Lijiang Trip: For the Dream in My Heart

Number of days：5 days
Time: July
Average cost: 3000 yuan
With whom: and friends
Updated: 2021.11.16

A few years ago, I made a travel guide to Yunnan. If I wanted to visit all the famous attractions in Kunming, Dali and Lijiang, it would take at least 20 days. To this day, during the epidemic, work has not yet fully returned to normal. I have 5 days of vacation and I really don’t want to spend these days alone and monotonously. These days have no meaning to me. So I kept struggling. The day before departure, I booked round-trip tickets and an inn, made a simple travel guide (shopping and eating), and started my solo trip to Lijiang.

Itinerary: Dayan Ancient Town – Lugu Lake – Jade Dragon Snow Mountain – Shuhe Ancient Town

Cost: Around 3,000 RMB

During the pandemic, airfare and accommodations were incredibly cheap. The most important thing is that the scenic areas are uncrowded, so there's no need to squeeze and squeeze, which can ruin your mood. The 7:00 AM flight from Xi'an Xianyang Airport to Lijiang was packed, almost entirely with young people.

Lijiang Ancient Town

After getting off the plane, take the airport bus, which only has one route, and get off at Nanmen Station, which is about 2 kilometers away from Dayan Ancient Town. If you don't have much luggage, you can take bus No. 111 to Dayan Ancient Town. This is one of the entrances and exits to Dayan Ancient Town, which is relatively close to the inn where I stayed. It is at the back door of Lijiang No. 1 Senior High School.

There are 3 ancient towns in Lijiang Ancient Town.

1. Dayan Ancient Town: the largest, with the most tourists and the most mature commercialization.

2. Shuhe Ancient Town: Nearly 6 kilometers from Dayan Ancient Town, accessible directly via Bus 111, it's relatively sparsely populated with tourists and offers a quiet and peaceful atmosphere perfect for enjoying tea or coffee or simply relaxing for a short break. There are many silver shops within Shuhe Ancient Town.

3. Baisha Town: The closest ancient town to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, this is a must-see for those interested in exploring history and folklore. This small town offers relatively few tourists, a relatively pristine ecological environment, and Naxi mural art.

I stayed in Dayan Ancient Town and arrived at the inn at noon. The room was in the courtyard on the first floor. The innkeeper was from Sichuan and was very hospitable. He called me every day to invite me to have tea. Haha, seeing that the accommodation price was good, I was too lazy to change inns, so I just endured it.

Lijiang Ancient Town

The name "Lijiang" originated from the establishment of the administrative district "Lijiang Road" in the 13th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1276). "Geography" in the "History of Yuan Dynasty" states: "The road is named after the river." Therefore, the origin of the place name "Lijiang" can be traced back to "Lishui," another name for the Jinsha River. The General History of Yunnan states: "The river is named Lishui. It originates from the Tibetan border and flows down from the Liniu Stone in Longchuan. Its original name was Lishui, but "Li" was corrupted to "Li." The Jinsha River originates from the Liniu Stone on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and was named Lishui. Later, because "Li" and "Li" sound similar, they were written as "Lishui" and "Lijiang."

Lijiang, located in the northwest of Yunnan Province, at the junction of Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet, is an internationally renowned tourist city and an important passage on the ancient "Southern Silk Road" and "Ancient Tea-Horse Road."

Lijiang City is located at the junction of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The terrain is high in the northwest and low in the southeast. The highest point is the main peak of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The altitude is generally above 2,000 meters, so the local ultraviolet radiation is strong. In just a few days, I successfully developed a severe ultraviolet allergy. The last time I had a severe ultraviolet allergy was in Xining (more than 3,000 meters above sea level, and eating too much will cause altitude sickness). Looking up at the sky, the clouds were very close to us, and the local people's skin was very dark due to the tan.

Lijiang is a multi-ethnic community. Besides the Han, there are 12 ethnic minorities and 22 ethnic minorities living here for generations. The Naxi make up about 80% of Lijiang's population. According to the Naxi people and the driver who drove me there these past few days, after the founding of New China, Han people from neighboring Sichuan province sought a better living environment and fled to Lijiang, a place rich in natural resources. Due to the policy at the time, these fleeing Han people registered their household registration as Naxi in order to settle in Lijiang.

