. Xizhou Baba has a crispy outer skin and soft inner part, which is very popular among people.

Xizhou is definitely the biggest surprise of the Erhai Lake tour, but unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to explore many places, and we had to rush to Zhoucheng and Shuanglang in the afternoon. However, after visiting Shuanglang, I thought it would be more fun to end the first day of cycling in Xizhou.

The most photo-worthy place in Xizhou is the old telephone booth.

At the corner of a crossroads, it feels like a movie. It would be great if a couple could take a photo of their encounter here.

The second place worth photographing in Xizhou is the exterior wall of Xilinyuan.

The contrast between the yellow exterior wall and the green rice field is beautiful and worth taking a photo here.

Xizhou Ancient Town is a famous town of Bai culture with a history of thousands of years, which has a strong ethnic customs and historical and cultural atmosphere. It has the largest and best preserved Bai residential buildings. From the layout point of view, it is a typical Bai courtyard pattern of "three courtyards and one screen wall" and "four courtyards and five patios". These residential buildings are decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, overlapping brackets, upturned corners and flying eaves, gatehouses, screen walls, and gables. The colorful decorative art fully reflects the architectural talent and artistic creativity of the Bai people.

Admission is free and open all day.

The main attractions include Yan Family Courtyard, Corner Building, Xizhou Wheat Field etc.

The most notable feature of Xizhou Ancient Town is that the shops on the street are unique and very literary, unlike the mediocre Dali Ancient Town and Lijiang Ancient Town. It is highly recommended!

The reputation is greater than the actual, or the people in the ancient town who have seen it too much are not very interested in it. The only special feature is Xizhou Baba, which is actually sold everywhere in Dali. It’s okay to check in, but it’s not worth a second visit.

If you don't like to go to the ancient town, I strongly recommend you to visit the rice fields near Xilinyuan. The rice fields on the roadside from Xizhou Ancient Town to Dali Ancient Town are the most recommended. There are few tourists, so you can enjoy the beautiful scenery by yourself. During the National Day, the farmers on both sides of the road live quietly and busy, which is very enviable. Living here for a long time, they must not know how precious the blue sky and white clouds are to city people, and they don't know that even if they listen to the wind quietly, they can make people with quick minds feel the poetic life.

There is a Xilinyuan in Xizhou Ancient Town, and there is a rice field in front of Xilinyuan. They complement each other and become one. There are horse carriages in the ancient town, and you can sit in the carriage to feel the primitive customs of Xizhou. Xizhou baba is really delicious, with different flavors of sweet and salty. I haven't eaten such delicious baba all the way in Yunnan since then.

Xizhou was a major military town of the Nanzhao Kingdom and the palace of the Nanzhao King in the Tang Dynasty. Most of the houses here follow the Bai ethnic minority courtyard layout of three courtyards and one screen wall, four sides and five patios. The main house usually faces east.

Xizhou is a Bai settlement, with the most and best preserved Bai residential buildings. The Bai houses have patterns on them, and the paintings are very beautiful, which can be described as simple and elegant. I have been to Dali Ancient Town before, which is not much different from other ancient towns. Xizhou is very different, and the architectural style is a highlight.



When you arrive at Xizhou Ancient Town, you can park your car in a nearby parking lot, where there are many parking lots and the fees are not high, and then walk around the town.

Xizhou Town is actually no longer a niche place, and there are many tourists coming here during holidays.

In my opinion, Xizhou is more emotional than Dali. Maybe it’s the Bai people’s houses hidden deep in the ancient city, maybe it’s the endless winding alleys with old walls, or maybe it’s the endless rice fields. When you walk into the ancient town of Xizhou, you can feel the rich cultural atmosphere.



As an important town and transit station on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, Xizhou became a center for the caravans to trade, rest, and replenish supplies. With more than 1,000 years of history, the town has left behind flying eaves, ancient houses, and bluestone bridges, which are full of spirituality. The streets and alleys of Xizhou Ancient Town still tell these vivid stories.

