Lijiang Sifang Street

Sifang Street is located in the center of Lijiang Old Town. It is well connected with traffic and surrounded by quiet alleys. It is said that it was built by the chieftain of the Mu family in the Ming Dynasty according to the shape of his seal. It is the most important hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, merchants from all over the world have gathered here, and the cultures of various ethnic groups have intersected and thrived here. It is the center of economic and cultural exchanges in Lijiang.

Sifang Street is famous for its unique streetscape of colorful stones paved on the ground, clean water washing the streets, market at noon and washing the market at dusk. The six colorful stone streets around it follow the terrain of the mountain and radiate out, with streets and alleys connected. It is well connected and has extremely convenient transportation.

This is also a must-visit place for tourists traveling to Lijiang. It is crowded with people every day. Only in the early morning and evening is it a little quiet here, where you can relax and take a closer look.

📌It has been almost a year since I last went to Lijiang. I strolled to Sifang Street to experience the bustling ancient city. Sifang Street is the center of the entire Dayan Ancient City and the most lively and prosperous place in the ancient city. The famous bar street is nearby.

👉The further you go towards Sifang Street, the more tourists there are on the street. Because it is close to evening, the ultraviolet rays are not so strong, and many guests who have been resting in the hotel come out to hang out. Yuhe Square is a place where food gathers, and tourists come and go.

🎈I like the food in Lijiang Ancient Town the most. Although it is a little more expensive than outside, it looks very appetizing. However, after coming to Yunnan so many times, I still can't get used to the various insects here.

✅Sifang Street is indeed the most lively place in the whole ancient city. Whether it is off-season or peak season, it is always bustling with people. It's funny to say that I have been to Sifang Street so many times, but I have never been to a bar here.

Sifang Street is a snack street in the ancient city. There are dozens of small restaurants on both sides of the street. Each restaurant has a variety of rice noodles unique to Yunnan, so this street is also called "Lijiang Rice Noodle Street". Sifang Street is the center of Lijiang Ancient City. It is said that it was built in the shape of the seal of the Mu chieftain in the Ming Dynasty. It is the most important hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, merchants from all over the world have gathered here, and the cultures of various ethnic groups have intersected and thrived here. It is the center of economic and cultural exchanges in Lijiang.

We walked around the ancient city the night before. The ancient city at night was full of lights, wine and women, and there was ambiguity and temptation everywhere. It was obvious that we didn't fit in, so we decided to go shopping during the day. The next day, in order to avoid the 80 yuan maintenance fee, we entered the ancient city early. At this time, the ancient city was quiet and peaceful, without the impetuousness and noise of the night. This is the ancient city in my heart.

In order to go to Wangulou on Lion Mountain (this name always feels strange), I came to Sifang Street in Lijiang Ancient Town from Zhongyi Night Market. I think it is more accurate to call it a square rather than a street. Sifang Street existed as early as the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, and it has a rectangular layout. As an important trade hub on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, it was once a distribution center for materials in northwest Yunnan. The ground paved with Wuhua stone has been polished as smooth as a mirror by horseshoes for hundreds of years. Four main streets and dozens of alleys radiate from the square, forming a spider web pattern. In the evening, it is a natural stage for song and dance performances. The existing Ming and Qing architectural complexes on Sifang Street fully retain the characteristics of Naxi folk houses with "three squares and one screen wall", and historical sites such as Kegongfang and Ayicanjing are scattered among them.

Sifang Street is the heart of Lijiang Ancient Town. The stone pavement is mottled with traces of time. Surrounded by antique buildings, it feels like stepping into a time tunnel. In the morning, mist lingers and the fragrance of tea fills the air; at night, lights are dim and music is melodious. Here, Naxi culture is intertwined with modern customs. Every corner is a story and every small shop hides a surprise. Wandering in the bustling market, tasting authentic snacks, or just sitting quietly by the water and watching people coming and going, are all unforgettable experiences. Sifang Street is a beautiful corner where the soul can rest.

