Fourth Visit to Yunnan: Kunming, Tengchong, Mangshi, Ruili, Baoshan, Dali, Wuliang Mountain, Red Land (Part 3)

After breakfast and checkout at the hotel, we drove to Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda, a 7-kilometer journey that took 15 minutes. Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda sits atop Lei Ya Rang Hill; a short winding mountain road leads to the hilltop parking lot. On the left side of the lot is the Golden Pagoda, and on the right is the Silver Pagoda. The two sites are very close and easily visited on foot. Tour groups all flock to the Golden Pagoda, while the Silver Pagoda sees far fewer visitors, but I found it well worth a visit. Walking about 300 meters from the parking lot brought us to the Golden Pagoda. It was already 10 a.m. – we had started late today, which made the whole day rather tight.

Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda, dazzling and resplendent in gold, is the landmark of Mangshi and a sacred place for the local Dai people. Legend has it that Sakyamuni, in a previous life as the golden rooster Aluan, once lived here. The pagoda was destroyed in 1966; the current structure was rebuilt in 2007. It stands on the summit of Lei Ya Rang Hill, 1,079 meters above sea level, beside Peacock Lake southeast of Mangshi. From the foot of the hill you can already see the shining golden spire. In front of the pagoda gate, two golden dragons descend along the hillside, transforming into giant claws right before the pagoda. Climbing the steps from the gate, the five large characters "勐焕大金塔" gleam brightly, surrounded by carvings of peacocks, Buddha, and ritual implements. The golden color, under the sunshine, is quite dazzling – dignified yet slightly playful. The Grand Golden Pagoda is the largest main building in the temple, in a South Asian Dai royal palace style, magnificent and resplendent with white jade walls, and stairs going up and down the side, like a beautiful garden. The pagoda is 76 meters high, an octagonal four-door hollow Buddhist pagoda with four tiers, but in reality the lower three tiers are all hollow halls. On the second and third tiers stand eight small pagodas, and on the outer platform of the fourth tier there are another eight vase-shaped pagodas, making sixteen small pagodas encircling the central great golden spire. These not only enhance the main pagoda's grandeur but also beautify it. There are four large gates – east, south, west, and north – all accessible; before entering the main hall you must remove your shoes. Around the pagoda runs a gallery where visitors can rest, offering a panoramic view of Mangshi. The mountain breeze is wonderfully refreshing. Another noteworthy sight in the area is the reclining Buddha relief on the right-side wall of the gate – a gigantic, serene, and kindly reclining Buddha statue, its golden kasaya blending with the green hills and trees, becoming one with nature. Nearby stands a bodhi tree, the third generation of the tree under which Sakyamuni attained enlightenment over 2,000 years ago. Cuttings were later taken from India to Sri Lanka, where the tree flourished. This sapling was brought from Sri Lanka to Xishuangbanna in Yunnan in 2005 and is now planted in Xishuangbanna, Kunming, and here in Dehong, Mangshi.

Leaving Menghuan Grand Golden Pagoda, we returned to the parking lot and walked 100 meters downhill to the Silver Pagoda. Menghuan Silver Pagoda is a new landmark for tourism in Mangshi, Dehong, completed and opened in April 2019. The pagoda is 66 meters tall, 46 meters in diameter; overall smaller than the Golden Pagoda, but since the hill it stands on is about 20 meters higher, the two appear roughly equal in height. The Silver Pagoda is pure white, creating a sharp contrast with the Golden Pagoda. The two pagodas stand on the summit of Lei Ya Hill, overlooking Peacock Lake – one sumptuous and gorgeous, the other elegant and serene, a charming contrast. The entrance ticket is 40 yuan. Since the area isn't large, we didn't take the electric cart. Inside, follow the central axis: the right path is the uphill staircase, and the left is the vehicle road, so it's better to go up on the right and down on the left – the descent out of the scenic area will be easier. The overall design is based on Dai culture, with a layout of "one ring, six zones, thirty points." The ring is the sightseeing loop; the six zones are the Grand Universe Entrance Zone, the Handprint & Auspicious Ties Zone, the Right Enlightenment Plaza Zone, the Silver Wheel Plaza Zone, the Forest & Wandering Clouds Zone, and the Silver Pagoda Floral Language Zone.

