Out of All the Beloved Scenery, I Only Love Lijiang

📍 Dali · 👁 1 reads · ❤️ 61 likes

There is a beauty that fills life with poetry, like the dreamy, gentle Lijiang Ancient Town;

There is a beauty that is majestic and dynamic, in the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain;

There is a beauty that lies in the sunset afterglow, in the vastness of the earth, where water and sky merge as one at Lugu Lake;

Strolling through the ancient town, I ate heaps of snacks. Lose weight? Impossible – I'd already shed 10 pounds before coming, and I want to find those lost pounds again in Lijiang, haha.

My husband really likes these little trinkets; maybe girls just don't. If I'd had a son instead of a daughter, I probably would've let him buy a couple.

Actually, there are many little shops worth exploring, but the owners don't allow photos, so I can't share a lot of the interesting finds. If you're curious, you'll just have to go see for yourself. Many people say you might as well go to Gulangyu instead, but they're wrong. Lijiang has its own unique character, completely different from Xiamen.

In the ancient town, Naxi grandmas sell fruit, not expensive – strawberries, cherries, blueberries all at 10 RMB a box.

Jiahua flower cakes come in truly beautiful packaging. I compared prices online and they're the same as in the shop. We bought freshly baked ones in the store when there weren't many people around, took our time picking several classic types, and had them mailed back to Shanghai. We spent over 700 yuan on gifts for friends and family, and the staff split them into three boxes with free shipping.

The sunshine was just right – perfect for soaking it all up slowly.

Absolutely, the little pot rice was excellent, wonderfully fragrant and so delicious. The ingredients seemed ordinary but the flavor was outstanding – incredibly aromatic. We all ate very happily; service was good, and the setting was lovely. Thumbs up!

Setting off for Lugu Lake, the driver Wenwen arranged was a Mosuo man from Lugu Lake. Along the way he shared Mosuo culture with us – fascinating. Also in our car were some hikers from Hong Kong whose Mandarin was so perfect we thought they were from Beijing.

When you hear "Kingdom of Women," you probably think of the Journey to the West kingdom filled with beauties and scarce men. But actually, there's a real "Kingdom of Women" hidden in colorful Yunnan – Lugu Lake.

Dropping off our luggage, we changed outfits and headed out for photos. Daluoshui Village is the largest settlement on the Yunnan side of Lugu Lake. Along the shore there are many unique guesthouses, and transportation is convenient. However, because it was developed early, the décor and facilities in the guesthouses felt a bit dated to me.

Breakfast was exquisitely done, with several set menus to choose from.

Caohai (Grass Sea). The Mosuo people, living in "matriarchal families," practice the custom of "walking marriage" – where men do not marry and women do not wed. Walking marriage is an integral part of Mosuo culture: the man visits the woman's home at night and returns to his own in the morning; neither is considered a member of the other's family. This "Walking Marriage Bridge" is a wooden bridge over 300 meters long that spans the Grass Sea linking villages on both sides, providing a convenient pathway for the visiting men. Though the custom itself has largely faded, the story of the Walking Marriage Bridge adds a rich layer of local color to the Kingdom of Women at Lugu Lake.

Lige Island Viewpoint. Lige is a village at Lugu Lake that was developed later and retains its original character. It's divided into three sections. The first is near the village entrance, where prices are lower but there's no lake view. Further in, you reach Lige Bay, the second section, where prices are higher but the guesthouse rooms face Lugu Lake with unobstructed, wide-open views. The third section is the famous Lige Peninsula, where many rooms feature lake views with nothing blocking the sight – you can lie in bed and watch the clouds and sunrise over Lugu Lake. But the prices are less lovely: a good room usually runs over a thousand.

Luowa Wharf. This was a spot the driver recommended, and I never expected it to be this beautiful. It truly is the "Mirror of the Sky" at Lugu Lake. The perfectly still lake was like an endless blue silk cloth – so pure and intoxicatingly blue. With hardly any tourists, it was remarkably serene, a few small boats drifting gently on the calm surface.

Standing there, the whole lake felt motionless, everything so pure and lovely, as if you'd stepped into a hidden paradise.

Strolling casually around Daluoshui. On the lake, colorful pig-trough boats bobbed peacefully, and in the distance you could gaze at Gemu Goddess Mountain.

Lover's Beach. Lugu Lake actually has two Lover's Beaches – Libai Lover's Beach in Sichuan territory, and Luoshui Lover's Beach in Yunnan. The name is so evocative that I imagine it must be a must-visit spot for couples. Here, a long sandy beach stretches out, the lake water crystal clear and deep blue. Close to shore the water is utterly transparent, and the surface is dotted with water flowers.

Amid the magnificent morning glow, in the splendid evening clouds, between dawn and dusk, through the cycles of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. In the evening, we enjoyed the sunset from the big terrace at the guesthouse – today's twilight clouds were especially gorgeous.

Travelogue Contents

1. Lijiang Ancient Town

2. Yunshanping (Spruce Meadow)

3. Blue Moon Valley

4. Lijiang Ancient Town

5. Shuhe Ancient Town

6. Lugu Lake Travel Information

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