【Dec-Jan】Dali -Shangrila-Lijiang Small Group Tour

 6 Days · 6 Nights  

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Yunnan has always stood apart from the rest of China, set high on the empire’s barbarous southwestern frontiers, and shielded from the rest of the nation by the unruly, mountainous neighbours of Sichuan and Guizhou. Within this single province, and dwelling among a stew of border markets, mountains, jungles, lakes, temples, modern political intrigue and remains of vanished kingdoms are 28 recognized ethnic groups, the greatest number in any province. Providing almost half the population and a prime reason to visit Yunnan in themselves, the indigenous list includes Dai and Bai, Wa, Lahu, Hani, Jingpo, Nu, Naxi and Lisu plus a host shared with other provinces (such as the Yi or adjoining nations. Each minority has its own spoken language, cuisine, distinctive form of dress for women, festivals and belief system, and with enough time you sho

History of Dali can be dates back to 1382 during the Ming Dynasty and it has been listed among the top historic cities of China.

Unlike any other Chinese town, the traditional Bai ethnic folk houses give the town distinctive feel. The town's layout was uniform, with five main streets from south to north and eight main streets from east to west, while marketplaces were neatly arranged within the town, which has remained unchanged to this date. Besides the Bai houses, the houses with gray-green roof tiles, peculiar workshops, temples, schools and churches with antique flavor are scattered. Traditional marble artworks, like pencil vases, striped screen, and a variety of woven handicrafts of fine straw are laid chockablock on both sides of the street to be appreciated and purchased. Its grand city wall, traditional Bai houses and marvelous scenery have been attracted many visitors.

✨ Top Sites to Explore in Dali Ancient City

Old City Gate Towers

The city gate towers stand each side of the old city like the soldiers protecting the old town. The six city gate towers include Wenxian Tower, South Gate, North Gate, Cangshan Gate, Erhai Gate and Wuhua Tower.

Wenxian Tower

Wenxian Tower is called "The First Gate of Dali Old Town". In the reign of Kangxi in Qing Dynasty (1701), the chief commander of Yunnan Province named Piantu inscribed "A Historic Town with Rich Culture" (文献名邦) and hence the tower got the name.

South Gate

South Gate is also called Double Crane Tower or Cheng'en Tower, with a history over 600 years. This gate is the oldest building of Dali Old Town and become the symbol of the ancient town. The inscription "Da Li" on the city wall was inscribed by Guo Moruo, a famous modern Chinese writers.

Wuhua Tower

Wuhua Tower was first built in the year of 856 in Nanzhao for gathering and meeting. This symbolic architecture has five storeys offering a panoramic view of Dali Old Town, Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake.

North Gate

The North Gate is called Anyuan Gate or Santa Gate which was first built in 1382. North Gate is the closest gate to Three Pagodas of Dali, about 1.5 kilometers away. Standing on the North Gate, travelers can have a look at Three Pagodas from afar.

Cangshan Gate

Cangshan Gate is the West Gate, also called Yongzhen Tower. It is about 2 kilometers from Cangshan Gate to Tianlongbabu Film Studio and Cangshan Mountain.

Erhai Gate

Erhai Gate is the East Gate, also called Tonghai Tower. It is about 5 kilometers from Erhai Gate to Longkan Pier of Erhai Lake.

Old Streets

Travelers should not miss the famous "Foreigner Street", Fuxing Road and Renmen Road, etc.

The 1500-meter Fuxing Road is the main street and the busiest street in Dali Old Town, linking South Gate and North Gate. The architecture along Fuxing Road keeps Ming and Qing Dynasty style and river flows through the street. The north section of Fuxing Road is mainly for selling clothes and daily goods while the south section is mainly tourist commodities and souvenirs.

"Foreigner Street" is in the upper section of Huguo Road with a length of 185.6 meters. Travelers can see many friends from all over the world and find Chinese and Western restaurants, jewelry shops, tie-dye shops, antique shops, art galleries, bars...