Upon entering the Silver Pagoda area, "silver-wrapped purity" and "sacred holiness" are the most immediate impressions. Ascending on the left is the eco-friendly vehicle road, while the right is the footpath. It takes about 15 minutes to reach the top. I suggest going up on the right and down on the left; the vehicle road side has a small platform where you can gaze at the Grand Golden Pagoda in the distance – the view is truly fine. The whole area is easy and relaxing, because there are far fewer visitors than at the Golden Pagoda, so it was very pleasant. Looking out from the viewing platforms with unique Dai architectural elements and sculptures, the white pagoda set against the greenery presents a picture-perfect scene of "a person within a painting." Unlike the Golden Pagoda, you cannot enter the Silver Pagoda, only view it from outside. The architectural style is mainly Dai and Buddhist, and it is precisely these different styles that give the place its distinct character. As we were leaving, locals were taking wedding photos here – the pure white wedding dress against the solemn white pagoda enhanced the sense of holiness and innocence.

Our schedule was very tight today, and we had started late, so we had to leave the Silver Pagoda quickly. The next stop was the Tree-Wrapped Pagoda, an urban sight only about 10 minutes away by navigation. The pagoda is surrounded by parking, so you can park right beside it. This is a Dai-style Buddhist pagoda, originally called Tiesheng Pagoda, built to commemorate a battle. It is a solid brick pagoda, wrapped and covered by the roots of a tree, hence the name Tree-Wrapped Pagoda. It is the earliest Buddhist pagoda built by the local Dai people. The uniquely charming tree-wrapped pagoda looks like a standing vajra warrior, dignified and imposing, while the mighty bodhi tree spreads like a giant umbrella protecting the pagoda's top. The thick canopy stretches arms into the sky; the ancient bronze-colored trunk twists and firmly embraces the stupa, and the roots cascade like a waterfall bathing the base. Tree wraps pagoda, pagoda embraces tree – interdependent and mutually enhancing, creating a singular wonder renowned throughout western Yunnan and Southeast Asia. Right next to it is an elementary school; as it coincided with the end of the school day, the roadside was full of children. Carefully driving away from the school district, we left Mangshi and headed to our country's border – Ruili. Ruili is about a 1.5-hour drive from Mangshi, at the end of the Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway. It is connected to Myanmar by mountains and rivers, with villages facing each other across the border, adjacent to Muse, a national-level border port in Myanmar. Ruili is the largest interior port in southwest China, a major jewelry distribution center, and one of the first batches of Excellent Tourism Cities in China. It is also one of China's 17 international land port cities and the first station where the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline enters the country. Our first sight was Jiegao Border Gate; we stopped here for 20 minutes. The parking lot is right in front of the gate, very convenient. "Jiegao" means "old city" in Dai; the area operates a special "within the border, outside customs" supervision model. Here you'll find the famous "Sino-Myanmar Street," the Ruili Port Border Gate, and "The Edge of the Sky and Sea." Next to the Edge of the Sky and Sea, through the wire mesh you could see people from Myanmar queuing to enter the country. Locals said that Myanmar people can work within Dehong Prefecture but cannot leave Dehong unless they hold a passport – and a passport is a huge expense for ordinary Myanmar people. The "Edge of the Sky and Sea" stone tablet, tucked in a corner of the border gate, was donated by a certain company; I couldn't quite figure out why this tablet has become a photo-op landmark.