Lijiang boasts three world heritage sites: the Lijiang Old Town, a World Cultural Heritage; the Three Parallel Rivers, a World Natural Heritage; and the Naxi Dongba Ancient Books and Documents, a World Memory Heritage. It has rich tourism resources, with 104 scenic spots, including Lijiang Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Laojun Mountain, Shuhe Ancient Town, and Anaguo.

After a quick pack up, I changed into a skirt and headed out to check out the Mufu Mansion. The ancient town was larger than I had imagined, and as expected, there were very few people. Fortunately, the navigation was very accurate. Along the way, I passed the "Fang Guoyu Former Residence," which required scanning various codes to enter during the epidemic.

Fang Guoyu (1903-1983), born into a scholarly family in Dayan Town, the former Naxi Autonomous County of Lijiang, is a renowned contemporary Chinese historian and professor, and an outstanding representative of the Naxi ethnic group. With pioneering courage, a pragmatic attitude, and a diligent spirit, he wrote numerous masterpieces, including "A Brief Introduction to the Catalog of Yunnan Historical Materials," "A Study of the History and Geography of Southwest China," "A Draft History of the Yi Nationality," and "A History of the Han and Jin Nationalities." He made outstanding contributions to the study of Chinese ethnic groups, the history and geography of China's southwestern frontier, the catalog of Yunnan historical materials, and Dongba culture. Renowned historian Professor Xu Zhongshu called him "a leading figure in South China and a giant in Yunnan history."

Based on my experience visiting the ancient city, I know it's a nightlife destination. At night, people come back from nearby attractions or go to bars after a day's sleep, so there are very few tourists in the ancient city during the day. Before I came, the innkeeper repeatedly reminded me to pay attention to sun protection. Walking on the blue brick path, I felt okay. The sun here is not as strong as in Xi'an, nor is it as dry and hot as in Xi'an. After living in Xi'an for a year, I feel that the climate anywhere else is better than Xi'an. Thanks to Xi'an, I have improved my tolerance for harsh climates. After walking for nearly 20 minutes on an empty stomach, I finally found the "Mu Mansion." I scanned the QR code to buy a ticket (40 yuan) and waited for the guide's free explanation. Mu Mansion is the common name for the yamen of the Mu clan Tusi in Lijiang. This family survived through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. At its peak, the Mu Mansion encompassed over 100 mu (approximately 16 acres) and boasted nearly 100 buildings, forming the heart of the 8,000-year-old Dayan Ancient City. Although merely a Tusi residence, its opulence and grandeur rivaled those of any royal or noble official residence. According to the Lijiang Prefecture Chronicle, the former Mufu Palace boasted majestic halls and a meticulously planned layout. Its central axis alone stretched 369 meters, housing the Council Hall, the Ten Thousand Scrolls Tower, the Dharma Protector Hall, and other major halls. Flanking these halls were numerous buildings, terraces, and pavilions. The gardens and corridors were unique in style. Its overall architectural style was described as "imitating the Forbidden City." The Mu Mansion is a magnificent example of architectural artistry, fully reflecting the elegance and grace of Ming Dynasty Central Plains architecture while retaining the rustic charm of Tang and Song Dynasty architecture. Its west-facing, east-facing layout, crisscrossing jade ditches, and flowing streams within the mansion embody the spirit of traditional Naxi culture. There's a saying among Lijiang tourists: "If you haven't visited the Mu Mansion, you haven't visited Lijiang."