The 1200-meter Renmin Road is the second Foreigner Street with many bars, hostels and restaurants. This east-west street leads to Erhai Gate.

Old Temples & Churches

Another OLD aspect in Dali Old Town is temples and churches. These old sites include Dali Old Town Wumiao Temple, Catholic Church located between Renmin Road and Hongjin Road, and Christian Church located in the north of the town, close to the Second Hospital.

Museums

Travelers can catch the chance to explore the museums in the town, including Dali Museum, China Dali Rural Film History Museum and Dali Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum where you can learn more history and culture of Dali and Bai Ethnic Group.

Dali Erhai Lake (Ear-shaped Sea) in Dali, at 1972 meters above sea level, is the second largest highland lake of Yunnan, after Dianchi Lake. With crystal clear water and the charming landscape, Erhai Lake is reputed as "Pearl of Plateau". Hence, "Silver Cangshan Mountain and Jade Erhai Lake" is used to depict the amazing scene of Erhai Lake.

In size, the north-south length of Erhai Lake is 40 kilometers and the East-West width is roughly 9 kilometers. Inside the Erhai Lake, there are different kinds of famous landscape, like "Three Islands", "Four Continents", "Five Lakes", "Nine Bends". It is sandwiched between the Cangshan Mountain to the west and Dali City. It starts at Dengchuan at its northern extremity and finishes at Xiaguan city in the south. Dali Old Town, Three Pagodas of Dali, Xizhou Ancient Town, Zhoucheng, Butterfly Spring and Shangguan Flower Garden are on its west bank while Shuanglang Old Town, Wase Village, Haidong Village and are on its east bank.

Usually, there are three ways to explore Erhai Lake - by boat, hiking or cycling. Taking a boat to sailing on the Erhai Lake can have leisure sightseeing about the islands in the lake while riding a bicycle or electric motorcycle is an enjoyable way to explore historical sites along Erhai Lake. If you like, you can also choose your favorite section of the loop for some leisure hiking.

Top Sites to Explore around Erhai Lake

Erhai Park (洱海公园)

Erhai Park, located in the southern tip of Erhai Lake, is the best site to view beautiful scene of Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain. Standing at the lake edge, it is a steady climb up with 270 stone steps leading to two viewing decks - the Observation Pavilion and Long Corridor where stunning Erhai Lake vistas await. When you first reach Dali in Xiaguan, you can pay a visit to Erhai Park, either have leisurely walk or take cruise at Erhai Lake Port to other islands of Erhai Lake. No entrance fee is needed to visit Erhai Park.

Xizhou Village (喜洲古镇)

Xizhou Village, located about 18 kilometers north from Dali Old Town, is a typical town with Bai's characters with over 1000 years' history. Taking a visit to Xizhou, you'll catch the best chance to enjoy Bai's typical architectures and houses as well as taste the Bai People's "Three Courses of Tea". To have full understanding of Bai's architecture, it is recommended to visit Yan Family's Courtyard to know more about "Three Rooms and a Wall Screening", "Four Joints and Five Courtyards" which are decorated with woodcarvings, colored patterns, marbles and wash drawings.

Zhoucheng (周城)

Zhoucheng is located in the north of Xizhou Ancient Town, west side of Erhai Lake. It is called the "Land for National Tie-dye" where travelers can learn how to make a tie-dyed cloth. Visit one of Bai's family workshops and see the local Bai people use traditional tie-dye techniques to make cloth. In the family workshop, you'll appreciate colorful tie-dyed clothes, caps, bags, etc. Bright colors, an unlimited variety of patterns and color combinations, and the simplicity of the techniques contribute to its enduring appeal.

Shuanglang Town (双廊)

Shuanglang, the most scenic town around Erhai Lake, is located in the north of Dali and the northeast of Erhai Lake. For over a thousand years, the local Bai ethnic people here made their living fishing in the lake. And now the small tranquil village is popular with visitors unwinding and enjoying a slower tempo. Enjoy several hours or a peaceful night here to explore among the old alleys and traditional architecture or take a boat out on Erhai Lake or kick back and do very little.