Driving from the border gate about 30 minutes, we reached the "One Village, Two Countries" scenic area. There are actually many small sights in Ruili, but due to time constraints I only chose the border gate and One Village, Two Countries. The parking lot was crowded with tour buses. The entrance is quite small, but inside it is surprisingly vast – more accurately, a large piece of land has been fenced off. The entrance ticket is only 27 yuan. As the name implies, this scenic area straddles China and Myanmar. Follow the left path for your visit, then return the same way to the transnational giant swing, and then explore the right side of the area. Swinging on the giant swing lets you cross the Sino-Myanmar border line with one swing – back and forth between the two countries, great fun. After passing some shops, you first see a well shared by the one village in two countries, then Boundary Marker No. 71 of the Sino-Myanmar border. The border line winds right through the middle of the village; crossing a narrow road takes you into Myanmar without any visa. You can't pause on that road because border guards prohibit taking photos on it; there is a border inspection point called Yinjing. The Chinese side is called Yinjing, the Myanmar side Mangxiu. Walking into the Myanmar part of the village, it's very small; you can see simple Myanmar houses and a little shop – though everything sold there was Thai products. We finished the Myanmar village in a few minutes, then returned the same way to the giant swing. Walking further along the fence of the border line, there was a high-altitude corridor (paid), but it wasn't open that day so we didn't go up. There is also "One Pagoda Guarding Two Countries" and a large complex of Myanmar-style buildings. As it was about 2:30 p.m., we left the scenic area and headed to Tengchong Bus Station, a drive of about 3 hours. We arrived in Tengchong at 5:30 p.m., returned our car, and just managed to catch the last bus at 6:00 p.m. from Tengchong to Baoshan. I fell asleep on the bus; after getting off, I took a Didi to Landu Hotel (a four-star hotel). The hotel had central air conditioning, but it wasn't powerful; I made do and went to sleep.

The next morning I almost missed the bus to Xiaguan, Dali (bus no. 1105, fare 82 yuan). Fortunately, the Didi driver took a shortcut, and I luckily caught the bus just in time – I even gave the female driver a small red envelope as thanks. The journey to Dali took about 2.5 hours, all on the expressway. Gazing out the window at the scenery, I reflected on how quickly time had passed – today was already the sixth day. At Xiaguan and at the train station, passengers got off. We asked the driver how to get to Dali Ancient Town, and he said he was just about to drive to the Dali Ancient Town bus depot for a handover; he was very kind and gave us a lift to the old town. The ancient town is quite far from the city center railway station, a 40-minute drive. From the bus depot to Dali Ancient Town it's a 10-minute walk on foot, pulling our suitcases that rumbled noisily along the road. We met many people trying to get us to stay at their guesthouses. We deliberately chose a place inside the old town and close to the main gate: "Nuan Nuan Inn" (a youth hostel-type place, at 12 Bo'ai Road in the old town). The room was simply furnished, and the shower facilities were very basic. They put us in the new building, which was quieter – something I liked. Compared to well-known ancient towns like Fenghuang or Pingyao, Dali Ancient Town is much larger – after all, it was once a royal city, and for over 500 years under the Tang and Song dynasties it was the political, economic, and cultural center of Yunnan. The town lies at the foot of the Cangshan Mountains and by the shore of Erhai Lake, majestic in spirit. The town's history can be traced back to the Tianbao era of the Tang dynasty, when Nanzhao King Geluofeng built Yangju Mie City as his new capital. The sightseeing route runs along Fuxing Road, from the South Gate to the North Gate, 1,500 meters long, paved with granite slabs – it's the longest north-south thoroughfare in the old town. The shops on either side of Fuxing Road mostly retain the architectural style of the late Qing and early Republic periods; it's the main commercial street of Dali Ancient Town, lined with shops selling marble carvings, ethnic costumes, and local specialties. There's also the well-known Foreigner Street running from east to west. The town is so big that if you have the chance, renting a bike is the way to go. The town has four gates: East Gate (Erhai Gate, also known as Tonghai Gate), South Gate (Shuanghe Gate, also known as Cheng'en Gate), West Gate (Cangshan Gate), and North Gate (Santa Gate, also known as Anyuan Gate). The layout follows a classical grid pattern, with the north and south gates symmetrical and streets crisscrossing – it's said to have "nine streets and eighteen alleys." The city center leans to the west; the north-south axis is not central, creating a layout heavier in the west and lighter in the east. The east and west gates are offset, following the Bai architectural principle of "not taking due east, west, south, or north as central."

