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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 three point eight 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.

Admission Fee: CNY 80 (Protection Fare)
Recommended
Time for a Visit: 40 minutes

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Friday, December 14, 2007

Learn mandarin - Old Town of Lijiang: Lijiang Travel Guide

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