Chinese: 丽江古城 Lìjiāng Gǔchéng /lee-jyang goo-chnng/ 'Old Town of Lijiang'

Lijiang was a former trading town and a stop for traders carrying goods on the Ancient Tea Horse Road. Lijiang didn't become an important town on the Ancient Tea Horse Road until the end of the Southern Song (1127-1279) and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).

During the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, about 1,000 families inhabited Lijiang Old Town. The town continued to grow, and it reached a peak during the Ming (AD 1368-1644) and Qing (AD 1644-1911) dynasties.

In 1996, there was a big earthquake of magnitude 7.0 on the Richter Scale in Lijiang. Houses, bridges and waterworks were rebuilt, renovated and restored.

It was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997.

The architecture of the old town is noteworthy for the blending of elements from several cultures. The town also possesses an ancient water supply system of great complexity and ingenuity.

✨ The Highlights You Should Not Miss

👉 The Three Parts of the Old Town of Lijiang

Three ancient districts are included in the World Heritage List in 1997: Dayan Old Town, Baisha Quarter and Shuhe Ancient Town. The three old districts retain a special character of old Naxi and Han construction and Naxi customs, arts and culture.

Dayan Old Town is paved with cobbled stone throughout and lined with many shops selling local tea, snacks and souvenirs. The old town is best viewed from above, so try and find a rooftop spot to get a look at the beautiful overview.

The Baisha Quarter and the Shuhe District are less developed than the Dayan Ancient City District. So to see more traditionally decorated buildings and the older construction, Baisha Quarter and Shuhe are the places to go.

👉 The Waterworks System

The waterworks system is an important engineering feature of the town mentioned in the UNESCO World Heritage List description. The people took advantage of the Jade River to build a complex water system that people liken to the canal system of Venice.

The river flows from the north of the town, divides into 3 tributaries, and then divides into many streams that flow through courtyards and past houses in a southerly direction.

The streams were channeled into ponds or basins for use. However, modern construction and sewage problems have destroyed much of the original waterworks.

👉 Naxi Culture

Naxi culture is special because the people are less modernized and the people developed a writing system, a music style, and a religion different than the majority of Chinese.

The Naxi writing system uses hieroglyphs instead of Chinese characters. The Naxi are the only people who still use hieroglyphs to write in the world. However, only a handful of Naxi, perhaps ten people, who are almost all elderly people now know how to read the glyphs.

The Naxi traditional music style has a long history. You can hear people playing their instruments in the Dayan Ancient City District. An orchestra of Naxi musicians performs there regularly. Since the little town was influenced by people from other lands who passed though, their music probably incorporated the styles and instruments of ethnic groups in a wide region.

Chinese: 玉龙雪山 Yùlóng Xuěshān /yoo-long sshwair-shan/ 'Jade Dragon Snow Mountain'

Located between 10004'-10016'east longitude and 2703'-2740' north latitude, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Mountain) is the southernmost glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. Consisting of 13 peaks, among which Shanzidou is the highest with an altitude of 5,600 meters (18,360 feet), the mountain stretches a length of 35 kilometers (22 miles) and a width of 20 kilometers (13 miles). Looking from Lijiang Old Town in the south which is 15 kilometers (nine miles) away, the snow-covered and fog-enlaced mountain resembles a jade dragon lying in the clouds, hence the name.

