Lijiang

Understand

Lijiang is the main center of the Naxi or Nakhi people, though it is by no means a Naxi-only town: at least half a dozen other ethnic groups are represented. The Naxi number under a million and are perhaps best known for their embroidery; they also have their own language with its own hieroglyphic-style writing system, and their own religion, clothing, art, architecture, music and dance. The Chinese government classifies the Mosuo (found mainly further north around Lugu Lake) as part of the Naxi group, but neither the Naxi nor the Mosuo accept this. Lijiang or nearby Baisha (now a village 12 km north of town) have been important for about 2000 years, when the Naxi settled in the area, and Baisha was the capital of a Naxi kingdom from 658 to 1107. Then the area came under Chinese control and Lijiang became the administrative center. Parts of the old town date back to this period, built during the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The town was built where the Jade River divides into three and its streams form the canals and waterways which flow along the old town streets. In 1278, the Yuan Dynasty appointed the Naxi chief Mu De hereditary ruler of the area, and the Mu family retained power for about 500 years. Today their palace is one of the major tourist attractions of the old town. Lijiang became known in the west through two men who lived in or near the town in the early 20th century, Austrian-American botanist Joseph Rock who wrote a Naxi dictionary, several scholarly papers, and many articles for National Geographic, and Russian Peter Goullart who wrote several books. It has been suggested that Rock's articles inspired James Hilton's Lost Horizons novel about a fictional Himalayan paradise, Shangri-la, but the claim is controversial. After China started to admit foreign tourists in the 1980s, Lijiang began to attract many visitors. To fulfill their needs, local people started restaurants and cafes. Chinese people also long for the lifestyle and the excellent environment in Lijiang and started to pour in. An earthquake in 1996 flattened large parts of the town, though quite a few of the traditional wooden buildings remained standing while far more of the Mao-era brick or concrete structures collapsed. Since then there has been extensive rebuilding, mainly in traditional styles. There have been some complaints that much of that work followed traditions of central China, rather than locally appropriate ones, but most visitors will just notice a lot of rather pretty old-looking buildings.

Getting there

Most guest houses in the traditional architectural style are in the old town. As taxis are not allowed to enter the old town, they have to stop at the gates. So either be prepared to carry your luggage a bit or call the hotel to send someone to carry your luggage on a cart.

By plane 1 Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG IATA 丽江三义国际机场), Sanyi Village, Qihe Town, Gucheng District (古城区七河镇三义村), ☏ +86 888 5173081 (general enquiries), +86 888 5141026 (baggage enquiries), +86 888 5173079 (ticket sales). (updated Apr 2019) There are many flights from Kunming to Lijiang, from early morning to late at night. It is also possible to book a flight to Lijiang from any major city in China, direct flights are available from Shanghai, Beijing etc., but many flights will stop in Kunming and many will require a change of planes there. The modestly sized airport is 40 minutes from the city. You can take a taxi for ¥100 (official fixed price) to get to the city. There are touts that will offer the same trip for ¥60-80, but it is likely you will find yourself squeezed into the same vehicle with strangers. Alternatively, outside the arrival hall, you will find the airport bus, which leaves regularly when full, for ¥20, to the Blue Skies Hotel near the Guangfang Hotel, which is 1 km from the Old Town. A taxi to the old town will be ¥7-10 from the Blue Skies Hotel carpark. When leaving Lijiang, arriving at the airport an hour before your flight is sufficient. Taxi back from Old Town to airport is around ¥110, with additional ¥10 toll fee. Lijiang is at 2,400 m (almost 8,000 feet) so there is some risk of altitude sickness if you fly in from a lower altitude. The risk is not remarkably severe, but it may be more prudent to fly to Kunming at 2,000 m, acclimatise there, then come to Lijiang. Dali would be an interesting intermediate stop. If you do fly direct to Lijiang from sea level, plan to take it easy the first day or two while your body gets acclimatised.

