LIJIANG

Lijiang lies 570 km north-west of Kunming in Yunnan Province. It consists of three old towns, namely Dayan, Baisha and shuhe. Lijiang got its name from the Lishui (now Jinsha) River, which flows through the town. Lijiang, possibly the best preserved old town in China, is one of the last places where a visitor can witness and experience a historic, traditional urban culture. Remarkably, the old houses with stone foundations, plastered whitewashed brick walls, red wooden doors, shutters and balconies, and sloping tiled roofs, survived a recent earthquake without much damage, while the new concrete buildings were flattened. By taking advantage of its geographic location, Lijing has served as a center of economic and cultural exchanges between people of the Tibetan, Han, Bai and Naxi ethnic groups. Due to the unique culture and comfortable climate, it has been classified as a World-class Cultural Legacy by UNESCO, 'National-level Scenic Zone 'and a 'National Town of History and Culture'.

Geographic location
Lijiang is located at the foot of the snow-capped Yulong Mountains, which is in the southeastern part of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau known as the 'roof of the world' and the northwestern part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. Lijiang covers 7485.2 square kilometers, 95% of which is mountainous area. It's located at 99o 30' E to 100o 50' E and 26o N to 27o 50' N with the altitude of 2,400 meters. There are two snow-capped Mountains, namely Yulong Mountain and Laojun Mountain. Besides, there are Jinsha and Lancang Rivers flowing though this area. There is the subtropical monsoon climate with the annual temperature of 12.6 Co and precipitation of 900 to 1,200 mm. Spring there lasts as long as 241 days and there is no hot summer.

People
There are 306,000 people in Lijiang. It is home to people of more than 20 minority ethnic groups, the bulk of whom are the Naxi. Each of these ethnic groups has a unique culture and history, which match into the beauty of the land, setting an example of a harmonious relationship between man and nature. China's languages are classified into four major linguistic families, and the Naxi belong to the Sino-Tibetan group. It is not uncommon to find those among the Naxi who can fluently speak two or three languages. Their native language is called Naxi or Nahsi, and the children are also taught Mandarin Chinese at school. A majority of the Naxi can both read and write Chinese. Naxi Nationality are the offspring of ancient Qiang people who in history wandered south or north along the gorges of the Hengduan Mountain range and settled down very early on the west band of Jinsha River at the upper reaches of the Changjiang River. The Naxi created a written language over1, 000 years ago using an extraordinary system of pictographs. The most famous Naxi text is the Dongba classic The Creation, and ancient copies of it and other texts can still be found in Lijiang, as well as in the archives of some and mediators between the Naxi and the spirit world. Their original religion, called Dongba after the name of its ritual specialists, resembles the nature worship and other concepts of pre-Buddhist Tibet. The Naxi ethnic group maintains its rich traditional culture, and the tens of thousands of ancient books written in Dongba characters are unique in the world's cultural history. It has aroused the interest of the world's scholars. Lijiang boasts 'the home of the Dongba culture'. The Dongba culture includes pictographic characters, scriptures, paintings, music and dances. The first classical Naxi orchestra was founded under Kublai Khan's patronage, and the music and tradition have remained unchanged for over seven centuries.Naxi people believe in Confucianism. You can easily converse with senior citizens who are full of wisdom on the street, or you can find exquisite calligraphy or paintings in an ordinary family home. Many people preserve precious thread-books in their wooden cupboards. However the main religion in Lijiang is still the Buddhism.

History
The history of Lijiang dates back to the South Song period (1127-1279AD). In 1253, Kublai, in his expedition to conquer the state of Dali, came to what is now Lijiang after his troops crossed the Jinsha River by using inflated bags of animal hide. That explains why many names of places in the Naxi languages are transliterations of 'army camps,' 'drilling grounds,' etc. for the Mongolian language. In the early years of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368AD), there were about 1,000 families in Lijiang, which constantly grew in size during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Since the Qing Dynasty, Lijiang has been the distribution center for goods produced in northwest of Yunnan province. Tibetans send their woolen textiles and medicinal herbs here for shipment to other parts of China, and tea and articles for daily use from Xishuang Banna, Fengqing and Xiaguan of Yunnan province are sold to Tibetan areas via the town. During the Second World War, the Flying Tigers (a group of American pilots voluntarily helping China in fighting the Japanese invaders) built the Baisha Airport in the Lijiang area to implement what is known to historians as the 'Hump Operation.'