According to the research of geologists, for about 400 million years the area around Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was the ocean and it was during the last 600 thousand years that the different landscapes had come into being because of the uprising of the lithosphere. Archaic legend about this mysterious and beautiful place goes like this: Once upon a time, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain were twins. They had lived on panning in Golden Sand River until one day an evil fiend usurped the river. The brothers were very brave and had a fierce fight with the fiend, Haba died in the fight and Jade Dragon drove off the fiend after wearing out 13 swords. For guarding the people and preventing the return of the fiend, Jade Dragon held the 13 swords in hands day and night. As time passed, the brothers had turned into the two snow mountains, and the 13 swords had become the 13 peaks. The mountain is a holy place for the local Naxi people not only because of the legend, but also because long time ago, it was a place for young lovers to sacrifice their young lives in honor of true love and to escape from the arranged marriages and feudal ethics.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is a sanctuary for rare animals and wild plants. In fact, one fourth of all plant species in China can be found here and 20 primeval forest communities shelter a big family of 400 types of trees and 30 kinds of animals which are protected by the state. These species live in different temperature levels and create different kinds of views. The 13 peaks, which have the altitudes of at least 4,000 meters, are covered by snow all year round; the mountain is also called the "Natural Glacier Museum" for it has all types of glacier. Move down from the mountaintop and you can see rivers and pools, which are formed by the thawed snow water running along the valley and through the forests. The plants and the animals are different according to the altitude, so are the views. Every sight brings you a surprise and every step takes you to a new scene.  Each of the meadows on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain has its own special character due to their different landscape and height. For instance, Spruce Plateau (Yunshan Plateau) is grassland with gigantic spruces whilst Ganhaizi (Dry Sea Meadow) used to be a highland lake as its name tells, the meadow was formed after the water had dried up. Besides, the Glacier Park in Jade Dragon Snow Mountain consists of the Stone Caves formed by glacial erosion.

Shangri-La, formerly known as Zhongdian County, is the capital of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province in southern China. Shangri-la is a Tibetan word meaning a land of sacredness and peace.

Shangri-La is unique for its Tibetan culture and alpine landscapes including sacred snow-capped mountains and spectacular gorges.

Xizhou Village lies in the fertile strip of land between beautiful Erhai Lake and Cangshan Mountain. In this area, protected by the lake and the mountain, the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms had the capital of their extensive territories. These kingdoms were accomplished in architecture and engineering as can be seen from the still standing Three Pagodas located between Xizhou and Dali and other sites nearby. Later, during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Xizhou prospered on the southern silk road, and the area's tea and marble products were traded all over Asia. Bai merchants traveled all over Asia. Through the long era of trade in tea, horses, marble, and other goods between this part of China and Tibet and Burma, Xizhou was an enclave for prosperous merchants, officials, and scholars. Bai families emphasized academics, and during the Ming Dynasty scholars who passed the national examinations were publically honored by having their names written in the public square at the center of the village.

Zhoucheng is located in the north of Xizhou Ancient Town, west side of Erhai Lake. It is called the "Land for National Tie-dye" where travelers can learn how to make a tie-dyed cloth. Visit one of Bai's family workshops and see the local Bai people use traditional tie-dye techniques to make cloth.

Chinese: 虎跳峡 Hǔtiào Xiá /hoo-tyaoww sshyaa/ 'Tiger Leaping Gorge'

Depth: at a maximum depth of 3,790 meters (12,434 feet)

Length: 18 kilometers (11 miles)

About 100 kilometers (62 miles) northwest of Lijiang Old Town lying between Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (Yulong Xueshan) and Haba Snow Mountain (Haba Xueshan) is Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Gorge), which is one of the deepest gorges in the world. From the top of the gorge you look down the steeply angled (70-90 degrees) mountain sides to the rushing Golden Sands (Jinsha) River with its 18 frothing rapids more than 200 meters (about 700 feet) below.

Naturally divided into three sections, the first section, which is the narrowest and uppermost section, is the mouth of the fast flowing Jingsha River. In the midst of the river's mouth is a large rock that is positioned at the gorge's narrowest section-only 30 meters (33 yards) wide. The altitude of the mouth of the Tiger Leaping Gorge is 1,800m (984 fathoms).

An ancient legend says that a tiger used this rock as its stepping stone so it could leap across from one side of the gorge to the other, which is how the place got its name.