By train 2 Lijiang Railway Station (丽江站, Lijiang Station), Shangji Road, Huangshan Town, Yulong County (玉龙县黄山镇上吉路) (Several public bus lines serve the station, including the number 18 and some number 4 buses. Taxis are reluctant to use the meter and will demand high fares of ¥30-40, though with bargaining ¥15 may be possible. Taxis are not easy to come by in Lijiang, but small SUV-type vans cruise around offering a share-taxi service). The train station is an impressive structure about 7km south of Lijiang old town. (updated Apr 2019) A new bullet train service commenced on January 2019, which can take you to Li

Getting around

Walking is the only option in the old town, while taxis are often the easiest way around the rest of town, meter starts from ¥9 (as of Mar 2019). Make sure you have the exact location info or address for the cab driver. Some of them do not know a whole lot more than you do. Fracture alert: watch where you are walking. It is easy to trip on the cobblestones or fall into the canals from the walkways or bridges, many of which do not have handrails. The cobblestones can be very slippery when wet. To see the sights outside the old town, the options are walking, biking, public bus, private mini-bus, or taxi. The public bus mainly stays within the city and stops. The mini-buses are the same price as the public bus within the city. They will have the number of the bus on the front windshield. The price of a mini-bus to a nearby village is ¥1-5, but the starting location within the city is different for most villages. If you do not know where you want to go and are limited on time, the best option is to rent a taxi or mini-bus for the day, but the price can vary wildly from about ¥100 all the way up to ¥300. The price mainly depends on whether you can speak Chinese or not, and how comfortable you look when you try to bargain the deal.

See

Gucheng District 1 Old Town of Lijiang (丽江古城, 大研古城 Dayan Ancient Town), Gucheng District (古城区), ☏ +86 888 5111118. Open 24 hours. Walk around, watch people, shop, drink and eat. There is a bonfire at around 19:00 at the Si Fang Jie (四方街), the central plaza. Many local folks dance there, apparently entertain themselves. Tourists are welcomed to join. And if you get there early in the morning, you can avoid the crowds. Entry to the old town is free. The Old Town Maintenance Fee was abolished in 2017. However, some attractions within the old town still charge a fee. 2 Mu Palace (木府; Mùfǔ), 49 Guanyuan Lane, Guangyi Street, Gucheng District (古城区光义街官院巷49号), ☏ +86 888 5181468, +86 888 5122572. 08:30-17:30. The palace where the Mu Clan of the Naxi people ruled for over 400 years. It is a large complex that extends part way up the hill behind it. There used to be a lot of high quality paintings in the palace and finely carved wooden doors, but most were destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. At the back hill of the Mu's Palace is the 'Lion Hill Scenic Area', which requires additional ¥40 entrance fee. At the top is a Daoist temple, with a few Daoists ready to give fortunes to visitors for a donation. A taste of Mulaoye Wine (木老爷酒; Mùlǎoyejiǔ), a kind of local alcohol, is available for ¥5 (in a shot glass), and there is also a free tea tasting area. Allow at least two hours explore this expansive complex and do wander off into the side courtyards as it will take you back to the main courtyards. If you are visiting Wangulou, exit the Lion Hill Park from the south exit which leads you right into the back entrance of Mu Palace. Entry fee is ¥40 (as of Mar 2019). Discounts are available for children over 1.2 metres in height and adults aged between 61 and 69. Children under 1.2 metres in height and adults aged 70 and over may enter for free. (updated Mar 2019) 3 Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭; Hēilóngtán), 1 Minzhu Road, Gucheng District (古城区民主路1号) (about 1 km from Square Street), ☏ +86 888 5188041. 07:00-19:00. Quite large place with some nice natural scenery together with traditional building styles. Don't forget to take pictures on the center bridge where the Yu Long Xue Shan (The Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) can be a perfect background. Popular with locals, whom you can find dancing or playing games such as mahjongg or Chinese chess. You can also hike up Elephant Hill if you're feeling energetic. Walk north along the canals from the waterwheels just to the north of the old town. It is about 10 minutes walk up-river. ¥50, free to seniors over 60. (updated Feb 2019) 4