The Naxi people speak of "Mu Lao Ye" with the same affection as we speak of our ancestors. Mu Lao Ye was once the master of this vast mansion. Simply put, five or six hundred years ago, the Mu Mansion was the "Forbidden City" of Lijiang's ancient city. The TV series "Mu Mansion" was filmed here. The Naxi people originally lacked Han Chinese surnames. After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, Ajia Ade, a Naxi chieftain in Lijiang, far away in northwest Yunnan, assessed the situation and, in 1382, "led his followers to submit," performing the ritual of a minister. This move greatly impressed Zhu Yuanzhang, who removed a stroke and a horizontal stroke from his own surname and granted him the Han surname "Mu." From then on, the traditional Naxi system of father-son joint names was changed to a Han surname. When mentioning the surname "Mu," we can't help but discuss another prominent Naxi surname, "He." "Mu" was the surname bestowed by Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang upon Naxi chieftains and nobles, while ordinary people at the time had no surnames. What surnames should the common people have? The chieftains did some thinking: since the common people were their subjects, their surnames naturally needed to be based on the character "Mu," but they couldn't have the surname "Mu." Naxi civilians were all laborers, wearing headscarves and carrying bamboo baskets. Thus, using pictographic techniques, the character "木" (wood) was created by adding a stroke (symbolizing the headscarf) and a mouth (symbolizing the bamboo basket) to the side, giving rise to the commoner surname "He." This surname "He" has no historical connection with the Han Chinese surname "He," nor does it share the same root as the Chinese character "和." Both its meaning and usage reflect the distinct character of Dongba script, imbued with the unique ethnic flavor of Naxi culture. The Naxi script is called Dongba because the Dongba were the disseminators of Naxi culture. Dongba were considered Naxi sages, shamans, and priests. Dongba skills were generally inherited from their fathers, and it is through the generations of these Dongba that Dongba culture has been preserved and developed.

In Lijiang, the Naxi ethnic group accounts for about 80% of the total population. Regarding the Naxi people, I was curious when I heard the tour guide mention the love suicides on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. After the 1996 earthquake, the World Bank recognized the treasure and provided a substantial loan to rebuild the Mu Mansion. Skilled craftsmen from Lijiang meticulously designed and constructed the building over three years, resulting in a phoenix-like rebirth. The Mu Mansion was renowned among the chieftains of southwestern China for its knowledge of poetry, literature, courtesy, and righteousness. At the time, the Mu Mansion controlled one-sixth of Yunnan's land; the rebuilt Mu Mansion now stands at only one-third of its original size. The Mu Mansion reached its peak during the late Ming Dynasty, with its magnificent architecture. The renowned ancient traveler Xu Xiake once exclaimed, "The splendor of its palace rivals that of a royal family." (During his travels, Xu Xiake fell seriously ill, and his servant stole his manuscripts and fled. Upon hearing of this, the chieftain of the Mu Mansion dispatched over a dozen strong men to carry Xu Xiake back to the mansion for treatment. With Mu Zeng's help, Xu Xiake returned to the Central Plains.) The entire Mu Mansion occupies 46 mu (approximately 1,000 acres), with a central axis measuring 369 meters. The complex faces east, embracing the rising sun and radiating a majestic atmosphere. The wooden memorial archway is inscribed with the words "天雨流芳" (Tianyu Liufang), a homophone of the Naxi phrase "去学吧" (reading). This phrase reflects the Naxi people's reverence for knowledge. The three-story Zhongyi Stone Memorial Archway, constructed entirely of stone, is a masterpiece of Chinese stone architecture.

The boudoir of a young lady in a mansion. Although the young lady of the nobility received a good education and had no worries about food and clothing since childhood, she would become an envoy used to marry into a foreign country in exchange for peace between tribes.

Wanjuanlou houses the quintessence of two thousand years of cultural heritage, including a thousand volumes of Dongba scriptures, a hundred volumes of the Tripitaka, poetry collections of the Six Chieftains, and numerous paintings and calligraphy by renowned scholars – all treasures of the Imperial Academy and a gem of the academy. The Dharma Protector Hall, also known as the Rear Meeting Hall, was where the chieftains discussed family matters. Guangbilou, the gatehouse to the back garden, is known historically as the finest building in western Yunnan.

It is said that the Buddhist scriptures enshrined in the Jokhang Temple in Lhasa were sourced from this building.

It was almost 10 o'clock in the evening when I said goodbye to the coffee lady and rushed to "Da Bing's Hut". I could smell the aroma of date cakes from the corner. God knows I had been waiting in line for half an hour or an hour. I was just glad that there was still one plate left for me.

Lijiang Ancient Town is the most beautiful ancient town I have ever visited. Pingyao Ancient Town, also an ancient town successfully nominated for World Heritage in my country, has a heavy history that prevented me from completely relaxing during my trip. Wuzhen and Xitang, although they are southern-style towns with small bridges, flowing water, and people rowing in black-sailed boats, can be explored in just one hour, and I still feel like I want more.

