Vacation in Lijiang China with Asian Vacations, Inc.

Dry Sea (Ganhai)

Located on the east foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Dry Sea - with an elevation of 3,100m - is a highland meadow about 23km from the old town. Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Dry Sea used to be a highland lake. However, when the water dried up, a vast meadow formed, hence the name "Dry Sea". Extensive and tranquil, the meadow is about 5km long and 2km wide. Today, many ethnic group villages, resorts, parks, racetracks and golf courses have been built on Dry Sea, which has become an important tourist spot for Lijiang.

Heilongtan Park
With water as green and lucid as jade, Heilongtan Park, located north of Lijiang town at the foot of Elephant Mountain, is also called Yuquan, or "Jade Spring," Park. Surrounded on all sides by verdant trees, the park looks like a pearl in Yunnan plateau. Inside the park, ancient architecture of the Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) people is scattered amidst the lush trees, adding a unique aspect to the park's landscape. Five-Phoenix Tower (Wufeng Tower): Located at north end of the park, the tower, also named Fayun Pavilion, was built in the 29th year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). It was originally located in Fuguo Temple, 11km away from Naxi Autonomous County. In 1979, for the convenience of visitors, it was moved to this park. In the 12th year of the Chongzhen reign of the Ming Dynasty (1639), the famous traveler Xu Xiake once visited here and stayed for eight days in the pavilion. Decorated with flying cornices and threefold overlaps, the tower resembles five phoenixes spreading their wings for flight, hence the descriptive name. The 17 m high, 3-story tower is a unique and complicated architectural structure. The first story in octagonal, the second story dodecagonal, and the third story quadrangular. Built together by Han, Naxi and Tibetan people, the whole structure is full of local flavor, and adorned by distinctive ethnic colors. Moon-Embracing Pavilion (Deyue Pavilion): Surrounded by water, this pavilion was richly ornamented. The original three-story structure dated from the late Ming Dynasty and survived without significant damage until 1950. Two couplets written by the Chinese literary giant Guo Moruo were hung on the pavilion, vividly depicting the landscape of Yunnan province. Dragon God Temple (Longshen Temple): Located on the east side of the park, this temple was built in the second year of the Qianglong reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). Over 500 kinds of flowers were planted nearby. In addition, visitors can visit Dongba Research Institute, located on the hillside, where Dongba scrolls and artifacts are on display.

Lijiang Mural
Known as Lijiang Mural or Baisha Mural, these frescos, which can be seen in the temples of such towns as Baisha, Dayan, Shuhe, Zhonghai, Yangxi and Xuesong, were produced continuously from the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) to the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD). Due to the prosperous economy in the Ming Dynasty, people of Naxi ethnic group began to assimilate the characteristics of other ethnic groups and developed their own culture. Lijiang mural exemplifies the crystallization this trend. According to the survey of He Zairui, a Naxi artist, the six mural paintings stored in the Dajue Palace of Shuhe are a reflection of both Taoism and Buddhism. Produced by a painter of Han nationality, the paintings vividly show the variety of characters. The frescos of Dabaoji Palace in Baisha are regarded as the centerpiece of Lijiang Mural. On 12 well-preserved paintings are statues from Taoism, Buddhism, and the Mi Sect of Lamaism. One of the frescos is a great painting of 100 icons, in the middle of which is Sakyamuni, while on both sides are statues from Taoism and Buddhism, and at the bottom are three Vajras from the Mi Sect along with four celestial kings. The fresco was collaboration by artists from the Han and Tibet nationalities, and its flowing lines, well-defined colors and illusions of depth and solidity reflect their superb artistic skills. The mural paintings of Dading Hall in Baisha were originally finished at the end of the Ming Dynasty and repaired during the reign of Qianlong, an Emperor of the Qing Dynasty. Each is an embodiment of statues from Taoism, Buddhism and such religious sects as Zen and Mi. Different from those in Dabaoji Palace in proportion, design, color harmony and change, the frescos, mainly produced by Naxi painters, are no match for earlier mural paintings. What is to be treasured in the Lijiang Mural is the realistic style employed by the artists of the Han, Tibet and Naxi cultures, who took their subject matter from daily life instead of concentrating on religion. The frescos vividly reproduce scenes such as dancing, weaving, fishing, felling trees, slaughtering pigs and other aspects of everyday life. The murals also feature images of officers, criminals, travelers and other individuals, providing us with a glimpse into society at that time. In addition, subjects such as running horses, peacocks spreading their feathers and blooming flowers of lotus, peony, camellia and plum blossom are all vivid and true to life.

Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake, elevation 2,685 m, is located on the border of Ninglang county, Yunnan province and Yanyuan county, Sichuan province, where one of the world's few remaining matriarchal societies can be found. The lake is 5.2km wide from east to west with a total area of 50 sq. km. With an average depth of 40 m, Lugu Lake is the second deepest in Yunnan. The lake contains three islands, which are known as the "Fabled Abode of Immortals". The water is green and lucid, and the surrounding environment is well preserved. The lakeshore is inhabited by Mosuo people, a branch of Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) group, who live in log cabins and retain the vestiges of a matriarchal society. Mosuo people have been living by the lake since 111 BC. Over the centuries, they have maintained many of their ancient traditions, including their unique form of marriage. Men and women are not united by wedlock; instead, they live with their mothers and cohabit on a casual basis. Furthermore, Mosuo women can freely choose their lovers, switching partners whenever they choose. Their love lives are not affected by money, social status, and religion or family clans. Each Mosuo man sets out to meet his lover at night and returns early the next morning to help the matriarchal family carry out its farm work. Men are always the guests of women's families. Admission: �33

Naxi Ancient Music
The heavenly atmosphere of the plateau fosters in its residents artistic qualities and a poetic mindset. Along with innate talents for poetry, calligraphy and painting, the people of the region seem to be born with a gift for music. Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) ancient music - widely popular with the Naxi ethnic group - is a form of classical music that blends holy songs from Daoist and Confucian ceremonies with literary lyrics and topics from poets in the Chinese Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and Sung Dynasties, creating a unique musical form that is praised by contemporary scholars as a "living fossil of music." Naxi ancient music represents the crystallization of several musical cultures, including "Baisha Fine Music" (Baisha Xiyue), "Dong Jing Music" and "Huang Jing Music" - the last of which is now extinct. With flute, shawm, Chinese lute, plectrum, and zither as its primary instruments, Naxi music has been regarded as "typical Chinese classical music" and "symphonies of Chinese style" by some foreign experts. Interestingly, the music from the Central Plains is preserved and kept alive as a result of geographical isolation, while its inland counterpart was transformed and lost during China's changing history. Baisha Fine Music: Baisha Fine Music is one of ancient China's few large-scale, classic orchestral forms of music. Passed down as the "Musical Legacy of the Yuan Dynasty", it consists of 24 "qupai" (tunes) which are antiquated, simple and elegant in style, lofty and dynamic in character. It is said that when Kublai Khan was on his expedition to Dali, he once received help from Mailiang, the leader of the Naxi people in Lijiang. On his departure, he left to him half a band and a musical score as a gift. Therefore, Baisha Fine Music is also called "Honoraria on Departure". Dong Jing Music: This type of Daoist music is widely spread among the Naxi people. Since the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), it has been gradually introduced to Yunnan from the Central Plains, and is deeply rooted in the cultural circles of the Naxi people. Over time, the Naxi have added their own styles and the skills used in playing their local folk songs when playing Dong Jing music, so that the music has a "Naxi musical tone." After Dong Jing Music was disseminated to Lijiang, for quite a long time, its enjoyment was confined to gentlemen, who alone were allowed to join the "Dong Jing concert." However, the Naxi people are born with a musical nature, and such a limiting shackle was eventually broken. Today, folk musicians have already made Dong Jing music a part of the folk world. There are at least four full orchestras of elderly men in and around Lijiang, and within the county there are scores of folk bands playing the ancient music that has been blended with Naxi flavor. Admission: �15

