Ancient Town of Lijiang

For first timers to the Province of Yunnan in China, the tour itinerary always include cities like Kunming, Dali and Lijiang. At Lijiang, the highlight of the tour is always a visit to the ancient town of Lijiang. This old town is famous for a system of waterways that blend well with the architecture of the township and the surroundings. The ancient town of Lijiang has retained a historic townscape of beautiful houses, waterways and cultures that have come together over many centuries. It is indeed a pleasure to stroll along the streets of Lijiang old town and admire its peaceful and tranquil surroundings.

Waterways of Lijiang

In the 13th century AD the ancestors of the ruling Mu family moved to a new town known as Dayechang (later Dayan), where they began building houses surrounded by a city wall and moat. In the 1250s under the Yuan Emperor Hubilie, Dayechang became an administrative centre. The Lijiang Junmin prefecture was established when the region came under Ming rule in 1382.

Panorama View of Old Town

Streets of Lijiang

The old town of Lijiang is built on a mountain slope running from north-west to south-east, facing a deep river. The northern part of the city was a commercial district. The main streets in this part of the old town radiate from the broad street known as Sifangjie, which has traditionally been the commercial and trading centre of the north-western part of Yunnan Province. On the west side of the Sifangjie is the imposing three-storied Kegongfang (Imperial Examination Archway), which is flanked by the Western and Central rivers.

Lijiang Old Town

The streets in this ancient town are paved with slabs of a fine-grained stones. Water flows from here to the Shuangshi Bridge, where it branches into three tributaries. These subdivide into a network of channels and culverts to supply every house in the town. This water supply is supplemented by many springs and wells within the town itself. A system of waterways of this complexity necessitates a large number of bridges of varying sizes. There are 354 bridges altogether; they take several forms. It is from these structures that Lijiang derives its name, the 'City of Bridges'.

Naxi Minority Dance

Special attention is paid to the decoration of the houses, especially in the arches over gateways, the screen walls, the external corridors, the doors and windows, the courtyards and the roof beams. Wooden elements are elaborately carved with domestic and cultural elements - pottery, musical instruments, flowers, birds, etc. - and gate arches take several elegant forms.

Tea drinking session

Traditional House

In front of the waterways