Lijiang's Old Town perfectly blends nature, commerce, and culture. Even after a three-night stay, I didn't manage to fully explore the city, not even visiting the iconic "Water Wheel." This speaks volumes about its vastness. During the day, strolling along its blue-bricked paths, I admire the vibrant greenery and tranquility, the vibrant reds of light and dark. At night, as I wander through the crowds, I'll occasionally hear the lively and affectionate clapping and singing of a young woman playing drums, and occasionally encounter a lone woman strolling by the rock-door pine path. The long, lonely path is only for those who wander at night.

Photography is not allowed inside the cabin. The only drinks available are Wusu and soy milk, with no time limit or limit on quantity. The singers don't have microphones. They often play guitar and sing a cappella. After a song, they occasionally raise a toast with the audience and chat and joke. It feels very awkward when you first come here. In the small, closed room of less than 30 square meters, strangers sit tightly together, listening to the singer sing and watching others joke. But most people come to the cabin because of Uncle Bing's books. The protagonists he writes about are like close friends around us. We come to Lijiang and sit in the cabin just to see friends we haven't seen for a long time, or to quietly express our little literary and artistic feelings in the corner.

When I was leaving, the singer asked me where I was going. I replied that it was too late and I needed to go back to bed. He joked that being alone is called resting, while being together is called sleeping. Before he finished, the boys in the room started laughing.

I couldn't sleep all night because of the coffee. It was also like taking a laxative that cleaned out my stomach and intestines. I finally slept for more than an hour at 5 o'clock in the morning, and had to get up to wash up and go to Lugu Lake.

Two-Day Tour of Lugu Lake

Lugu Lake is located at the junction of Yanyuan County, Sichuan Province and Ninglang County, Yunnan Province. It is jointly governed by Sichuan and Yunnan. To the east of the lake is Lugu Lake Town (formerly Zuosuo District), Yanyuan County, and to the west of the lake is Yongning Township, Ninglang County.

Checking in at the "Sky Realm" is actually just a few decorations suitable for taking photos set up high up. The fee is 30 yuan per person, and people who want to take photos flocked to it. The young lady sitting next to me all the way was very helpful and actually negotiated the price down. The young lady is Miao. She and two other young ladies in the car went to northern Shaanxi to attend a wedding, and came back to visit Lijiang. One of them is a hot girl from Hunan, and the other is also a young lady from the Miao village in Guizhou. I was with them from the moment I met them to the moment before I left Lijiang and got on the plane, so strictly speaking, I was not traveling alone.

Everyone on the bus was from the south, and I was the only one from the north. If I pronounced my erhua tone a little more, the girls from the Miao village wouldn't understand me. When we were chatting at lunch, they didn't believe I was from the Northeast. They said that apart from being a little taller, my speech, behavior and personality were like a southern girl. The same situation happened in Lijiang in the next few days. Alas.

Here, what flashed through my mind was Zeng Xiaoxian's line from "Love Apartment": "The spring breeze blows over Lugu Lake, and the cold rain soaks Jiuzhaigou." Hahaha

Every time I go out by myself, I make new friends, but they are definitely the most interesting. We are of similar age. When we climbed Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, others thought the four of us were in the same dormitory in college, but it turned out that they had already married and had children. The hot girl from Hunan is indeed straightforward and lively. The two girls from the Miao village are from ethnic minorities and are naturally frank and cute. Plus I am a straightforward person from Northeast China, so there is no barrier between us playing together.

"Water hyacinth" (also a specialty dish) on Lugu Lake. If the boat sails into the deep water, you will see more "Water hyacinth". Unfortunately, I was in a daze that day and stepped into the mud when getting off the boat. I couldn't even pull my shoe out and was in a mess.

This is the most satisfying photo I took for the hot girl from Hunan. Unfortunately, when it was my turn to take photos, I was short of time and had to get on the boat back before I could finish the picture.

The inn I'm staying at tonight is just 10 meters across from Lugu Lake. It's said that on clear days, you can gaze at the stars through the skylight overhead. Unfortunately, it's been cloudy and rainy for the past few days in Lijiang, so seeing the sunrise over the lake tomorrow morning will be a matter of luck. A reminder for travelers: always carry some medicated oil in your bag and light a mosquito coil at the inn so you can quickly keep flies and mosquitoes away from your pillow.