A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Residential Houses

During the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), as the Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) people had more cultural exchange with the Han, Bai and Tibetan people, they absorbed alien architectural techniques and combined them with the form of their own residential houses, forming a unique ethnic feature known as "one courtyard with five skylights" or "three rooms with one screen wall". Elaborate in design and delicate in decoration, these houses were reputed as "architectural museum" by architects at home and abroad. "Three rooms with one screen wall" is the basic house style in Lijiang. In structure, the principal room and the left and right wing-rooms combine into a three-side courtyard, with a screen wall standing opposite the principal room. Each room is built into three partitions and two stories, and the principal room is often facing south, higher than others, reserved for the senior persons in the family. The east and west wing-rooms are for the junior persons. The "one courtyard with five skylights" means the principal room, the servants' room and the left and right wing-rooms forming a close courtyard, and besides the main skylight in the center, four small ones at the four comers. Each residential house has a rather big skylight, helping to form a clean, serene, spacious and comfortable courtyard. Usually paved into various propitious designs with pebble, fragment of tile, or small rock, the courtyard is often decorated with verdant grass and flowers and surrounded by colorful flowerbeds and miniature trees, and liana twining around pillars. Besides, another character of Naxi residential house is expressed in the houses here, that is, no matter in urban or rural areas, each house has a "Xiazi" (external corridor) in front of the principal room. Paved with square tiles, hexagon tiles and octagon tiles, the corridor is full of sunlight, where family members take sinner and receive guests and relax. Opposite the principal room is screen wall, on which either bamboo or orchid, or a huge character "Fu" (happiness) is normally painted with thin ink. The residential houses in the old city fully express the harmonious mixture of primitive simplicity and fine beauty. The exterior wall is solid without complex and elaborate decoration, and the windshield, the eaves, the hung fish-shape board are all made in simple, crude and ancient style. While the decorations on the windows, doors and beams are made elaborately. On the casements, doors and eaves, various exquisite figures always are engraved, embodying the word: "beauty hidden in rudeness, and simplicity contains fineness".

Stone Drum and the First Bend of the Yangtze River
The First Bend of the Yangtze River is located on the north side of the highway leading from Dali to Lijiang, about 70km (44miles) from Lijiang town. On the upper reach of the Yangtze River, its three tributaries - the Jinsha River, Lancang River and Nu River run parallel for more than 400km on the deep valley region northwest of the Cross Mountains, forming a well-known scenic spot of "three rivers flowing parallel". Due to the Alpine movements, when the Jinsha River reaches Shigu (Stone Drum) town, it makes an abrupt turn to leave Lancang River and Nu River, and rushes northeast rapidly to form a rare V-shape bend which famous in the world. With quiet and broad water, the bend has been of strategic importance since ancient times. The famous historical event, such as Zhuge Liang's "Crossing the Lu River in May", Kublai Khan's "Crossing the River on Leather Rafts" all happened here. In May 1936, the Red Army, led by He Long and Ren Bishi, also crossed the river here. The village of Stone Drum stands by the Jinsha River and faces the great bend. It got its name from a large, cylindrical, marble tablet shaped like a drum. Serves as an engraved memorial honoring the Sino-Naxi victory over a Tibetan army in the summer of 1548, the stone drum is 1.5 m in diameter, 7 cms in thickness. It is one of the earliest stone tablets hitherto found at Lijiang. Spruce Plateau (Yunshan Plateau).

White Water River
White Water River is a scenic spot in Lijiang, Yunnan Province. If you descend via the cable-car which starts from Yun Shanping, you will encounter a deep and serene river valley. Ice and snow thaw at the top of the mountain and the water flows down to the valley, forming a waterfall when it meets a steep cliff; it becomes a brook after it passes a shoal. The river passing through forest and rock is clearly visible before you. You also can see the river's source-the snow, the glacier and towers of ice. On initial impression, White Water River is sparkling and clear. The snow from mountain thaws, and permeates through rock formations before gushing forth as a spring to form the river. Even in summer, if you enter the river with bare feet, the piercing sensation reminds you of the river's source. The water is not polluted. The pebbles at the bottom of the river are rinsed and swilled making them limpid and clear. As the river flow above them, the water seems to be even more sparkling and clear. This is how "White Water River" got its name. The second impression White Water River gives is that it is elegant and wondrous. Brooks and waterfalls have been formed along the river. On both banks there is lush vegetation; snow-capped peaks lie beyond to the north. The winding White Water River flows from the heart of the snow mountain. You can venture forth on foot or by horse upstream, admiring the scenery on both banks, and exploring the source of the river water below the snow mountain, and also taste yourself the pure, natural water. Please take with you this feeling of serenity and well-being. White Water River flows eastward, and joins with another river nearby. This river also originates from a spring fed by the melting snow from the snow mountain. The brook which has finally been formed is bright and clear. Because of numerous layers of black pebbles below the water which flows above appears black. This is how "Black Water River" got its name. The Black and White Rivers merge before you, forming a single natural river which also symbolizes love. People believe that the Black and White River means there is no hindrance on your way, no hindrance when you pass a river. And also it signifies safety when you travel. Transportation: parks, hostels and recreation grounds for you to rest and have meals are found on land near the White Water River. Here is also the starting place of the cable-car which goes to Yun Shanping.

