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The Old Town of Lijiang, a well-preserved old city of ethnic
minorities with brilliant culture, is a central town of the Lijiang
Autonomous County of the Naxi Ethnic Minority in Yunnan Province.
Located on the plateau which is 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) above the
sea level and embraced by the tree-covered Lion Mountain in the
west, Elephant and Golden Row Mountains in the north, vast fertile
fields in the southeast and crystal clear water running through, the
old town looks like a big jade ink slab, therefore got the alias the
Town of Big Ink Slab (Dayanzhen).
The Old Town which occupies an area of 3.8 square kilometers (912
acres) was firstly built in the late Song Dynasty and the early Yuan
Dynasty and has a history of more than 800 years. Since Kubla Khan
who is the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty set his reign here,
Lijiang was on a fast developmental way and became the political,
cultural, and educational center in this area, playing a very
important role in the trading activities among Yunnan, China
hinterland, Tibet, India and many other Asian countries. Till now,
when walking on the streets of the Old Town, one can feel the
prosperity and flourish of the town from the shops with fancy and
superb collections of handicrafts.
The Lijiang Old Town is built along the lie of mountains and the
flow of rivers, providing a very precious sample of the research on
the old-time architecture. The unique geographical location,
historical background and multiracial inhabitants make the town the
most special one:
The Old Town is the only old city built without a city wall and
there is an interesting story telling the reason. Lijiang had been
under the reign of the hereditary Mu family for more than 500 years.
If the Chinese character 'Mu' (represents the governor of Lijiang)
is put into a frame (represents the city wall), you have the
character 'Kun' which means 'siege' or 'predicament'. This would
mean that the governing Mu family and their descendants would always
be trapped like a rat in a hole. Because of this symbolism, Old Town
Lijiang was never given a city wall.
As a result of the combination of the multinational culture and the
progress of Naxi ethnic minority, the buildings in the town
incorporate the best parts of the architectural traits of Han, Bai,
and Tibet into a unique Naxi style. The layout of the town is
free-style and flexible, the houses are close and diverse, and the
lanes are narrow and meandering. Naxi people pay much attention to
the decoration, the commodious and applied houses are mostly timber
and tile structure compound with a garden, each has engraved vivid
figures of people and animals on doors and windows, beautiful
flowers and trees in the garden.Living in such a beautiful and
comfortable environment is a real pleasant thing.
The old Town of Lijiang is a city depends on water for existence and
water is just like its blood. Black Dragon Pool (Heilongtan) is the
main water source of the town and subdivides into many streams which
can reach every family and every street in the town. Due to the
reticular aqueducts, willow trees grow everywhere and there are
almost 350 varied and inimitable bridges in the little town, some of
which were built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The usage of the
water created by the local people is very scientific. They build
three mouths every well from the upriver to the downriver. The water
in the first mouth is for edibility, the second one is for cleaning
of the vegetables and fruits, and the last one is used to wash the
clothes. The water not only meets the need of the dweller, but also
gives the town a beauty of gentle. The town reputed as the 'Oriental
Venice' and 'Suzhou in Highland', but it is much, much more than
this. Once you have visited Old Town Lijiang, it will capture your
heart for the rest of your life.
The center of the Old Town is the Square Street (Sifangjie). Four
main streets radiate from Square Street and extend to the four
different directions. Countless lanes extending in all directions
form a network and connect every corner of the town. Streets in the
Old Town are paved by the local bluestones which are neither muddy
in the rainy season nor dusty in the dry season. The massive and
fine-grained stones add a sense of antiquity and mystery to the Old
Town. The sluice at the center of town is opened late in the night
and the resulting current of water flushes and washes all the
streets to keep the town clean. This practical use of water is part
of the daily life of the residents in Old Town.
On December 3rd, 1997, the Old Town of Lijiang was put in the list
of the World's Relics by the World Cultural Heritage Commission of
the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization). The charming Old Town is now a famous tourist
attraction for its traditional ethnic culture and customs,
inimitable buildings and the wonderful natural views.
Lijiang Tourist Attractions:
Lijiang-Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Lijiang-Tiger Leaping Gorge
Lijiang-Lugu
Lake
Lijiang-Jade
Spring Park
Lijiang-Naxi Ancient Music
Lijiang-Old
Town of Shuhe
Lijiang-Three Parallel Rivers |