Xizhou Ancient Town was called "Dali City" during the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and was one of the "Ten Towns" during the Nanzhao period. Most of the buildings inside are in the Bai ethnic group's "three courtyards and one screen wall" style. Speaking of "Xizhou", in addition to the buildings, we have to mention the broken pastry.

Baba has two flavors: sweet and salty. Two layers of charcoal are used for making it. The upper layer is a fierce fire, and the lower layer is a slow fire. After brushing lard on the finished dough, put it into the pot and bake it. During the baking process, brush the grease several times and bake it until it is fragrant and crispy.

I recommend the salty baba. The sweet baba is really not tasty. My roommate and I bought the sweet baba the second time we went there. We each took a bite and gave up...

【Xizhou Ancient Town】



It belongs to Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is located in the north of Dali City, backed by Cangshan Mountain in the west and facing Erhai Lake in the east. It was called "Dali City" during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. It was one of the "Ten Eyelids" in the Nanzhao period and the hometown of the movie "Five Golden Flowers". It is a famous historical and cultural town and one of the key overseas Chinese hometowns in Yunnan Province.



Xizhou Town has a permanent population of 63,914 (2017), including 14 ethnic groups including Bai, Han, Hui, Naxi, Dai, and Yi.

Xizhou Ancient Town is located between Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain. It has beautiful scenery surrounded by mountains and sea. There is also the typical Dali Bai ethnic minority residence "Yanjiahoulu" which is well preserved and exquisitely carved, and is worth a visit.

From Dali Ancient Town, we walked around Erhai Lake, first to Xizhou, then to Shuanglang, then to Haidong, and finally back to Dali Ancient Town (return the car).

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The plan this time was to visit three ancient towns, Dali, Xizhou and Shuanglang (Shuanglang was later abandoned due to traffic jams). Xizhou Ancient Town didn’t feel as commercialized or prosperous as Dali Ancient Town. Of course, the popular check-in spot Zhuanjiaolou was still crowded, and because of its geographical location, cars could pass through, it felt very messy and noisy. If you didn’t come before 9 am, you would have to queue up to take pictures, which was terrible...

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There are many small shops in the ancient town, including the Bai ethnic group's unique tie-dye shop, and various snack shops. The beef jerky is especially delicious, so if you like it, you might as well take some back.

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The roads in the ancient town are very wide, and the overall feeling is actually quite good (if there aren’t too many people… and indeed there aren’t too many). Some traditional Bai architecture has been preserved, and it feels pretty good to walk and eat along the way.

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Recommendation index: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Address: Xiyunju Tourist Area, Dali

Xizhou, located 18 kilometers north of the ancient city of Dali, faces Erhai Lake in the east and Cangshan Mountain in the west. It is one of the birthplaces of Dali culture. It was already a place where the Bai people lived when Liuzhao and Heman coexisted. During the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty, the world-famous "Xizhou Merchants" was formed. During the Republic of China period, it developed into a large merchant group with more than 300 households and 740 national capitalists centered on the "Four Big Houses", "Eight Middle Houses" and "Twelve Small Houses". It is a typical commercial town of the Bai people and the birthplace of Bai national capitalism. During the Republic of China period, some people lamented that "Dali is poor, Xizhou is rich", and compared Xizhou to "Little Shanghai".

Take the scenic area through bus from the tourist center to Xizhou and back, 20 yuan/person.

Sifang Street is located in the center of Xizhou Town. The old house of Yan Zizhen, one of the four major families in Xizhou and a wealthy man in Yunnan more than 100 years ago, is next to it. There was a stone archway in the center called "Timingfang", which was built in the Ming Dynasty for the Jinshi who passed the imperial examination in the town. At that time, all the villagers who won the imperial examination could carve their names on the marble of the stone archway. At that time, there were nearly 100 Jinshi and Juren in the Ming and Qing Dynasties who left their names on the title tablet.