The center of Dayan Ancient Town is Sifang Street Square. The so-called "Sifang" means that the streets and alleys scatter in all directions. There are six main streets around Sifang Street, which lead to Sifang Street from different directions. "Visitors from all directions gather here", so it is named because of its "four-way access".

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Sifang Street was the distribution center for the tea-horse trade. Horses, wool, leather, and medicinal materials were transported from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to Lijiang; tea, ironware, copperware, sugar, and grain were transported to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau via Lijiang. Today, Sifang Street is still the busiest place in the ancient city.

Sifang Street is a street of snacks in the ancient city. There are dozens of small restaurants on both sides of the street. Each restaurant has rice noodles unique to Yunnan, and there are many kinds. Therefore, this street is also called "Lijiang Rice Noodle Street". Sifang Street is the center of Lijiang Ancient City. It is said that it was built in the shape of the seal of the Mu chieftain in the Ming Dynasty. It is the most important hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, merchants from all over the world have gathered here, and the cultures of various ethnic groups have intersected and thrived here. It is the center of economic and cultural exchanges in Lijiang.

Sifang Street is located in the center of Lijiang Old Town. It is well connected with traffic and surrounded by quiet alleys. It is said that it was built by the chieftain of the Mu family in the Ming Dynasty according to the shape of his seal. It is the most important hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, merchants from all over the world have gathered here, and the cultures of various ethnic groups have intersected and thrived here. It is the center of economic and cultural exchanges in Lijiang.

Sifang Street is famous for its unique streetscape of colorful stones paved on the ground, clean water washing the streets, market at noon and washing the market at dusk. The six colorful stone streets around it follow the terrain of the mountain and radiate out, with streets and alleys connected. It is well connected and has extremely convenient transportation.

Sifang Street is located in the center of Lijiang Ancient Town. It has convenient transportation and is surrounded by quiet alleys. It is said that it was built in the shape of the seal of the Mu chieftain in the Ming Dynasty.

The colors are highly saturated, and the flowers, bridges, flowing water, and people are very lively.

In the center of Lijiang Old Town, there is a bonfire party every night

You can take a stroll in Sifang Street in Lijiang Basin after dinner.

In the center of Lijiang Ancient Town, the bonfire party is very lively at night.

Sifang Street in Lijiang Ancient Town is one of the most prosperous places!

Lijiang Ancient Town is becoming more and more commercialized, but Sifang Street feels unchanged. It is the core of the ancient town, with four main streets extending from the center. The square folk dances here are still a feature!

Sifang Street is the center of Lijiang Dayan Ancient Town. Lijiang Ancient Town is an ancient town developed based on Sifang Street. Sifang Street is synonymous with Lijiang Ancient Town.

Some of the shops in Lijiang Old Town are very fashionable.

After dinner, I went for a walk.

I found that the more I walked, the more people there were, especially in the bar street area, with all kinds of lights and smoke.

There are also local Naxi people dancing around torches with tourists on Sifang Street.

Very lively

It's quite big and you can walk around slowly at night. There are also many places to eat.

Sifang Street is located in the center of Lijiang Ancient Town. Merchants have gathered here since the Ming Dynasty. It is a hub on the Ancient Tea-Horse Road and the Southern Silk Road. It was at its peak during the Republic of China period and was known as "Little Hong Kong".

Lijiang Ancient Town is a place where you need to slow down, especially in the early morning, when the ancient town is so quiet. Only at this time can you appreciate the charm of the ancient town. Unlike other times, it makes people feel noisy and irritable.

Sifang Street in the center of Dayan Ancient Town is a famous snack street. There are dozens of small restaurants on both sides of the short and narrow street. Basically, every restaurant has Yunnan's unique rice noodles, including casserole rice noodles and boiled rice noodles. Therefore, this street is known as the "Lijiang Rice Noodle Street". In addition, if you want to eat cheap or local snacks, you can go to various farmers' markets. There are also many local snacks in Huadu Commercial City on Xinda Street, which is open until after 2 a.m.