Around noon, after dropping off our luggage, we headed to the South Gate. This area has more tour groups, and it's also the starting point for the sightseeing carts (at the South Gate visitor center, the cart is 35 yuan per person for a loop around the town). The South Gate tower was rebuilt in 1984, and the city wall was restored in 1998 on the site of the original wall, maintaining the Ming dynasty style. You can take photos here, but given the crowds, I didn't linger long and walked straight up Fuxing Road. The street on both sides really was full of shops, and things weren't cheap: a small skewer of black boar meat cost 15 yuan. Since my stomach demanded it, I tried two skewers. There were many silverware shops with signs claiming to be the Cuan family silver shop – perhaps connected to the Cuan family ancestral hall in Heshun Old Town, Tengchong? Not far away is Du Wenxiu's Marshal Mansion. Du Wenxiu was the leader of the Yunnan Hui uprising. His family were merchants for generations; he himself was a xiucai (a degree-holder) and once a village teacher, known for his integrity and honesty. In 1856, rescued from prison by the Yunzhou Hui uprising leader Cai Chunfa, he raised an army in Menghua (modern Weishan), recruiting thousands of Hui and Yi people. On September 16, he captured Dali; on October 17, he was elected Grand Marshal and established a regime, declaring "long- distance allegiance to the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace in Nanjing," opposing narrow ethnic views, and putting forward the slogan "Unite Hui and Han as one, raise the banner of righteousness, expel the barbarians, restore China, eliminate corruption, and deliver the people from fire and water." He adopted measures to develop production and lighten people's burdens, abolishing miscellaneous local taxes and strict army discipline. In 1872, Qing troops attacked Dali; on December 26, Du Wenxiu took poison and then presented himself at the Qing camp, asking that the lives of Dali's soldiers and civilians be spared. He was killed by Cen Yuying, and the uprising failed. What remains today is the main gate of the marshal mansion, part of the Forbidden City walls, the inner hall gate, the White Tiger Hall, and side rooms. After the uprising's failure, the Yunnan-Guizhou Governor Cen Yuying modified the mansion. In 1988, after restoration, it was opened as the Dali Municipal Museum, now displaying stone tools, pottery, bronzes, porcelain, jade, stone carvings, jade carvings, wood carvings, calligraphy, and paintings. Not far from the mansion is Wuhua Tower. There's a McDonald's at the junction of Fuxing Road and Renmin Road, where we had lunch, then turned off Fuxing onto Renmin Road and continued walking. Renmin Road was under repair; one side had small shops, the other local residences and Dali No. 4 Middle School. The Catholic church here is very distinctive, and I think it's well worth a visit. From there you can return to Fuxing Road and continue forward, but I chose to follow Renmin Road to see Erhai Gate. That stretch had no scenery and was quite long; Erhai Gate was completely surrounded by small vendors and not very interesting. Now about that Catholic church: tour groups don't come here, and very few independent travelers either – yet it's a remarkable building. Nestled in a quiet alley of Dali Ancient Town, the church – St. Trinity Church – blends simplicity with traditional Chinese and Bai architectural art. Its architectural style is unique, a national treasure fusing local Bai culture, Han Chinese, Western, and other ethnic features: upturned eaves and dougong brackets, exquisite colored paintings. It is renowned at home and abroad for its distinctive structural style, superb carving, and East-West architectural fusion. Built in 1927 and fully renovated in 1983, the church has a history of over 90 years. It stands about 16 meters tall, with four stories from ground floor to bell tower, about 34 meters long east to west and 15 meters wide, sitting east facing west. The layers of flying eaves are decorated with Bai-style carvings and traditional Chinese colored paintings; the eaves extend beyond the foundation by 4.5 meters. The interior covers 600 square meters and can hold more than 500 people. The church is in the Bai temple style; the altar inside is made of locally abundant marble, and the entire building is richly painted and carved, with strong Bai architectural style. In 2002, with the support of the Party and government, it was once again thoroughly renovated. Viewed from the front, the church resembles a giant soaring dragon, head raised and tail sweeping – reflecting profound traditional Chinese cultural thought: descendants of the dragon. From the side it looks like a huge ship, symbolizing the Church setting sail like Noah's Ark, bringing hope, justice, peace, and love to humanity. Stepping inside is like entering an ancient gallery or museum: the north wall is covered with old and outstanding Western paintings, the south wall inlaid with beautiful Chinese ink-wash landscapes, and on the front three paintings – the middle one a microcosm of the church itself, recording its history and elegance.