The ancient town has hundreds of Bai residential buildings with unique characteristics from the Ming Dynasty, Qing Dynasty, the Republic of China and contemporary periods. Some of the mansions are now guesthouses, while simple and slightly weathered courtyards are everywhere.

Xizhou is a typical representative of the Bai ethnic group in Dali. Because it is not as famous as Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, few tourists come to Xizhou on purpose. However, there are many former residences of celebrities in Xizhou Ancient Town. Houjia has now become a folk custom. Yanjia is still a museum open to the public - Yanjia Courtyard. And because of Chiang Kai-shek's writing, the reputation of old man Yan Zizhen is even more prominent. We took a minibus from Shuidui Village in Dali to Xizhou, which costs 7 yuan per person. The service staff at the tourist center enthusiastically introduced how to visit Xizhou, and there is a free baggage storage service. There are snacks for sale in the ancient town, and the price is cheaper than that of Dali Ancient Town. Grandpa and grandma sat at the door of their house and chatted happily.

Compared with Shuanglang Ancient Town, Xizhou Ancient Town has fewer tourists and is much quieter. The buildings here are more distinctive, and there are more buildings with minority characteristics. Therefore, tourists who come to Xizhou Ancient Town basically come here because it is a town where the Bai people live. If you want to experience and feel the Bai customs and historical buildings, Xizhou Ancient Town is a good place. It is also very convenient to go to Xizhou Ancient Town. For example, there are tourist buses at the railway station and the South Gate Lei Cuiyuan of Dali Ancient City. It is free to enter the ancient town. It is recommended that tourists enter the ancient town from Zhengyi Gate. Please note that tickets are charged for visiting some small attractions in the ancient town. For example, Yan's Courtyard, etc., you have to buy tickets to enter and visit. However, it is also good to stroll around in the ancient town. If you want to see the sea view, this place is not suitable because it is a little far from the sea. If you just walk around the streets in the town, the play time is about 1-2 hours. Remember to taste the special food Xizhou Papa before leaving.

There are many ancient towns around Dali, and Xizhou is a good one.

The ancient town has thousands of years of cultural heritage, and the mottled walls tell of its past.

The warm morning sun shines on the golden rice fields. The pure white houses of the Bai people correspond to the golden rice fields, and the Cangshan Mountain behind them is opposite the Erhai Lake. This place is as beautiful and touching as an oil painting. There are relatively few tourists here. There are more local Bai people! The time in the morning is always in a hurry. Watching the local Bai people send their children to school, carry bamboo baskets to the market, and go to work. Time flies! The only place in Xizhou Ancient Town that sells tickets is Yan's Courtyard. The owner of Yan's Courtyard is Yan Zizhen. This buddy shows off the mountains of money in his hall like a nouveau riche, showing off his wealth to the extreme...

The decoration of the house is also extremely luxurious. Walking into the tall and complex gate with upturned corners and flying eaves, you will see the courtyard of "three courtyards and one screen wall", with calligraphy and paintings on the screen wall, swaying flowers and trees, which are full of brilliance. Entering the hall is the courtyard of "four corners and five patios", with corners and patios, and extending in all directions, like a maze. After the winding path, there is another courtyard of "four corners and five patios" with a unique world. In the deepest backyard, there is a Western-style villa quietly standing, which is completely modern in form, with a basement, balcony, corridor, floor-to-ceiling glass windows, and surrounded by flowers and bonsai, the environment is elegant and unique.

Xizhou is a quiet and elegant town. It does not have much commercial atmosphere and no bustling crowds. It is suitable for daydreaming. Step on the ancient bluestone slabs, walk through the ancient alleys, and look for the history lost in the mottled light and shadow. Xizhou Ancient Town has a history of more than a thousand years and is one of the ancient towns that have survived in the ancient city of Nanzhao. The unique architectural features of gray walls and white tiles, three courtyards and one screen wall, and four courtyards and five wells cast a mysterious veil on this quaint town. There is also a pastoral field, an old house, and several hard-working farmers, a pastoral scenery. Xizhou Baba is known as one of the must-see delicacies.

