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Old Town of Lijiang

Lijiang · China

Background

World Heritage since
1997
Type of site
Cultural
On the Tea Horse Road
1,000 years

The Old Town of Lijiang, perfectly adapted to the uneven topography of this key commercial and strategic site, has kept a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. UNESCO notes the blending of elements from several cultures over many centuries, and an ancient water-supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still works today.

Dayan, as the old town is properly called, has a history of more than 1,000 years and was once a confluence of trade on the Old Tea Horse Caravan Trail. Its culture combines the Naxi tradition with that of the Ming-dynasty Han traders who settled here; Wikivoyage says the Naxi keep their own hieroglyphic script, music, dress and religion, and that Baisha, 12 km north, was the capital of a Naxi kingdom from 658 to 1107.

More on the UNESCO listing More on Wikipedia

  1. 658–1107Baisha is the capital of a Naxi kingdom
  2. Ming dynastyHan traders settle and the Mu clan rules from its palace
  3. 1997Inscribed as World Heritage
  4. 2017The old town maintenance fee is abolished

Find Your Way Around

The main parts of the site, in the order most visitors see them

  1. 1
    Dayan Old Town
    Canals, wooden houses and Sifang Street, where locals dance round a bonfire about 19:00.
  2. 2
    Wangu Tower
    The view from Lion Hill over the roofs.
  3. 3
    Mu Palace
    Where the Mu clan of the Naxi ruled for more than 400 years.
  4. 4
    Black Dragon Pool
    The snow mountain reflected in the park pool.
  5. 5
    Shuhe and Baisha
    A quieter old town with streams, and Ming-era murals in a Naxi village.
  6. 6
    Naxi Orchestra
    Music dating back to the Tang dynasty, played by men in their seventies and eighties.

Know Before You Go

From Wikivoyage and the GoGo guides

No Taxis Inside
Wikivoyage: taxis stop at the gates, so carry your bags or ask the guesthouse to send a cart; walking is the only way round.
Watch the Cobbles
It is easy to trip on the uneven stones; the smaller streets are reported unsafe alone at night.
Early Morning
Get there early to avoid the crowds; entry to the old town is free.
Altitude
The town lies at the foot of the Himalayas; the 4,000 m mountains around it can bring altitude sickness.

Canals and the Snow Mountain

From the GoGo Lijiang guide · Open the Lijiang Guide ›

  1. 08:30
    Dayan Old Town2 hrs
    Naxi canals and wooden houses.
  2. 10:45
    Wangu Tower on Lion Hill45 min
    The view over the roofs.
  3. 14:00
    Mu Family Mansion90 min
    The Naxi chiefs' palace.
  4. 16:00
    Black Dragon Pool90 min
    The snow mountain in the water.
  5. 20:00
    Naxi Orchestra90 min
    The ancient Naxi music.

Best Time to Visit

Best months: Apr–May. Rainy season Jul–Aug.

Typical highs

Best monthsRain: wettest Jul (229 mm), driest Dec (4 mm)

Climate: NASA POWER

Pair It With

Other World Heritage sites nearby, by distance

WORTH A NIGHTDAY TRIPSAME DAYDistance not to scale · tap a site
Do These Together
The Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan are 213 km away; Tiger Leaping Gorge and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain are day trips from the town.
Sources
UNESCO World Heritage Centre, listing 811 · Wikipedia: Old Town of Lijiang · Wikivoyage: Lijiang (CC BY-SA 4.0) · GoGo Lijiang guide · UNESCO listing