After another long walk we reached Erhai Gate, then turned sharply onto Yu'er Road, heading toward Fuxing Road. Yu'er Road is wide enough for buses. Another small turn onto Fuxing Road, and here it's again a pedestrian street; one side was being renovated. This section was quieter than the first half of Fuxing Road, and you can climb the North Gate Tower (also called Anyuan Tower) to overlook the whole old town. The North Gate Tower was renovated in September 2016; it closes around 5:30 p.m., and the elderly gatekeeper shooed us down. In the evening the old town is lit up, and strolling along Fuxing Street was delightful. Alternatively, going to Foreigner Street to listen to music or bar-hopping is also a good choice.

Using Didi, we paid 16 yuan to get to Dali Bus Station (which is near the railway station), then took a minibus to Nanjian Yi Autonomous County, the "home of serving dance," for 32 yuan. It was a 3-hour ride to Nanjian Bus Station. There we chartered a small minibus to the Earth Forest and Cherry Blossom Valley, spending 400 yuan. By now it was almost noon, and our driver took us to lunch – a bowl of rice noodles for 10 yuan. The Nanjian Earth Forest lies in the valley basin around Nanjian County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province. There are four or five sites including Xishanjiao, Zongfuzhuang, and Yingdi, but the largest and most spectacular is the earth forest behind Zongfuzhuang, southeast of the county seat. Under the sunshine, the Nanjian Earth Forest is a beautiful oil painting. The ridges, varying in thickness, rise and fall with the mountain; the vivid colors look as if an oil painting master casually splashed them on – sometimes shining gold, sometimes orange-yellow, with vegetation of fresh, delightful green. The earth formations are endlessly varied: some resemble shy beauties, some tall men, some grand buddhas, some novice monks, and some mushrooms growing in clusters – truly a kaleidoscope that dazzles the eyes. Earth peaks and columns overlap and combine, depicting landscapes with bold yet delicate strokes; gullies and caves alternate in an orderly composition, rendering scenes with a brush both realistic and ethereal. The techniques are diverse and the style changes without end. To facilitate sightseeing, Nanjian Earth Forest has built a 168-step plank path leading straight to Wuliang Pagoda, plus a 1.8 km long, 1-2 meter wide boardwalk and flagstone path, installed 130 courtyard lights, 280 floodlights, and 990 point light sources, built a parking lot of 4,109 square meters, and carried out afforestation and other projects. Currently, the scenic area is still free – go before they start charging.

From the Nanjian Earth Forest to Cherry Blossom Valley takes 1.5 hours; we arrived around 3:45 p.m. Wuliang Mountain Cherry Blossom Valley currently only charges for parking, no entrance ticket. The cherry blossoms bloom from late November to early December each year, lasting about 25 days; the valley covers about 2,000 mu. I first learned of Wuliang Mountain from Jin Yong's novel "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils." In the opening chapter, DuanYu stumbles into Wuliang Sword Lake Palace, enters a stone cave, sees the statue of the fairy sister, and masters the "Wave-like Subtle Steps." Originally, this was a large tea plantation. When the tea trees were planted, winter cherry trees were also planted to shade the tea trees and improve the ecosystem of the gardens. The cherry trees grew, blooming in the twelfth lunar month in a riot of color, set off against the green orderly tea bushes, creating a spectacular cherry blossom scene. Gradually, people began calling the place "Cherry Blossom Valley." The entire valley is roughly divided into three sections, called Area 1, Area 2, and Area 3. Actually, from the hilltop, mountainside, down to the valley bottom – even in the village at the foot – there are patches of winter cherry. The observation deck in Area 1 is probably the best spot to view, as it overlooks Area 3 and looks down on Area 2 in the valley. The frequently seen "panoramic view" of the cherry blossom valley online is actually the view of Area 2, almost all taken from this spot. My suggestion: first walk from Area 1 to Area 2 along the main connecting path, which is easy. Then return to Area 1 to capture the sunset over Area 3, combining the hilltop in your shots for a multi-angle appreciation of the winter cherry. If time is limited, skip Area 3, because when the sun sets it disappears behind the large mountain behind Area 3, so after around 4 p.m. Area 3 gradually dims. We drove back to town and had a dinner of Nanjian black-bone chicken for 66 yuan, then stayed at Yunzhishang Hotel for 108 yuan. The hotel's facilities were average, and the washbasin leaked; I didn't bother changing rooms and just made do for one night.