Tourist Attractions in Lijiang:

Dayan Town (The ancient town of Lijiang)
Lijiang old Town is officially called "Dayan Town"-"Dayan" literally means a "great ink stab", a graphic description of the town's location on a piece of rich flatland fed by a river and surrounded by green mountains. There is no other town in China like Dayan which incorporates the folkways of so many people and the architectural styles of both north and south China. The town is on flatland about 2,400 meters above sea level. To its north are Mt. Xiangshan and Mt.Jinhong and to its west, Mt. Shizi, which effectively shield the town from winter winds. Earthen and wooden housing structures are most popular in the old town. A typical courtyard here resembles what is found in Beijing-- walled and in neat squares, with the principle rooms facing south. Unlike the Beijing courtyard which has rooms facing east and west, spacious corridors line both sides of the Naxi courtyard which also has an imposing arch over the gateway. Bridges are seen everywhere, linking streets and lanes. Many were built during the Ming and Qing period from the 14th to the early 20th centuries which have survived the wars and earthquakes. For all this, the town is known as the "Venice of China" or the "Suzhou on the plateau". The heart of the Dayan Town is called "Square Street" - a 6 "mu" (15 "mu" in one hectar) business center which serves as a hub of communication to Sichuan Tibet and other parts of Yunnan.

Baoshan Ancient Stone City
The remarkable community of Baoshan Ancient Stone City, usually called Baoshan, is located 130km northeast of Lijiang. It comprises of more than one hundred families on the top of a gigantic rock. This town was built in the late 13th century (Yuan Dynasty). In the Naxi tongue, it is called "La Bai Lu Pan Wu". La Bai was the first local Naxi leader, who lives here. Lu Pan Wu means white stone village. This town has such a long history due to its unique geographic location. It occupied a dazzling site, high on a ridge overlooking the Upper Yangzi River (jinSha River ), surrounded by tightly ascending terraced fields . In this town, you may feel amazed at the sight of many household items made of stone. In most of the houses, their household items e.g. table, bed, water tank, cupboards are all carved out of big stones. You may wonder where they do their farming of crops. They do their planting just below this uniquely perched village.

Yufeng Temple
It is located at the southern foot of Yulong Mountain, 9 kilometers from the county seat of Lijiang. It is famous for a camellia tree, which can bear 10,000 flowers in the temple. It is said this tree was planted between 1465 and 1487 during the Ming Dynasty before the temple was built. So the tree is more than 500 years old. Its blossoming period lasts more than 100 days a year, and produces more than 20,000 flowers in 20 groups, each group over 1,000 flowers. One blossom is about 17 cm in diameter. The scene is magnificent.

The Baisha Mural
Baisha is a small village 10km north of Lijiang. Although the traditional houses do not look very impressive, Baisha was the historical capital of the Naxi kingdom and is still a good place to have a glance at the Naxi culture. There are old temples with interesting frescoes, traditional musicians. The Baisha Mural was made from 1385AD to 1619 AD, employing the artist energies of Chinese Taoists, Tibetan and Naxi Buddhists and local dongba shamans. This rich fusion had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black , silver , dark green , gold and red colors , the murals in the back hall , overlaid with centuries of brown soot , mostly depict religious stories with vivid images, colorful ethnic styles and strong local flavor, the scenes and figures , some still vivid in detail , are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life , judges of the underworld , Buddha and bodhisattvas and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
The Yulong Mountains are located where the Qinghai-Tibet and Yunnan-Guizhou plateaus interlock, and together they form the peak of the Yunling Mountains-- the southern-most section of the Himalaya Mountain range. The mountain is 5,600 meters (18,400 ft) in altitude and the best-known massif in the province. Harboring a string of marine glaciers, the Yunlong mountain range, with snow accumulated over ages, extends unbroken for 35 kilometers, forming the "Jade Dragon" dancing in clouds. Its silvery "scales" shining bright, the "dragon" has a proudly erect "head" in the far north, while the other parts, rolling south, look like the back of the "dragon." Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is home to half of Yunnan's 13,000 plants species, 400 kinds of trees, dozens of flowers types, and one-third of China's known species of medicinal herbs and plants. Its many ravines, creeks, cliffs, and meadows all have Naxi names and are settings for the myths and legends of these people, who have made the plain their homeland for a thousand years. Still heavily forested, the mountain bursts into bloom every spring when the camellias, rhododendrons, and azaleas start flowering. Herders take their cattle, goats, and yaks to graze on its slopes.

Laojun Mountain
Laojun Mountain is located approximately 93 km west of Lijiang City. It covers an area of 2,340 square km and is a very scenic place; the landscape here is very beautiful and has virtually been untouched by any urban development. This mountain has become a well-known sightseeing spot in Yunnan province.

First Bend of the Yangtze River
Shigu (Stone Drum) is a town of the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County that is situated 70 kilometers from the seat of Lijiang County. It is where the Yangtze River, following a northwest course, plunges into a high and cragged cliff, takes a sharp U-turn. It's believed to be the river's first bend as it flows on and changes its course in a northeast direction.