Do

1 Naxi Concert Hall (纳西古乐会), 86 Mishi Lane, Xinyi Street, Gucheng District (古城区新义街密士巷86号), ☏ +86 888 5127971. 20:00-21:30. Enjoy the traditional Naxi music Culture Show performed by the Naxi Orchestra, which includes some 70-90 year old men. The music itself is a combination of traditional Chinese music dating back to the Tang dynasty and local instruments and flavours. The music is well performed, however be prepared for long explanations of its musical history in Mandarin between each piece and the sometimes self-serving comments of Xuan Ke the Director. While the Naxi Ancient Music group of Lijiang is famous and well promoted, there are other excellent classical Chinese music groups playing in Lijiang's parks (for ¥10) or at weddings or housewarmings all over Yunnan. ¥120-160. Float styrofoam boats. Along the main streams are girls selling candles that float on delicate flower-shaped styrofoam boats. Tourists can purchase one, make a wish, and send their candle down the waterways. Late in the evening after groups have had significant amounts of alcohol you can see many floating candles sailing down the waterways. If you are environmentally conscious and have reservations about sending styrofoam downstream do not worry. There is a net, far down the waterway, that catches the boats. The girls just go down, pick the boats up, and re-sell them the next night. ¥10 (September 2010). Biking. Rent a bike downtown, e.g. at Ali Baba's near Mao Zedong's statue, and see the sights. Ali Baba's will give you a handmade map of smaller surrounding towns that capture the quaint styles of Lijiang without the heavy tourism and the tacky souvenir shops. There are at least three towns, ranging from converted hippy communes to remote farming villages. There is a beautiful remote Buddhist monastery at Puji Mountain which is worth the 30 minute hike. There is also a Tibetan village labeled on the map but is hard to find, so ask Ali Baba for directions. Most of the terrain around Lijiang is level and the roads have only light traffic. These small, non-touristy towns and other sightseeing destinations can be reached within a 20-minute ride. About ¥40 per day including a map. Walk the canal path. To get to the Black Dragon Pool you can walk the canal path north near the main water wheel. It will take you to the south entrance of the park. The north part of the park is free and you can get there by walking around the south entrance and keep heading north. You should reach a street with the main entrance to the park. Keep going north and you will see a small bridge that lea

Buy

Loads of tourist shops available in old town. Probably overpriced, but Lijiang does not have as many cases of the Westerner price being too much higher than the Chinese price as in many other parts of China.

Burned wood carvings - One of the popular local specialties. Quality varies greatly by the individual artist, and prices vary by shops. Some shops do custom etchings of your face (near photo-realism) with Lijiang in the background. Expect to have your picture taken, then come back in a few hours. Yak horn combs - Also popular, with some combs also carved from the yak hoof (the ones with the rougher edge on the handle). Naxi clothing - For ¥5 you can get your picture taken in them without having to buy them. Local skirts that include designs that appear Ancient Egyptian may actually be based on pictographs that preceded Chinese characters. Art and writing samples (东巴; Dōngbā) - The Naxi have the only living hieroglyphic language in the world, and shops with samples of it, or of the unique Naxi style art, are abundant. Yunnan Coffee - Coffee ground to a fine powder then added to water, although most contain milk and sugar powder already. Warm Clothing - In the Old Town warm clothing is quite expensive if you are just looking for something cheap to keep the chill out. The road just outside the town by the waterwheel has very cheap hats, mitts, and even long johns. Just turn left at the first intersection. Small red coconut - do not buy a small red fruit shaped like a coconut. It is just a coconut painted red and sold for a very high price. This is a scam. Naxi hand-made Embroidery, Baisha Village (12 km north of Lijiang City), ☏ +86 13095230290. You can find many nice Naxi hand-made embroideries in the Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute. Some of them are arts, very unbelievable, made by the famous Naxi masters. If you are looking for supermarket that offers fair prices, there is none in Old Town. The nearest option will be 'Dragon Life Supermarket' near the South Gate, along the southwestern part of Old Town, or 'Good Mood Supermarket' near the North entrance of Black Dragon Pool.

Eat

There are three primary types of restaurants in Lijiang: Naxi, Tibetan, and Sichuan. Some restaurants offer more than one type of food. Much Western food is also available, but more expensive. A bowl of noodle costs from ¥12-15 (slightly more pricier than Dali) (as of Jul 2019). Lots of local snack-type foods available from street vendors, including:

Baba - a flat wheatbread available; a savory version sometimes served with chili sauce and a sweeter version that tastes honey-flavored. Naxi style fried white cheese - A soft white cheese cut into slices then fried in a non-greasy batter. Served with sugar sprinkled on top and very delicious (only seen in restaurants). Yak's milk yogurt - Has a bit of a different flavor than cow's milk yogurt, but very good. Commonly served with honey, muesli, and/or fruit. Can also be made into fruit shakes. Fried yak meat - served on skewers.