As the river enters the middle section, it drops another 100 meters (330 feet) and its flow rate increases to an amazing speed. Here the thunderous rushing waters slam into sharp, large rocks and crash down into the river forming swirling whirlpools. Can it get more exciting? Yes, it can as the third and lowest section is acclaimed for being the wildest attraction of all!

The cliffs over-looking this section are even steeper and much more dangerous. Here, the river twists and turns and the river vigorously surges  forward creating high waves and a frothy spew as it collides with the mountainsides. This is a view that inspires a sense of adventure and satisfies the deepest yearnings for magnificent scenery.

✨ Hiking Tips

1. It’s quite popular to hike along the gorge, and you can follow the signs made by other visitors along the way.

2. This is a great sightseeing stop with enormous photo opportunities. But the Tiger Leaping Gorge tour is long, so you are not suggested to bring many bags. Bring your camera, wear skidproof shoes, and be prepared to be astonished. Besides, 1-2 bottles of water are necessary.

3. Some difficulties may occur in the hiking along Tiger Leaping Gorge, you can choose to ride the local horse on the way.

4. The best time to visit the Tiger Leaping Gorge is April – June and September & October due to the good weather condition.

About 13.5 miles (22km) southwest and 40 minutes’ drive from Shangri-la downtown area, Potatso National Park covers an area of 115 square miles and ranges from 3,827 yards to 4,548 yards high. It is renowned for well-preserved primitive landscape, which is endowed with lakes, wetlands, forests, meadows, streams, brooks, rare plants and animals. Meanwhile, Tibetan culture and custom are also component parts of the park.

As the first national park on the Chinese mainland, Potatso was open to visitors in 2007. In the park, there are three main scenic areas open to visitors: Bita Lake in the south, Shudu Lake which is a part of Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area in the north and Militang Alpine Pasture in the middle. The sightseeing buses run among these scenic spots and stop at fixed stations. Passengers can get on and off freely with one ticket. As Bita Lake is a sacred place and Tibetan Buddhists walk around it clockwise for good luck, visitors are advised to sightsee clockwise too, in an order of Shudu Lake, Militang, and Bita Lake. Travel route in the park is about 42 miles (69 kilometers) and it takes about 4 – 6 hours to cover all the spots.

Chinese: 松赞林寺, Sōngzànlín Sì 

Being the largest Tibetan Buddhist monastery in Yunnan, Songzanlin Monastery, also known as Guihua Monastery, is one of the famous monasteries in the Kang region. It is located near Shangri -La County, at the foot of Foping Mountain.

Construction of the monastery began in 1679 and was completed two years later. The monastery seems like a group of ancient castles and is composed of two lamaseries, Zhacang and Jikang. The gilded copper roof endows the monastery with strong Tibetan features and the 108 (an auspicious number in Buddhism) columns downstairs also feature the it with characteristics of Han nationality. The main halls in the monastery are magnificent, and on both the left and right sides are wonderful frescos, depicting Buddhist tales and legends. The inside-halls are exquisite with cloisters running through. The cloisters are all decorated with beautiful sculptures and consummate frescos.

The monastery is full of treasures. There are a lot of golden figures of Buddha josses, golden lamps, Tibetan lections, silver censers and so on. All of these are wonderful collections accumulated from each dynasty. They are precious productions made by people of both Tibet nationality and Han nationality.

Songzanlin Monastery has another alias - 'the little Potala Palace ', so named because the whole monastery is in the traditional style with mysterious atmosphere. In 1679, Dalailama chose this place by divination, and it went on to become the uppermost public place in Yunan which features the particular local characteristics. Annually, the Gedong Festival is celebrated here by the Tibetans. Pious believers, with their knees and foreheads knocking the ground at every step, come here to pray.