Tiger Leaping Gorge
Tiger Leaping Gorge of the Jinsha River was named for the legend of a hunted tiger that leapt across the stone abyss to escape. It lies 50 kilometers northeast of Shigu Town in Lijiang County in Yunnan Province. It is at the point where Haba Snow Peak shoots up to face the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain over the swift waters of the fledgling Yangzi River. With a total length of 17 kilometers, it consists of three sections-the upper, middle and lower tiger jumps. It drops to a depth of 213 meters while its width at the narrowest point is only 20 meters. The water's surface is 1,800 meters above the sea level with cliffs on both sides rising 3,000 meters above it. The gorge is among the deepest, most precipitous and most magnificent gorges in the world. The Jinsha River is 150 to 350 meters wide at the area of Shigu, the first section of the Yangtze River. The water flows very gently from Shigu to Xiaqiaotou, the town of the Tiger-Jump Gorges, allowing 30-ton ships to pass without any problem. However, the six-kilometer section from xiaqiaotou downstream has a swift current because the Dragon Snow mountain and Haba Snow mountain make the river only 30 meters in width and the river is further blocked by the Tiger-Jump Rocks. The water here makes violent whirlpools and hits the banks so powerfully that soaring breakers are created. The high waves, soaring water and the mountains shrouded with clouds and mist constitute the most magnificent scene of the gorges.

Black Dragon Pool
The park is situated on the northern edge of town. It 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. The pool is praised as a piece of precious jade on the northwest Yunnan plateau. Inside the Park, there is a collection of ancient architectures of the Naxi people. The buildings include the Five Phoenix Chambers and the Jietuolin (Retreat from the Earthly World) built in the Ming Dynasty and a number of Qing-Dynasty buildings. Apart from strolling around the pool, the visitors can also visit the Dongba Research Institute, which is part of a renovated complex on the hillside. There is a small museum with Dongba scrolls and artifacts on display. At the far side of the pool are renovated buildings used for an art exhibition, a pavilion with its own bridge across the water and the Five-Phoenix Temple built in the Ming Dynasty.

XinZhu Natural Plants Park
XinZhu Natural Plants Park is located at Laojun Mountain. There are more than one thousand species of plants and wild flowers thriving in this park. There is a very old and big Spruce tree in this park .Its foliage covers an area of more than 100 square meters and its trunk is about 4 meters in diameter. This Spruce tree is 5,000 years old and is considered as the oldest tree in the world.

Lugo Lake
Lugo Lake is located in Yongning Township, Ninglang County, about 200 kilometers northeast of Lijiang. The environment around the lake is well preserved where the air is fresh, the water pollution-free, and the scenery incredibly delightful. There are five islands in the lake and the lake and the mountains add each other's beauty. The Mosuo people, a branch of the ethnic Naxi group who retain the vestiges of a matriarchal society, live on the lakeshore. They have unique living habits, clothing, housing and marriage customs. To this day, they have preserved the customs of matriarchal society. Men and women live in their mothers' homes even after they get married, and the couples can break their marriage at will. There, the house and land pass from mother to daughter, and all children remain permanently attached to their mother's household. Most Mosu still practice their "walking marriage" custom, therefore the man comes to the woman's house only at night and returns to his mother's in the morning. In a clan, the elderly women are the most respected, who preside over family affairs. The Mosuo people are called a "unique matriarchal kingdom".

Lashihai (Lashi Lake) Watershed
Lashihai Watershed is situated along the southeastern slopes of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (5,500 meters). Established as a nature reserve by the Yunnan provincial government, the forests between Lashihai and Wenhai are home to Asiatic black bear and more than 15 rhododendron species. The Naxi and Yi, two of Northwest Yunnan's 14 ethnic minorities, reside in the watershed. At an elevation of 2,500 meters, Lashihai (Lashi Lake) is the largest highland lake in Lijiang County, and an important habitat for over 57 species of migratory birds. With the highest water bird species diversity of any lake in Northwest Yunnan, the lake provides a winter home to protected migratory birds species such as the black-necked crane, whooper swan and black stork. The birds feed on Lashihai's abundance of local crops, aquatic plants and 7 different species of fish. The Class III protected water lily is one of the 47 aquatic plant species found in the lake. The watershed's highlands reach to over 3,800 meters, supporting a wide variation of plant and animal species, including protected raptors, forest wildlife and traditional medicinal plants. In spring, the mountainsides fill with the color of blooming rhododendrons and azaleas. Wenhai is a Naxi village situated on the shores of a small alpine lake (approximately 3,200 meters) and is only accessible by foot. Traditional Yi villages exist in the higher regions and are infrequently visited.