After breakfast, we took Didi to Nanjian Bus Station and caught a minibus back to Dali Bus Station (32 yuan). Due to earlier misjudgment of the route, we hadn't visited the Three Pagodas of Dali. I originally thought they were in the city center, but they're actually near the old town. So we rented a Volkswagen Lavida and continued self-driving. The entrance ticket for Dali's Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas is not cheap – 74 yuan. Because time was tight, we didn't go into Chongsheng Temple, only visiting the Three Pagodas Reflection Park and the pagodas themselves. Chongsheng Temple we left for another time. The Three Pagodas Reflection Park is located 1 kilometer south of the Three Pagodas, facing south with its back to the pagodas. It's named for the pond in the park that perfectly reflects the majestic pagodas. The reflection is exceptionally clear, with stars of light twinkling around the pagoda image in the water, and a feeling of heaven and earth merging into one thought. The Reflection Park does not sell separate tickets; you must buy a combo ticket jointly with Chongsheng Temple. "The sacred site marks three pagodas, a floating secret of divine craftsmanship." The Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas are the symbol of Dali as a "land of literature" and were the royal temple of the Dali Kingdom, the grandest ancient temple in Dali's history. The large pagoda, also called Qianxun Pagoda, is known locally as the "Writing Brush Pagoda." The three pagodas stand in a tripod formation, with Qianxun Pagoda in the middle and two smaller pagodas flanking north and south, magnificent. Within their variation there is harmony, and within opposition there is unity – they complement each other, naturally formed. The classic image: behind, the snow-capped Cangshan Mountains year-round; in front, the shimmering waters of Erhai Lake; together with "Jade Erhai and Silver Cangshan" they form a seamless whole, radiating a natural, elegant Eastern beauty. The Three Pagodas were originally built during the reign of Nanzhao King Quanfengyou (824–859 AD). The large pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, 69.13 meters tall, is a square close-eaves-style brick pagoda with 16 storeys. Later, the two smaller pagodas were added, each 42.19 meters, octagonal brick pagodas of 10 tiers. Besides the Buddhist purpose of enabling enlightenment, an important reason for building them was that ancient Dali was a "land of waters and many floods." Legend says that when building the pagodas, they first laid a layer of earth, then built a layer of the pagoda; after the pagoda was completed, they dug away the earth layer by layer, causing the pagoda to emerge – hence the saying "pile earth to build the pagoda, dig earth to reveal the pagoda." The bridges built for construction were as high as hills and stretched over ten li. After the pagodas were built, the grand Chongsheng Temple was constructed. The temple was once famous for its Five Great Treasures (the Three Pagodas, the Nanzhao Great Bell, the Rain Copper Guanyin Statue, the Three Saints Golden Statues, and the plaque "Buddhist Capital"), but the temple and four of the treasures were destroyed in successive wars and natural disasters. The current Chongsheng Temple was rebuilt in 2005, completed at a total investment of 182 million yuan.