This is the original old town of Shangri-La. It is also known as Dorkhar in Tibetan.
While over half of the old town was destroyed in a fire back in January of 2014, the re-construction process took place shortly after. Many locals had to the relocated, however the reconstruction process was sustainable and it recaptured the look of the previous city. The infamous dancing in the middle of Square Street still remains a valued tradition and great experience for anyone who visits the town. There are still souvenir shops and cobblestone streets, and Dukezong still stands out as a more unique city in Yunnan province. A few blocks from Square Street is a large Tibetan-style prayer wheel where visitors enjoy spinning and making good wishes.

A lot of the buildings, even though rebuilt after the fire are designed Tibetan style. The shops, guesthouses and cafes offer a peaceful and scenic view with the mountains serving as a backdrop. Visiting Dukezong is the closest way to get to Tibet without entering the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
Visitors can stay overnight or take an afternoon to explore the town on the way to Deqin County or any sites of western Yunnan. The town gets chilly, especially in the evening due to it’s high elevation. It’s usually recommended to bring a sweater,  a light hat and gloves even in the early summer months. While only an hour and a half drive from the Tiger Leaping Gorge and a few hours from Lijiang, the temperature is much colder with an average of 10-18 degrees celsius.

Napahai Natural Lake Reserve is 3,270m above sea level and covers 660 square kilometers. It is about 8km northwest of Shangri-La town in Yunnan Province. It is both an ideal field for herdsmen and a paradise for many species of birds. This is, in the true sense, a seasonal lake. When summer comes, snow on the adjacent mountains melts and flows down into about ten rivers forming a vast lake. In the dry season, Napahai becomes a boundless green grassland - the best time for herding sheep cattle. Every Steptember the lake again turns into a temporary habitat for migratory birds, such as bar-headed geese, wild ducks and black-necked cranes which is one of the 12 rarest bird species in the world. During this period, the lake becomes an ideal place for ornithologists from around the world.

Napahai (Napa Lake) means "the lake besides forest". Napahai is located in the northwest of Shangri-la County, 8 km away from the county, is a seasonal mountain lake, and also one of the few the thermal alpine swamp and swamp meadow in Yunnan province. Three sides by mountains and the mountain elevation is from 3800 to 4449 meters, one side connected with Zhongdian basin.　Napa Lake in Tibetan language is called "Napatso", the Chinese meaning for "the lake behind the forest". The lake in late summer or early autumn there are a lot of water, with Qinglong Pool, Naqu River and Wangqu River water pour into, there formed a large area of the lake, and its open water can reach thousands of hectares of large water. Around the lake there are 9 ponors, and the water discharge from here, feed into Jinsha River via Nixi Tangmang River and Wujing Jiren River. In winter and spring seasons, the open water shrink and the lake turn into a large swamp meadow. In winter, our country unique rare bird black-necked cranes fly to swamp meadow for winter. Napahai was listed as a provincial-level nature reserve by the Yunnan province people's government in 1982.

【Napa Lake】

Napa Lake is a seasonal highland lake. Late summer or early autumn, the rains frequency drop which enlarge the lake surface; and the late autumn to the next summer and fall, the lake surface fall. In October, autumn wind up, a flock of black-necked cranes and bar-headed gooses, white cranes yellow duck, and sheldrakes come here on time, and they foraging and playing by the lake.

【Yila Prairie】

Winter and spring seasons, Napa Lake surface is shrinking, becomes large swamp meadow—Yila Prairie, which is the largest spring pasture in Yunnan province.

【Gunyin Temple】

In the Dongshan Mountain of Napahai is Shangri-la ancient temple ruin Gunyin Temple. The temple was built at the end of the Yuan dyansty, destroyed in the battle of early Qing dynasty. Step into ancient temple, people will have a panoramic view of Napahai grassland. According to historical records, in the temple there was a Jamba Buddha statue of three zhangs (a unit of length=3.33 meters) six feet, Ming dynasty traveler Xu Xiake had traveled to visit here, but was blocked by Lijiang Tusi Mu Family.

