The Old Town of Lijiang is a UNESCO World Heritage site located on the Lijiang plain in southwest Yunnan, China. The town is situated at an elevation of 2,400 meters and is surrounded by mountains, which can be accessed through a series of strategic passes. The Yulong Snow Mountain to the northwest serves as the source of the rivers and springs that water the plain and supply the Heilong Pool, also known as Black Dragon Pond.
The Old Town features a unique blend of traditional Naxi, Han, Bai and Tibetan architecture, with narrow cobblestone streets, beautiful stone bridges, and colorful murals. It is home to many historic buildings, including temples, courtyards, and residences, that exemplify the Naxi culture and tradition.
Visitors can explore the town's rich cultural heritage by visiting sites such as the Wangu Tower, the Mu Family Mansion, and the Dongba Cultural Museum. The town is also famous for its lively night markets, where visitors can sample local delicacies and purchase handmade crafts.
Overall, the Old Town of Lijiang offers visitors a glimpse into China's rich cultural history and a chance to experience life in a traditional Chinese town. Its unique architecture, stunning natural surroundings, and vibrant culture make it a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to southwestern China.
Wenhai isa village located on the southern slope of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and it isa part of the Lashihai provincial level Alpine Wetlands Nature Reserve. Theelevation at Wenhai is 3,100 meters.
The WenhaiLake is a seasonal alpine lake and wetland throughout the spring and summer.During every July and August when the rain season arrives, water begins to risein Wenhai, and the lake is usually filled up by October. Then during the winterseason, Wenhai water level lowers again until March of the next year. Then, theentire lake is emptied of water, when the basin turns into grassland again.
The Naxipeople, the main ethnic group in Lijiang, have lived in Wenhai for over 300years. North of the Wenhai village is the Xuehua village where there lives agroup of Yi people, who still maintain their traditional lifestyle.”
It is a small village of Lijiang city. It is the original settlement ofthe Naxi people who came to the greater Lijiang Valley over a thousand yearsago. Made up of at least 12 smaller villages, the main village is Sanyuan,which has one main stone street, called of course, Baisha Street. It has atypical Chinese "old-town" tourist setup, consisting of a stone pavedstreet with a mixture of Chinese trinket sellers-shops and several quaint cafésto stop and relax. A great escape from Lijiang Old-town tourist trap, only 12km north of town, you can rent a bike and get there in about 40 minutes. Youcan do many things here for free. Like hike the local mountains through thehigh alpine botanical garden and search for herbs on your way to the JadeDragon Lake, the backside of Snow Jade Dragon Mountain. Visit some of thetemples or traditional Naxi houses of the area before they are gone.
Black Dragon Pool is about 1 km from Square Street of the Old Town. Itis quite a big place with nice natural scenery together with traditionalbuilding styles. Dont forget to take pictures on the center bridge where theThe Jade Dragon Snow Mountain can be a perfect background.
The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is 25km from Lijiang City. It is visible from Lijiang and snow-capped all yearround. Its highest peak is Shanzidou at 5,596m. The view of the massif from thegardens at the Black Dragon Pool in Lijiang is noted as one of Chinas finestviews. Youcan take a cable car to the top. Move down from the mountaintop and youcan see rivers and pools, which are formed by the thawed snow water runningalong the valley and through the forests. The plants and the animals aredifferent according to the altitude, so are the views.
The OldTown of Lijiang represents a fusion of indigenous Naxi architecture and culturewith external influences. Lijiang has an ingenious ancient network of waterwaysthat is supplied by the mountain springs. Via canals the houses in town areconnected to this network. The cobbled streets, bridges and houses add to thepicturesque picture of this ancient town.
The OldTown of Lijiang was listed as the World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in the year1997.
Althoughthe authenticity of Lijiang is maybe lost forever as many parts of the town arealready changed, the ancient buildings become souvenir shops, boutique hotels,restaurants, clubs and bars with Naxi cultural show for tourists, the townstill has some place to admire especially in the suburbs of the old town.
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