I have been to Xizhou Ancient Town countless times and I always have a great experience there. Every time I go there, I always try some Xizhou Baba and some old popsicles recommended by my friends.

Xizhou Ancient Town preserves a large number of Bai ethnic group buildings, including Yan Family Courtyard, Hou Family Courtyard, etc. In addition, there are delicious food - Xizhou Baba, popular check-in spots - Round Corner Building, Xilin Garden, White Bus, Couple Tree, Internet Celebrity Highway and other beautiful scenery. So if you want to visit Xizhou Ancient Town when traveling in Dali, it is recommended to spend at least half a day or a day to experience it slowly.

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If you want to see the Bai architecture, it is recommended to go there. We went in the morning. Compared with Dali Ancient Town and Shuanglang, there are not many tourists here, and it is relatively quiet to walk in the ancient town. When the rape flowers are in full bloom in March, you can also enjoy the flowers and take pictures in the rape flower fields next to Xilinyuan.

A specimen of rural China, with vivid ancient buildings, legends left by big families, and various special foods. I went there during the Chinese New Year, and it was full of the flavor of the New Year. Outside the ancient town is Haishe Park, the most beautiful place to see Erhai Lake.

Xizhou Ancient Town is not very big and is close to Haishe Park.

First of all, the most famous thing in Xizhou is Xizhou Zhoucheng Tie-Dyeing. I went to experience the Bai ethnic minority style for half a day. It is quite local. You can make a tie-dye yourself and take it back as a souvenir. Then, the best snack in the town is Xizhou Baba. It sounds weird. But Xizhou Baba is known as the Chinese pizza. I bought one and it tasted good. In addition, there are local snacks such as cold chicken rice noodles and rice vermicelli.

Ancient Town Xizhou

It only takes about 10 minutes to stroll around the streets of Xizhou Ancient Town, but many places are worth seeing, including history and folk customs.

Xizhou is located 18 kilometers north of the ancient city of Dali, bordering Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west. Xizhou is a town inhabited by the Bai ethnic group, who account for 88% of the total population. Bai men and women worship the color white and regard it as noble.

The center of Xizhou Town is Sifang Street, a small square surrounded by shops. There is a stone archway here, which is the "Civilization Archway" built in recent years. The original stone archway here was called "Timing Archway", which was built after several Jinshi were born in the town in the Ming Dynasty. At that time, any villager who won a title in the imperial examination could have his name engraved on the Timing Archway.

Xizhou Town used to be a military stronghold of Nanzhao and a town with cultural connotations. Speaking of the movie "Five Golden Flowers", many people know that this is the hometown of the five golden flowers. In the past, Xizhou had developed industry and commerce and was one of the commercial centers of Yunnan.

Butterfly Spring is located 1 km north of Xizhou Town, formerly known as Wuditan. Inside the Butterfly Spring, there is a stone tablet with the words "Butterfly Spring" written by Guo Moruo. On the left side is a handwritten poem about Butterfly Spring by Guo Moruo. On the back of the tablet is a diary of Xu Xiake's visit to Butterfly Spring in Dali. In his travel notes, Xu Xiake wrote: The big tree above the spring blooms flowers in early April, like butterflies, with wings and whiskers, just like real butterflies. There are also tens of thousands of real butterflies, with whiskers and hooked feet, hanging upside down from the top of the tree and reaching the surface of the spring, colorful and brilliant. Tourists come to watch them in groups from this month until after May.