A short drive from the Three Pagodas is Xizhou Ancient Town. Entering the town area is also free; inside there's a primary school, residences, and more. This is an important town where the Bai ethnic group lives in compact communities, with the largest and best-preserved clusters of traditional Bai residential buildings. The layout is typical of the "three wings and a screen wall" and "courtyard with five sky-wells" Bai courtyard style. These houses feature carved beams and painted rafters, overlapping dougong brackets, upturned eaves; their gateways, screen walls, and painted decorations on the gables are gorgeous and full of variety, fully reflecting the Bai people's architectural talent and artistic creativity. Entering through Zhengyi Gate and walking straight, passing the Ten Kings Hall and the primary school, you arrive at Square Street, a small square surrounded by shops. Here stands a stone archway – the "Civilization Arch," built in recent years. The original archway here was called the "Inscription Arch," erected after several jinshi (advanced scholars) emerged from the town during the Ming dynasty. Any villager who achieved success in the imperial examinations could have their name inscribed. Xizhou is now the seat of a township-level administration, but historically it had the scale of a city. Even before the Nanzhao moved to the Erhai area, this was a settlement of the Bai ancestors, the "He Man," then called Dali City, with a large population. Legend has it that a Sui dynasty general named Shi Wansui once stationed troops here, hence the name Shicheng (Shi City), and the nearby plain was called "Shidan." By the time of Nanzhao's Mouluo, a palace was built here. Clues to the town's layout can be found in place names – there are nearby villages called Chengbei (City North), Chengdong (City East), Chengnan (City South). Archaeological workers have also unearthed Nanzhao-era inscribed tiles, thick textured tiles, and lotus-patterned tile ends here. Next to the square is the Yan Family Compound, with a 18 yuan entrance fee. The Yan residence, located inside Xizhou Ancient Town, was built by Yan Xuehou, the 20th-generation descendant of the foremost of Xizhou's "Four Great Families." The main part consists of three courtyards. The compound gathers typical Bai residential architectural forms such as "three wings and a screen wall," "courtyard with five sky-wells," "one entrance leading to two courtyards," and "wind-and-fire tower." The imposing three-tier painted gate with flying eaves and dougong, the resplendent three-layer panel painting on the screen wall, and the exquisite three-layer openwork wooden lattice doors display the Bai art of residential architecture to the fullest. The first courtyard is a "three wings and a screen wall" layout; above the gate is written "Hou Lu" – "Hou" taken from the owner's name, while "Lu" evokes the thatched hut of Three Visits, conveying the Yan family's humble and modest ethos. The second courtyard is a "four courtyards, five sky-wells" pattern, called "Hou Min Ju," combining one character from each of the couple's names to symbolize that a woman can hold up half the sky. The rear courtyard is called "Kai Li Yuan," named after the children. The first two courtyards form a "one entrance, two courtyards" layout in the "Six Harmonies Spring" style, with the upper floor of the entire structure designed as a "wind-and-fire tower" – an open corridor. The rear courtyard's upper floor is named "Die Jin Lou" (Layer of Brocade Tower), in the Bai "Five Phoenix Tower" style. This building is bold and innovative, perfectly transposing the essence of Bai courtyard design up to the second floor, while the ground floor serves as a dining area. Walking from the front courtyard's wind-and-fire tower to Die Jin Lou, what you see isn't just the upper-floor scenery, but an elegantly fresh Bai courtyard style. The wood carving, stone carving, and clay sculpture at the Yan residence strive to maintain pure traditional craftsmanship, done with meticulous care. The screen wall's center is inlaid with a marble landscape painting, surrounded by sculptures depicting the traditional folk theme "Fisherman, Woodcutter, Farmer, Scholar," illustrating the diligence and bravery of the Bai people, also the prototypes for characters in Jin Yong's Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Flanking the screen wall are two large clay relief panels: "Red Plum Heralding Spring" and "Pine and Crane Prolonging Years," fully demonstrating the superb folk sculptural art of the Bai. For stone carving, the main gate is carved entirely of pure white marble, with auspicious beasts like qilin, elephants, and human-faced animals. The steps in both courtyards are all marble-paved, and in front of the main rooms on the east, west, and south sides are line-carved marble floors depicting the Eight Immortals' paraphernalia, birds, beasts, flowers, and fish – all lifelike. As for wood carving, it truly showcases the exquisiteness of Bai craftsmanship: 114 lattice doors in 19 sets, over 250 panels of fully carved and partially carved windows, with bracket inserts, hanging columns, tie-beams, and crossbeams employing various carving techniques – three-layer openwork, two-layer openwork, deep carving, low relief – with hardly any repeated patterns.