Yufeng Temple:

Yufeng Temple, a lamasery, is situated in dense forest at the southern foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, some 11km (7 miles) northwest of Lijiang town. First built in 1756 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD), the lamasery is one of the Scarlet Sect lamaseries of Lijiang as well as one of the five major temples in this area. Combining the building styles of Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism and Taoism, the buildings in this temple with white and grey tiled roofs is connected by stone steps and paths on several terraced levels. The temple once had nine courtyards, but now only the main hall and two courtyards remain. There is a big camellia tree in this temple, which is reputed the "First Tree Under Heaven"' and the "King of Camellia". Planted during the reign of Emperor Chenghua of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the camellia tree measures 3 m in height and 30 cm in tree-trunk diameter. It once composed of two trees. Later, the two camellias combined together with numerous branches growing on it, twist and gnarled, forming a 3m high and 4m wide flower wall in this temple. Each year from February to April, about 10,000 scarlet camellia flowers would bloom. The biggest flower may have nine pistils and eighteen petals, with a diameter like that of a large tea tray. It is interesting that flowers from the same tree show diversified colors and unequal number of petals. When in full bloom, the camellia tree resembles the brilliant morning sunglow or burning flames when looked from afar. Therefore, the tree well deserves its name "King of the Camellia Trees". Admission: �6

Dayan
Lijiang is really two towns. The New Town and the Old Town are divided geographically by Lion Hill. The New Town was developed during the latter part of the 20th Century and is a rather uninteresting suburb. The Old Town was founded some 800 years ago and is an architectural gem (although it looks like a huge ink stone, from which image it derived its name - Dayan or Big Ink Stone). The Old Town suffered serious damage in a 1996 earthquake, but is undergoing serious restoration. With Sifang Street at the core of Dayan, the town spreads out in all directions and is crisscrossed by a labyrinth of streets and alleyways. Most of the dwellings are brick-and-tile structures with carved doors and painted windows. Although Dayan is a compact community, there is always space for a garden. Traffic across the rivers along the street is facilitated by a large number of tiny stone bridges. Lijiang Old Town, also named Dayan (Big Ink Slab) Town, covering an area of 3.8 sq. km, is located in southeast of the Lijiang autonomous county, leaning on the Lion Mountain in the west and Xiangmian Mountain in the north. It was firstly built at the very beginning of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368 AD) when the first emperor of Yuan Dynasty, Hu Bilei led his army to be on a southern expedition to Yunnan province. Retained an historic townscape of high quality and authenticity, it is an old town of national ethnic groups rarely found in China, which has been preserved intact. The old town is a mountain town situated on a plateau, 2,400 m above sea level. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, 30km northwest to the Old Town, has reflected its snowy cap on the clear streams and pools around the old town, forming a unique scenery of the old town. The town is famous for its unique layout. Combining the architecture styles of Han, Tibetan, Bai and other ethnic groups, the old town still preserves in its overall structure the traditional natural aesthetics of the Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) people and their interest in life. Crisscrossed by crystal-clear rivers and meandering cobbled streets, the town, taking Sifang Street as its center, spreads out in all direction. The streets and houses are built along the lie of mountains and the flow of rivers, and their form is variant and diverse. Most of the dwellings are brick-and-tile structures with carved doors and painted windows. Traffic across the rivers is facilitated by a large number of tiny stone bridges. Well-known to the world for "each of the household is built by the stream and surrounded by willow trees", the town is reputed as the "Oriental Venice" and "Suzhou in Highland". The charm of the old town also lies in its ethnic culture and folk custom full of fresh tinge and traditional features. The Naxi people have adhered to the wisdom handed down from the old Dongba civilization, which considered humans and Nature were brothers. What is more interesting, the old town has no walls. It was said that the hereditary ruler of Lijiang used to be surnamed Mu, to have Mu encased with a frame or a wall would be Kun, which means in Chinese siege or predicament. So, there is no wall in this town. The ancient town looks unsophisticated and picturesque, having both the benefit of a watery and a mountainous environment, thus gaining renown from both domestic and foreign tourists. In December 1986, the State Council designated the town as a famous ancient historical and cultural city of a national caliber. In 1997, the UNESCO put Lijiang on a list of the world's major cultural heritages.