Sifang Street is famous for its unique streetscape of colorful stones paved on the ground, clean water washing the streets, market at noon and washing the market at dusk. The six colorful stone streets around it follow the terrain of the mountain and radiate out, with streets and alleys connected. It is well connected and has extremely convenient transportation.

Sifang Street is the center of Lijiang Ancient Town. It was originally a trade market for the Naxi people in Lijiang. Now it no longer functions as a trade market, but the custom of the Naxi people performing their traditional dances in this place every morning continues.

They form a circle around the city and dance in national costumes to the accompaniment of Naxi music. Many tourists also join their team.

It's nice to just wander around the ancient city...

Sifang Street is the central intersection of Lijiang. All the larger streets lead to here. Naxi people dance here every morning and afternoon.

Sifang Street should be the central location of Lijiang, with a relatively large open space.

The famous Sifang Street is full of noisy bars and bright lights at night.

I am not too interested, I still like the quiet ancient city

Lijiang Sifang Street is actually a small square with many places to eat, drink and have fun, especially various small bars with unique features. The singing of resident singers can be heard from time to time. The elderly were a little tired so they didn't go in, but many people were playing here, which made it quite lively.

In the ancient city of Lijiang, the check-in spots and ancient street buildings are full of commercial flavor.

The commercial street in Lijiang Ancient Town is very beautiful, but still a bit commercialized.

If you want to experience the real Lijiang, Sifang Street is a very good choice. It is the center of the entire ancient town. There are always some performances here. During major festivals, this is where they gather.

Lijiang Sifang Street is very lively at night.

Tourists come and go, looking a lot but buying little.

After getting up in the morning, go for a walk and experience the slow life!

A bar street in Lijiang Old Town, with a meter of sunshine

Sifang Street is the core of the ancient city. Four main streets extend from the center of the street. It is a famous snack street, bar street, shopping street, and the most lively landmark in the ancient city. When visiting near Sifang Street, a street full of paper umbrellas attracted us. It was in one of the alleys near Sifang Street.

Sifang Street is also known as Bar Street. It is very lively and almost every bar has resident singers. If you are interested, you can go in and sit down. But don't believe in any romantic encounters, they are all wine-selling scams. If you are not careful, you will be cheated.

When night falls, Sifang Street is the most lively place in Lijiang Ancient Town. There is a big brazier in the middle. People gather here, it is so lively. The bars here also impressed me very much. No one solicits customers, but there are many people in each bar. It is different from Houhai in Beijing, where people are chasing you all the way to solicit customers, which really makes you lose the interest of sitting down and listening to music.

Sifang Street came first, then Lijiang Old Town. Sifang Street is the center of Lijiang Dayan Old Town. Lijiang Old Town is an ancient town developed on the basis of Sifang Street. Sifang Street is synonymous with Lijiang Old Town.

There are a lot of people here, and the strong commercial atmosphere is mixed with the noise of the bars along the street. Through the large glass windows in every bar, you can see the seductive and charming bodies on the dance floor, swaying in the lights and wine, but I don’t like such a noisy nightlife.

In addition to the densely populated flower cake shops, there are also hand drum shops with a strong Yunnan style. The song "Little Baby" in the noisy air is a melody that friends who have been there will never forget, right?

In almost every store, there is a female storekeeper dressed in chic clothes, who beats the hand drum to the rhythm, sings songs and greets the customers passing by with a smile. If there are several tourists looking in front of a store, or even taking pictures, then there must be a very beautiful female storekeeper inside, the kind of beauty that is a feast for the eyes.

Besides the smoky and foul areas, there are also relatively quiet areas in Sifang Street.

Sifang Street is the center of the ancient city. Several streets start here. It is a small square that leads to all directions.

It has become a popular shopping street, with souvenirs and food sold everywhere.

Walk for a while, take a tour bus for a while, no time to take a good look

Lijiang Tourism Popularity

If I hadn't walked around Sifang Street this evening

I really didn't know it was so popular.

In the narrow streets

Huge crowds of people

Shoulder to shoulder

The night is so beautiful

Remove the crowds on the streets

It seems that the prosperity and hustle and bustle of the ancient city faded away in an instant.