Due to the prosperous commerce and the gathering of merchants, the dwellings in Xizhou are quite distinctive, including three-sided courtyards and four-sided courtyards. The three-sided courtyard is composed of three squares and a group of screen walls, which is called "three squares and one screen wall". There are ear rooms and corner patios between the gables of the two squares. The four-sided courtyard is composed of four square buildings, which are closed courtyards. There are corner patios in all four corners. Together with the courtyard, it is called "four squares and five patios". In this way, two to four or five courtyards can be formed, which is called "double courtyard". In Xizhou Town, there are more than ten "six-sided spring" style buildings with several courtyards in one entrance, represented by the Yan Family Courtyard next to Sifang Street in the town. There are as many as 99 courtyards of dwellings built during the Ming, Qing and Republic of China periods that have been preserved relatively intact.

Xizhou Ancient Town is full of very primitive Bai ethnic building complexes. The elegant colors are a bit like Jiangnan gardens, which makes people feel close. There is a towering ancient banyan tree over 400 years old near the entrance of the village. It beats all the big banyan trees we saw along the way. Standing at its foot and looking up at the treetops will make your neck sore. There is also a local earth temple Ziyunshan Temple diagonally opposite the big banyan tree, which is dedicated to the Aodou Mother Goddess. There is no one inside, and the deserted and dilapidated corridors of the house are very suitable for shooting ghost movies.

I also tried the famous Xizhou Baba, which has a traditional flavor and comes with fresh flowers. It was a bit too sweet.

Xizhou is a town inhabited by the Bai people. There are many well-preserved Bai residential buildings here. When you arrive at Xizhou Ancient Town, the first thing you see is the big banyan tree with lush branches and leaves at the head of the village. It seems that every ancient town has a Sifang Street, which means the center, and this one is no exception. This ancient town is not very big. Since we went there early, it was relatively quiet. It is worth mentioning that there are many dilapidated houses inside. Although we don’t know who the owner is, we can feel the mark of year after year through the mottled walls. It seems to be a beautiful smile. There must be many stories buried here. Shaking off is dust, and leaving behind is precious. Staying for 30 minutes is enough.

Spring is full of cherry blossoms, and rice fields have different scenery in each season

Maybe the trip was rushed, and I saw some ancient Bai buildings, but not enough to be called a "Bai Nationality Residence Museum". Maybe 3.5 points is more appropriate.

Xizhou has a history comparable to that of Dali Ancient City, but lacks the hustle and bustle of tourists.

We rode along Erhai Lake and arrived at Xizhou.

Rather than saying that I was attracted by the scenery of Xizhou, it is better to say that the food of Xizhou has won my heart ^_^. The popsicles in Qingliang Xiaowu, the cold chicken rice noodles, and the Sifang Street Food Store are REAL delicious!

The appearance of the ancient town is well preserved, and it is recommended for those who don't like tourists.

If you go to Xizhou Ancient Town, you must visit Xizhou Horse Gang Family. The horses there are gentle and handsome. Riding a horse and passing through the rice fields is really beautiful.

Xizhou is located 18 kilometers north of Dali Ancient City, bordering Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west. Xizhou is an important town inhabited by the Bai ethnic group.

Xizhou is a small Bai town that has well preserved a large number of Bai architecture and unique culture.

I went to Yunnan for fun in August 2018. When I arrived in Xizhou, it was the season when the rice was green and the sunflowers were in full bloom. I bought some flowers and took pictures with them. I was very satisfied and the environment was also good.

Sha Village, Xizhou Town, Dali. Most of the original inhabitants of the ancient town live in this village.

Xizhou Ancient Town is not big. If you are cycling around the sea, you can stop here to have a look. There is no need to stay here. Compared with Shuanglang Dali Ancient Town, it is still a little smaller. The various shops are also of similar types. You can try Xizhou Baba. There are salty and sweet ones. The sweet one is rose flavored, which is delicious. The salty one has onions and meat, which is also delicious.

The photos I took are similar to this one, with beautiful scenery, blue sky and white clouds.

Xizhou Ancient Town was formerly known as Dali City. It faces Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west. It is a Chinese characteristic town, a famous historical and cultural town in Yunnan, and the hometown of the movie "Five Golden Flowers". It has beautiful scenery such as Butterfly Spring and Zhoucheng. The sea view of Xizhou is very beautiful and it is "a must-go place for wedding photos in Dali."