Black Dragon Pool Park
Somewhat idiosyncratically known as Black Dragon Pool, the Jade Spring Park to the north of Lijiang derives its name from the waters which sparkle like jade and are as clear as spring water. The entire park is green with grass and shaded by swaying willow trees. Under the Shuocui Bridge, a waterfall creates a constant roar as it cascades downstream. At the far side of the pool, there are renovated buildings used for art exhibitions, the Moon-Embracing Pavilion with its own white marble bridge across the water, and the Five-Phoenix Temple built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD). In a renovated complex on the hillside, there is the Dongba Research Institute and a small museum with Dongba scrolls and artifacts on display, including such invaluable treasures as the "Dongba Scroll Painting" and the "Art of Dongba Painting." Dongba culture originated in the primary polytheistic Naxi religion, which incorporated elements of Lamaism, Buddhism, and Daoism. The Dongba scriptures comprise a series of more than 20,000 books done in Naxi pictographs along with more than 2,000 hieroglyphs - a form of writing invented by the Naxi people more than 1,000 years ago. The name itself, Dongba, is the name applied to the shamans of this culture - wise men who combined the functions of witch doctor, scholar, craftsman, and artist. So far, 1,500 volumes have been translated at the Dongba Research Center in Dayan. Some have been published. These works are important ethnographic texts, providing some of the only information about the history, language, and social and religious customs of the Naxi people. In recent years, more and more domestic and foreign scholars have come to Dayan to use the facilities of the institute for research projects about the Dongba culture.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Ten miles from Lijiang is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; its landscape includes one of the southernmost glaciers in the modern world. Shanzidou, the main peak of the mountain at 18,000 ft above sea level, looks like a gigantic dragon clad in white snow all year round. Access to the mountain is provided by a cable lift to Dragon Spruce Meadow, halfway to the glacier peak. About half of China's plant species originated in Yunnan province, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is home to about half of these, including trees, flowers, and medicinal herbs and plants. The mountain's many ravines, creeks, cliffs, and meadows all have Naxi names and provide settings for the myths and legends of the people who have made the plain their homeland for 1,000 years. Still heavily forested, the mountain bursts into bloom every spring with camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas. Herders take their cattle, goats, sheep, and yaks to graze on its slopes. In autumn, some of the pine trees turn amber yellow, while the deciduous trees transmute their green leaves into patches of bright yellow, orange, and scarlet.

Jade Peak Temple
Jade Peak Temple is one of seven lamaseries in the area. Luxuriant trees dominate the scenic landscape. There is a 300-year-old camellia tree which produces 10,000 blossoms every year.

Tiger Leaping Gorge (Hutiao Gorge)
Tiger Leaping Gorge extends for 10 miles from the Yulong Xueshan Mountain in Lijiang to the Haba Xueshan Mountain in Zhongdian. It is one the longest, deepest, and narrowest gorges in the world. According to local legend, the gorge acquired its name because, at its narrowest point (90 ft), a tiger once leaped over the swirling waters. Hutiao Gorge, with a drop of 3,000 m, is believed to be one of the world's deepest canyons. The torrential Jinsha River, roaring and crashing over grotesque shaped rocks, produces a thrilling and stirring sight here. With an elevation of 1,800 m, the gorge at its narrowest point is only 30 m wide. Formed by the sudden turning of Jinsha River, the gorge, containing 18 rapids, is divided into the Upper Gorge, Middle Gorge and Lower Gorge. The Upper Gorge is the narrowest section of the whole gorge. A 13 m high rock - Tiger Leaping Rock stands in the middle of the river, forming a unique scene in this section. The Middle Gorge is 5km north of the upper one. The river drops nearly 100 m in this section. The Lower Gorge is the most awe-inspiring part of all as well as the best place to enjoy the magnificent scene of this gorge. Now, here has already become the favorite place of adventurers from all over the world. Admission: �12

Spruce Plateau (Yunshan Plateau)
Spruce Plateau is a highland meadow situated in the mountainside of Shanzidou Peak (Fan Peak), the main peak of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. With an altitude of 3,100 m, the meadow is surrounded by spruces and firs, forming an enchanting scene in this mountain. Yaks, scalpers, goats and Lijiang horses are herding in this meadow, adding much vitality here. The meadow is so beautiful and serene that for thousands of years, it was regarded as the "Ideal Kingdom", an extremely saintly place, by Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) people. Some lovers who wanted to get rid of the shackle of arranged marriage and seek their true love came here to sacrifice themselves for love.