Budget If you are in the old town, it's probably better to get out to find cheap prices.

Mid-range Prague Café (from main square take Easterly road, over a bridge, on the left(?)). The food is good and fairly reasonably priced (given the touristy area it is in) and it has a friendly atmosphere, but the drinks are expensive. Especially green tea at ¥15/cup! Country Sky, Hongye Street, Shuhe Ancient Village (Just outside of Lijiang), ☏ +86 888 5178132. Serves lunch and dinner and offers vegetarian and traditional dishes at fair prices. N's Kitchen, 2/F, 17 Jishan Alley, Xinyi St (Find your way to a small square in the old town some people call the grass selling square. The place is easy to miss because it is on the second floor. The entrance is by the southern entrance to the square, across from Susan's Naxi), ☏ +86 888 5120060. Serves western breakfast, tasty sandwiches, monster burgers, and pizzas. Free Internet and WiFi. And they have very nice bikes for hire. You could also get lots of information on biking and hiking here. the view from the balcony is nice and you can chill out a while. Qiuyuege Restaurant, 32 Cunwen Sect, Xinhua St, ☏ +86 888 5125671. Serves Naxi foods. Free live music and free Internet and WiFi. Lijiang Gulou Restaurant (丽江古楼; Lìjiānggǔlóu), 49 Yellow Hill Lower Section, Xinhua St, ☏ +86 888 5186923. Serves Naxi and Sichuan food. The best ma-po tofu! Adam Restaurant. A unique restaurant inside the old town. There is no menu in this restaurant. Adam, the owner, will only cook when the visitors come in. You only need to enjoy the food he cooks and pay the food as your convenient. It is worth trying for the food adventure. Nordic Delight (

Drink & nightlife

There are a couple of local drinks worthy of special mention. Lijiang Yinjiu and Sulima (both commonly available in Lijiang) are modern renditions of ancient beer types of the Naxi and Mosuo people and far more enjoyable than the typical bland Chinese lager. Yunnan is famous for tea, as well (though Pu'er, Yunnan's best-known tea town, is way down south on the road to Xishuangbanna) and every fourth shop is a tea shop specializing in the length and breadth of Chinese tea, the likes of which you will not find in your average Western Chinatown. See Chinese cuisine#Tea for details. Unlike the rest of China, Lijiang's cafés and restaurants shut down around 11PM. The bars have to shut down their music at 23:30. But you can drink until you finish your alcohol. Along the canal you find it packed with bars. It's packed with people even on rainy days. The cost for a dozen beers ranges from ¥98 at 21:00, all the way to ¥600 around 23:00. The bars along the canal are the most touristy. If you walk past Four Square street deeper into the old town you will find less touristy bars where you aren't constantly asked to buy flowers for the girls. There are too many bars inside old town to list, but here are a few:

Freshnam Cafe (68 WangJiaZhang Alley WuYi Street Lijiang, right beside Mama Naxi Guest house (5 minutes walk from si fang jie)), ☏ +86 13578383745. 10:00-00:00. Western/Korean bar. Easily accessible, 5 minutes walk from old town center. In the day, it is a quiet cafe, ideal for some hot tea or smoothies. Live music starts from 20:30 every night, perfectly located away from the tourist crowds. Refreshing cocktails served at reasonable prices, definitely worth a visit. Free wifi available and even a shelf of books for your reading pleasure. LMC - Lijiang Millionaire's Club, Bai Sui Qiao (From old town square, either down Qi Yi Street and first left to Bai Sui Qiao, or go along Wu Yi street to the Big Stone Bridge, and go downstream to next stone bridge, Bai Sui Qiao. LMC is on your left, upstairs in Water Nymph cafe), ☏ +86 13769001439. after sunrise til late. LMC is a new cafe/bar in old town, the only one in the old town run by foreigners, and a good meeting place for travelers. Has free Wi-Fi, live music every night, film nights on Tuesdays, local and imported beers, wines from all over the world, as well as pizza, pasta and Indian meals. reasonable. Stone the Crows, 134-2 Wenzhi Alley, Wuyi St, Lijiang old town (half way along the shortcut between Wuyi st and Wen Hua Alley), ☏ +86 13368881832, [email protected]. 18:00 - very late. Down-to-earth

Sleep

Lijiang has plenty of hotels to fit all budgets and styles. It is sometimes difficult to find specific addresses in the old town; the best option, especially in low season, is to walk around town and check out prices and rooms to see which suits you best, as there are many different options to choose from. In the winter, ensure that there is a heated mattress pad or heating in the room as the nights are quite chilly.