Red-billed gulls on Erhai Lake

Driving around Erhai takes about 5 hours; this time I only chose a section. Continuing from Xizhou is Shuanglang. Shuanglang Town lies in the northeast of Dali City, on the northeast shore of Erhai Lake, backed by Jizu Mountain in Binchuan to the east, bordering Wase Town to the south, facing Erhai to the west, linking Shangguan Town to the north, and connecting with Huangping Town in Heqing County to the northeast. Shuanglang is named for the two inlets – Luoshi Qu to the north and Lianhua Qu to the south – with two islands, Jinsuo and Yuji, embraced between them. The town is a place where the water and sky merge into one, layered green mountains and lake light complement each other, and Jinsuo Island weaves a brocade; the double islands and double inlets embrace an ancient, elegantly simple Bai town rich in folk charm, forming a harmonious natural picture of humans and nature. It's hailed as "Dali's scenery lies in Cang'er, and Cang'er's scenery lies in Shuanglang." Since ancient times, Shuanglang has attracted scholars and celebrities: historically Yang Sheng'an and Li Yuanyang, and today dancer Yang Liping, writer Su Tong, painter Zhao Qing, and others. It is also a place where Dali's folk architectural sculptors and decorative painters have emerged in great numbers; the 72 temple pagodas of Jizu Mountain, the "Buddhist Holy Land," and the decorative painting of Yunnan Ethnic Village's Bai Village were mostly done by artisans from Shuanglang. Shuanglang is a Bai settlement; tourism facilities have been continuously improved, and there are many guesthouses of all sorts. After a close encounter with red-billed gulls near Little Putuo Island, the sky had grown dark, so we drove back to the railway station to catch the 8 p.m. train to Kunming (fare 109 yuan). Arriving at Kunming Railway Station, we took a Didi to Jinxuan Hotel for 55 yuan; the room was 149 yuan, right next to Kunming North Bus Station.

Day 9-10

There was a bus to the Red Land at 7:50 a.m., so I rushed into the bus station early in the morning and bought a ticket for 43 yuan. But the bus was late; we waited a full 30 minutes before it finally arrived – with only five or six passengers. After leaving the station and driving a way, turning two corners, the bus stopped at the roadside, and suddenly it was full. After another 3 hours, we arrived at the Old Star Hotel in Kunming's Red Land – that's the home of the famous Red Land Grandpa that automatically pops up when you search for the Red Land. Accommodation was 96 yuan, lunch 10 yuan; the hosts were very friendly, helping with my luggage and giving me extra food (I couldn't finish it all). After a short rest at the hotel, I went out at 2:30 p.m. I hired a car for 200 yuan (including tomorrow's sunrise and today's sunset). I first visited Red Earth Impression, the Old Dragon Tree, Brocade Garden, and Sunset Ditch, which has a well-built viewing platform. At 4:30 p.m. we returned to Musical Score Depression and Wafang to photograph the sunset. Large wind turbines dotted the hills, adding a unique touch. Dinner was 40 yuan; at night there was only an electric blanket, the water was very cold, and I didn't dare shower for fear of catching a cold. I agreed with the driver to head out the next morning at 6 a.m. to Damakan for sunrise. The sunrise wasn't great – a viewing platform under construction blocked the view. On the way back we passed Colorful Slope, which was beautiful and left lovely memories. At 8:30 a.m., right in front of the hotel, we flagged down the bus back to Kunming (43 yuan; the owner contacted the driver the day before so we could board at the hotel). After reaching Kunming North Bus Station, the subway is right next to it; I took the subway directly to the airport (6 yuan) to catch the 7:45 p.m. flight home, with a stopover in Bijie. Thus ended this unforgettable journey.

- Bus to the Red Land

- Red Land after snow

- Dinner; the host gave me such a large portion, much appreciated

- Back at North Bus Station

- Sunset at Kunming Airport

- Designated eatery: Yonghe King