Restore the historical flavor of this ancient city

Accompanied by the characteristics of Naxi ethnic ancient architecture

It's like traveling through time

A thousand years at a glance

If I hadn't walked around Sifang Street at night, I really wouldn't have known it was so popular. The narrow streets were crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder. I didn't know what I could take pictures of with a micro single-lens camera, unless I looked up at the sky, accompanied by the ancient buildings with lights on, and the azure blue sky after sunset.

Go for a walk on the street at night and take a look at the various small shops on the street.

Sifang Street, the iconic attraction of Lijiang Ancient Town.

商業化太重，全是店鋪，而且都大同小異

Here is the general guide of Lijiang

Lijiang Travel Guide (Part 1)

1. Transportation:

1. Book a flight ticket four days in advance for about 600 yuan (Guiyang to Lijiang, about an hour and a half)

2. Take a minibus from Dali to Lijiang, 80 yuan per person (about two and a half hours)



2. Accommodation:

The center of Lijiang Ancient Town is Sifang Street, near which there are several very good hotels: "Old House

”, “Open Sesame”...These hotels have good reviews.



3. Food:

1. Flower cakes are indispensable, with good color, aroma and taste, a Yunnan specialty! In addition, I recommend the yogurt rose cake from Jiahua Flower Cake. Yogurt refers to yogurt, and it tastes good after trying it!



2. Don't try the cured pork ribs, they are too salty and too expensive... In short, the local specialties in the ancient city are not very appetizing and are also very expensive: the ones that should be light are too salty; the ones that should be spicy are too sweet... emmm... A small portion of scrambled eggs with tomatoes (about one egg and half a tomato, not delicious) can cost 38 yuan 😅 But the ones outside the ancient city are not bad, not that expensive, and there are also some restaurants that are more appetizing.



3. Learn more about fresh flower tea, which also has good color, aroma and taste. In addition, many companies fill large fish tanks with fresh flower tea and raise goldfish to prove that the flower tea is healthy and additive-free. It is really eye-catching!



4. For drinks, there is also the "Tiramisu" from "Guomai Handmade Drinks". The ingredients are clean and the taste is amazing. You will want to drink it again!



5. For snacks, I recommend a fruit and cake shop called "Mao Duoli". It is cheap and delicious, highly recommended!



6. The bar street is built along the river. There is a "Whole Octopus Ball" restaurant on the left bank of the river. The restaurant serves octopus balls with a small octopus inside. It tastes great and is worth a try!

There are performances in the Sifang Street in the ancient city in the afternoon and evening. There is a bonfire in the Sifang Street at night, and many people dance around it, which is very lively.

There are many unique bars and shops on Lijiang Sifang Street, but there are so many people during the peak season that it is almost impossible to get in. People just take a look and run away quickly.

I went to Lijiang with a bestie in April, the most beautiful time. The thing that impressed me most was the altitude sickness. I used up two bottles of oxygen and didn't dare to go to the top of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. I went down the mountain to the inn after seeing the scenery after the cable car... I had altitude sickness as soon as I left Lijiang city😂😂😂, I like Lijiang bar nightlife💋💋

The sunset in the ancient city is very late, and it will be completely dark after 8:30 pm. The busiest place is Sifang Street, whether it is day or night. Of course, the most expensive place is also here. If you choose to buy souvenirs, it is more affordable to go to places a little further away, and the quality is generally the same. There is a place near the big stone bridge on Sifang Street where you can put water lanterns, which is very beautiful.

I went there 10 years ago. The big red lanterns all over the street are my favorite. Although there are shops along the street, they are still fresh and clean. I saw an old man sitting on a small stool reading a book, so I took a photo. As a result, the old man stood up and asked me for a dollar.