On the way back, the Miao village girl invited me to go out with them in Miao costumes in the evening. I was so surprised that I agreed.

I navigated to the inn where the young ladies were staying. After a long and meticulous process of getting dressed, from hair to makeup, I finally headed out, attracting countless attention along the way. While the Naxi people also have traditional clothing, walking through the ancient town, I occasionally saw a few older Naxi women in traditional attire. Compared to Miao clothing, which is less colorful, the Miao clothing is inlaid with silver bells from headdress to skirt, making a tinkling sound as they walked. The Miao ladies explained that this is their daily attire. Miao clothing, inlaid with silver, is never washed, so they walked with great care.

The young ladies wanted to buy Pu'er tea and start tasting it.

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

After a long hesitation about whether to go to Shangri-La or Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, I finally decided to go to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. It would take at least two days to visit Shangri-La and Tiger Leaping Gorge.

The weather wasn't kind. It rained and hailed on our way to the snow-capped mountains. As we checked in and entered the scenic area, I couldn't help but ask the Naxi tour guide if people commit suicide on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain every year. She stared at me gravely and asked, "Have you seen the news last year about a couple who committed suicide at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain? They were in their early twenties." Time was running out, and the guide had to continue her explanation, so the conversation ended there. It was a sad moment.

After bidding farewell to the guardian deity, we took the cable car to Blue Moon Valley.

On the shuttle bus ride, we saw several couples taking wedding photos. What brave brides! We felt cold even in our down jackets, and the brides were wearing such thin wedding dresses.

It is said that Yunshanping, a place where Naxi people committed suicide for love, is nearby.

I didn’t see any live white yaks in Qinghai, but I finally saw one in Blue Moon Valley. They were cute and adorable. It is said that white yak meat is not as delicious as black yak meat.

The snow and ice of Yulong Snow Mountain melt into a river, which flows through a valley at the foot of the mountain in Shandong. The lake is named "Blue Moon Valley" because the moon is reflected in the blue water against the backdrop of the blue sky. It is also similar to the Blue Moon Valley in the novel "Lost Horizon" by British writer Hilton. I have only read Alai’s Dust Settles, and I was intrigued by his depiction of the social landscape of the old Tibetans, and pleasantly surprised by the vividness, poetry, and passion of his prose. I look up at the misty snow-capped mountains in the distance, squat down and gently touch the clear, mirror-like lake water, and the charm of his writing stems from this blend of emotion and scene. The river in Blue Moon Valley is blocked by mountains during its flow, forming four large bodies of water: Jade Liquid Lake, Mirror Lake, Blue Moon Lake, and Listening to Waves Lake. The lakeshores are surrounded by lush vegetation, with snow-capped peaks in the distance as a backdrop.

Shuhe Ancient Town

In the afternoon, the Miao village girl went to buy local specialties, while I went to Shuhe Ancient Town to drink coffee.

Compared to Dayan Ancient Town, Shuhe Ancient Town is very quiet and sparsely populated. There are mostly silver shops on both sides of the ancient town, and there are silversmiths diligently polishing silver.

Attracted by the singing, I sat down to have a cup of Yunnan small-grain coffee. The shop dog was very warm. Knowing I was alone, it sat opposite me for a while.

Shuhe Ancient Town

Did you discover it?

When traveling, I just picked a random restaurant! The rice was really fragrant and delicious. It is worthy of being the signature dish of the restaurant. Friends who come to the restaurant for dinner, this is a must-order. Don't miss it. There is also the coated tofu, which is also delicious. It is a snack that is on the tip of the tongue and lives up to its reputation. The water lily and chickpea jelly are both excellent. And when you're here, order the owner's homemade wine. A few drinks are truly relaxing. Don't miss this place if you're visiting Lijiang. Yunnan is a wonderful place, and I've never had any disappointing food there.

Returning to Xi'an to reread Uncle Bing's book, it felt more intimate and real. Lijiang is the only city I've been to that I strongly want to visit again, of course, alone!

Why do we have to know each other before we meet? Love is always there, even across thousands of rivers and mountains!