A relatively simple ancient town, the overall feeling is good, about 3 kilometers away from Haishe Park. Before going to Haishe, you can go to Xizhou Ancient Town to eat some snacks and then go to Haishe Ancient Town

It looks like a quaint town (buildings), but there is nothing to eat or do. Xizhou baba is very expensive. Anyway, I will not go there next time.

It's a very ordinary town. There are food and drinks at a price. There is also parking for 5 yuan and 1 yuan per hour. If you like the style of the ancient town, you can come and visit.

One of the more famous towns in Dali, it is particularly fascinating for its Bai architecture and rice fields.

Xizhou Ancient Town has a snack street, which is common in most tourist attractions across the country, but you can still eat local snacks, such as dried ba, Xizhou baba, Ersi, fried potatoes, etc. I ate whatever I wanted along the way and finished the tour.

Of all the ancient towns in Dali, I like Xizhou the most because there are things to do and eat. The tour guide said that for people who like to visit, half a day is not enough, and for people who don't like to visit, 20 minutes is too much. I am probably the former. The most purchased items are candies. Hats, clothes, coats, shoes and bags are all new, and the total cost is only more than 200 yuan.

Xizhou popsicles are extremely delicious. It is the first time I have eaten a popsicle with real rose flowers on it. They cost 5 yuan each.

The ancient town with the most prominent Bai ethnic customs. Xizhou Baba comes from here and is delicious. Although the ancient town is also full of shops, there is no offensive hard sales. It is worth a visit.

It is 20 kilometers away from Dali Ancient Town, and the bus ticket is 7 yuan. The Yan Family Courtyard is exquisitely built and well preserved, and it is a must-see. The Haishe Park (free) 5 kilometers away from the street has reeds and seagulls, and you can get close to Erhai Lake. Great!

To be honest, there is not much to see in Xizhou. The yellow wall that is popular on the Internet is quite pretty, but as for the round-corner building, I really can’t see what’s beautiful about it.

I still recommend going to Xizhou. There is a rice field behind it which is nice. The Xizhou Red Wall mentioned on the Internet is also next to the rice field. But to be honest, this section of the road is not very good because of the management of Erhai Lake. Most of it is dirt road and very bumpy. At that time, I thought that Erhai Lake was just like this. Fortunately, I went around Erhai Lake later.

It is a quaint town, without the commercialization of other ancient towns, and without the hustle and bustle of the city. Except for the buildings with Bai characteristics, the rest of the feeling is like walking in the rural areas of the north. Most of the residents are Bai people. The buildings have a unique Bai style, with a white main body, colorful pictures, and couplets in front of every house. The people live simply in this quiet town. When we arrived, it was lunch time. The road was full of stalls selling snacks and cooked food, which looked very simple. Most of the town is farmland, and the country roads are lined with yellow rice fields. It faces Erhai Lake in the east and Cangshan Mountain in the west. There is a faint fragrance in the air. It is so quiet, and I yearn for life. Along Huanhai West Road, you can occasionally see the seaside, and there is a sense of freshness. There will be many guides in the ancient town who take tourists to visit Xizhou on "rickshaws", which saves time, effort and is cheap. If you have enough time to walk around the ancient town, it should be very pleasant, but try not to go there at noon, as the sunlight is too strong and will affect your mood, and the photos will not be so good. Noon in Yunnan is really not suitable for playing.

Xizhou Ancient Town is one of the ancient cities left over from the ancient Nanzhao Kingdom. It is also a famous Bai historical and cultural town with a thousand-year history. It is known as the only thousand-year-old ancient town in Yunnan. There are several shops selling Xizhou Baba on Sifang Street, but they close a little early. Yan's Courtyard actually closes at 5 o'clock.

There is a fortune teller in the ancient town who is a liar. He claims that he can tell your name without you saying anything. In fact, he is a liar and only wants to make money from you. Don't be fooled.