A small town north of Yulong Snow Mountain, Baisha was a centre of Naxi culture during the Song and Yuan dynasties. The quaint village’s most notable attraction is its collection of 15th century Baisha murals housed in Dabaoji Palace and other Ming dynasty buildings. There are 53 in total, which portray Buddhist bodhisattvas, Daoist immortals and Naxi shamans whose mingling in an ethereal afterlife reflects the Naxi’s sense of tolerance for different beliefs.

Yuhu Village, also known as Xuehao Village, is a small Naxi village on the slopes of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from Lijiang Old Town, Yunnan Province. Not far from the village is Jade Lake, which is the origin of the village name, literally meaning Jade Lake Village.

The earliest inhabitants of the village were palace guards and deer-keepers of the Mu Family, who were the rulers of local Naxi people during Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. From 1922 to 1949, the Austrian-American botanist and explorer, Joseph F•Rock, lived here and explored Lijiang, and subsequently introduced Lijiang local culture to the western world, making Lijiang popular from his time.

Naxi Style Stone and Wooden Houses

Yuhu Village is more than a thousand years old and most of the villagers’ houses still follow the old style. The bases and walls are mostly layered blue-grey stones, the roofs are paved with blue-grey tiles and the doors and windows are made from wood. Moreover, large numbers of local Naxi people hang fish on their houses’ ridges. This is because fish represents water in the Five Elements and water is not compatible with  fire; hanging fish on the houses’ ridges symbolizes that wooden houses will not catch fire.

Shuhe, or 'Shaowu' in Naxi language, means the village at the foot of the high mountain. In the past, behind the village there was a high moutain named Jubao, so people named the village. Shuhe Ancient Town is located 4km to the northwest of the Lijiang Ancient Town. Its central part covers an area of about 5 square kilometers with a population around 3,000. In 1997, Shuhe was ranked as an important part of Lijiang Ancient Town which was already the World Cultural Heritage named by UNESCO.

Shuhe has a long history. It had become the distributing center of Naxi foremen in as early as the Tang and Song Dynasties, and it is also an important market town still remained complete on the Ancient Tea-horse Road. Prosperous tea and horse trade and the colourful multi-cultures make Naxi people develop harmoniously. The ancient trading road had been brought into use in the Tang Dynasty. It went from the south Yunnan to Lhasa of Tibet via Lijiang. In the history of transportation development during the thousands of years of Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing Dynasties, Shuhe had been an important posthouse along the ancient trading roas. It had been one of the four big bazaars in Lijiang, and also been called the hometown to the cobblers. Shuhe has witnessed the history of development of Naxi foremen from the farming civilization to the commercial civilization.

Standing by the mirrorlike Lashi Lake, Zhiyun Temple is one of the five famous temples in Lijiang. It was built in 1727 during the Qing Dynasty. The grand hall can seat hundreds of Lamas, and the architecture is rather special: it has the most number of pillars among the temples in Lijiang. The hall is about 13 meters high, and the doors and windows are all carved with exquisite workmanship with three layers. Peaches grown in the temple are well-known for the big size and sweet taste.

Yangtze River, considerd the mother river of China, flows majestically through the center of China and is the third longest river in the world. Starting from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Yangtze River surges southeastward until it meets the Hengduan Mountain Range. About 71km (44 miles) outside of Lijiang, unusual geological phenomenons force the Yangtze to make a sudden V-shaped bend and flow to the northeast. This extraordinary turn, nearly 180-degrees, creates beautiful and marvelous views that startle the imagination. Here, the river is wide and the water flows in a gentle, slow pace. Large willow trees grow luxuriously alongside the river that is banked on both sides with lush, fertile deep green vegetation and immense, steep mountains that rise up from the river to touch the clouds in the blue sky above. The whole sight is like a wonderful landscape painting that never ends. This is the First Bend of the Yangtze River - a world-famous geological phenomenon and an extraordinary panoramic scene whose vistas you will long remember with great pleasure.

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