The snack street in Sifang Street in Lijiang Ancient Town is pretty good. You can go there to taste it. It can solve a meal. Lijiang Baba, chicken bean jelly, Naxi fried rice, roasted wild boar trotters, Naxi roasted fish, local salmon, rice sausage, fried soy milk tofu, can really make people's appetite. Of course, Naxi cured ribs are also a feature, in the form of soup pot. After eating the ribs, you can also blanch other dishes. We ate it twice. The ribs tasted really good, but it was a little expensive to eat in the ancient city. However, Lijiang's music restaurant is indeed very unique.

The whole ancient street has a sense of tranquility, just like a small bridge and flowing water. The commercial atmosphere is not very strong, and you will feel different if you really walk. The Garden Inn is very beautiful and the owner is very nice. Almost every inn will have a tea table to welcome guests to drink tea, like rain and flowers.

The ancient city is not very big. After walking around for a while, you will reach Sifang Street. There are many bars here, which can be called a bar street. The scenery is still good.

There is Sifang Street in Shuhe Ancient Town and Lijiang Ancient Town, which is probably a feature of the planning of the nearby ancient cities.

I was chatting with a young lady and an older lady at the 88 Bar on Sifang Street in the center of the ancient city. The wine in the bar was relatively expensive, a few dozen yuan for a small bottle, and the three of us drank more than a thousand yuan.

At two o'clock in the afternoon, we caught a performance by the Naxi people at Sifang Street Square.

Lijiang Ancient Town is quaint and has a slow pace of life. It's really nice to go shopping and eat delicious food. There are so many options.

Nowadays, the commercial atmosphere is too strong. When I went there in 2000, people could still dance in circles in the square of Sifang Street after dinner. Now I can only take a photo in front of the stone plaque of Sifang Street to show that I have been there.

The public toilets in Lijiang are really five-star. It's an ancient town full of girls selling things. You won't want to leave once you go there.

I definitely went to Sifang Street, but I didn't take a picture of the location. It looked like there were a lot of people selling things.

The center of the ancient city. You will pass by here when you enter from the north gate and go to Wuyi Street, Qiyi Street and some inns. There are bar streets, various snack shops, and bonfire parties of Naxi elders at night. There are many tourists. The bars here are average, but the location is better.

This place is just like its name, with many exits in all directions. It is said that Sifang Street used to be where caravans transported goods for trading, but now it has become the most lively place in Lijiang Ancient Town.

Go north along Sifang Street and East Street and you will reach the famous check-in spot, the Big Waterwheel.

The tree that impressed me the most was probably the one in the square. I can’t remember if it was a ginkgo tree or something else.

Sifang Street is indeed a good place to daydream and bask in the sun, but the singing coming out of the windows on the second floor of the four sides is really chaotic, just competing for the power and volume of the speakers, which disrupts the leisure. I don’t know which desperate wanderer learned a few chords and went to each bar to sell, and even played the tambourine so loudly that it really proved the saying that Lijiang is not Lijiang.

In fact, just a little drum beat and the song in your heart will flow naturally.

Although Lijiang Old Town is a bit commercialized, it does not affect its beauty at all. It has its own characteristics during the day and at night.

Walk left from Guanmenkou and you will reach Sifang Street. Sifang Street is the most popular street, but it is also a place that many people criticize for being too commercialized.

There were a lot of people, and we just had a quick look around. The bar next to it was very lively at night. The renovation of the ancient city has improved a bit, and at least safety can be guaranteed.

Very casual, very ethnic. Worth a visit.

There are few people in the off-season, which is very charming.

There is a bonfire party at 8 o'clock every night in Sifang Street of the ancient city. Naxi women dancing around the fire in their national costumes with "sun and moon on shoulders and seven stars on back". Enthusiastic tourists also join them, dancing in circles hand in hand, feeling the passion that life should have and the happiness and warmth without barriers and worries between people.

I have always had an inexplicable love for ancient towns, including Wuzhen in Zhejiang, Wuyuan in Jiangxi, Lijiang in Yunnan, and I love Sifang Street even more. Compared with the ancient towns in the south of the Yangtze River, the colors here are more vivid. I like the ancient inns here, the dazzling array of handicrafts here, the sound of hand drums chanting, and the small bars in the dimly lit areas at night.