Budget There are hundreds of beautiful and clean Chinese hotels not listed below. To find them it's best to ask around, or stand in the train station bus drop-off stop (East of the water-wheels central square) with a big backpack and look lost. Nice ladies will approach you: expect to get a double room for around 80Y-100Y, depending on the season.

Enjoy Inn, No.39 Lower Ba Yi of Qi Yi street in the old town (丽江古城七一街八一下段39号) (From the bus station it's best to take a taxi (¥7-10 approx). Taxis cannot drive into the centre but they can get you very close. Ask the driver to take you to the 'first middle school of Lijiang' (丽江市第一中学) then walk straight into old town along the quaint Chinese street with the stream on your right and various dumpling restaurants on your left. Enjoy inn will be on your left after 300 meters - just at the end when the road swings right with the make-shift football pitch on your left.), ☏ +86 13688766022 (English or Chinese). Really charming little place situated on a very Chinese street with food vendors in the morning and some nice little dumpling houses. Easy walking distance to centre in a much nicer and less hectic part of the town. Lovely communal open-air courtyard to relax in. Run by Joy who speaks very good English and is extremely helpful. A tea-enthusiast who is happy to share her stash over a chat and is very happy to point you in the right direction if you're interested in buying some. Knows a lot about the area and very happy to help. Wifi throughout, computers available, hot water etc. Single room/twin room shared bathroom ¥40/¥70, double bed private bathroom ¥160, family suite ¥360. Happiness Inn, Lijiang old town, Xin Hua Street Huang Shan Shang Duan (Easy to find. Coming from the waterwheel on Dong Da Jie, go to Sifang square and turn right up the hill at the end of the square. The Inn is on the left about 5 minutes up the hill.), ☏ +86 15987932280 (English OK), +86 888-8897356 (Chinese only), [email protected]. Cute, quiet inn near the top of the hill. Run by very a friendly English-speaking young woman who goes out of her way to help guests with exploring the town and surroundings and oft

Go next

Lijiang is on a popular route described at Yunnan tourist trail. Other major towns along that route are:

Dali, next main city south. There is a direct bus to Xiaguan, Dali new town. You need to take another bus to Dali ancient city. There is also a direct bus from Lijiang to Dali ancient city; ask your hotel or a tour agent to book the ticket. All of the Lijiang buses pass the Dali old town on the way to Xiaguan. Just tell the driver to drop you off in Dali. Shangrila, next main city north. It is ¥60 from Lijiang to Shangrila by express bus. about 4-hr trip, bus every hour. Both Dali and Shangri-la can also be reached by train. The train trip to Dali is 2½ hours while the trip to Shangri-la takes about 1½ hours. Other places in the region include:

Shaxi, between Lijiang and Dali. Unexploited ancient town unlike Lijiang, is less visited by tourists, but is more popular than it was in the past. As of 2024, it’s possible to get a direct bus to Shaxi from Lijiang’s main bus terminal, so it’s no longer necessary to change buses in the county seat of Jianchuan County. Lugu Lake, north of Lijiang near the Sichuan border, direct bus from Lijiang. As of 2010, the road was under construction and very rough, more than seven hours of rough ride. Presumably construction is now complete, so travel should require about four hours and be reasonably comfortable. Lijiang is also a jumping off spot for treks; see Tiger Leaping Gorge (quite nearby) and Three parallel rivers (more of an expedition).

Qiaotou for Tiger Leaping Gorge - regular bus services are available from the main bus station. You can also take any Shangrila bound bus and have the driver drop you off at Qiaotou. Costs about ¥25. If you take a Shangrila bus, make sure to ask for the ticket to Qiaotou only, otherwise they will charge you the full fare to Shangrila. For the Three parallel rivers region you will need a guide (readily available in either Lijiang or Shangrila), equipment, and at least a week.