The Starry Sky of Shuanglang and the Leisurely Time of Erhai

It's National Day again, the second day of the long holiday, and I'm on duty alone.

It's drizzling outside the window. I brew a cup of Duyun Maojian tea brought by a friend from Guizhou, and flip through photos from the trip to Dali with XL at the beginning of last year. Those scenes blurrily reappear before my eyes. These joyful and beautiful travel moments, through organizing photos, writing down words, and checking information, feel like taking another in-depth trip. Although it's time-consuming and exhausting, haha ^_^, it's truly joyful~

Since being together with XL, the place we've talked about the most is Yunnan. It's the colorful south of the clouds, with not only azure skies, pure white clouds, and delicate flowers but also countless enchanting destinations: the gentleness of Lugu Lake, the nature of Tengchong, the hustle of Lijiang, the tranquility of Shuhe, the holiness of Shangri-La, the mystery of Fuxian Lake, and the swaying lotuses of Puzhehei.

This time, we wanted to take advantage of the New Year mini-vacation to experience the wind, flowers, snow, and moon of Dali, to visit Shuanglang to see the vast starry sky and listen to the sound of Erhai's waves.

December 29, Fuyang-Kunming (23:02-02:10), check in at Atour Hotel Dianchi Branch in Kunming

December 30, Kunming-Dali, wander around the village, stay at a friend's inn in Shuanglang

December 31, bike around Erhai, stay at Shili Li Fan Honey Moon Hotel in Shuanglang

January 1, Dali-Kunming, visit Xizhou and the ancient city, stay at Kunming Cuihu Hotel

January 2, Kunming-Fuyang (07:12-09:38)

We set off!

Although Fuyang is a city beyond Beijing's 8th Ring Road, it surprisingly has a direct flight to Kunming. Though it operates every other day, it avoids the inconvenience of transfers. After work and dinner, we easily arrived at the airport to wait. Originally scheduled for 21:20-00:20, due to air traffic control, it was actually 23:02-02:10. We arrived in Kunming late at night and took a taxi directly to Atour Hotel Dianchi Branch to check in.

To get more sleep, we rushed to Kunming Station early the next morning without having breakfast.

Kunming Station is a first-class station under the China Railway Kunming Group Co., Ltd. and an important transportation hub where the Shanghai-Kunming Railway, Chengdu-Kunming Railway, and Nanning-Kunming Railway intersect. It was officially put into use on July 1, 1970.

On July 1, 2018, the Guangtong-Dali Railway double-track renovation was completed and officially opened, and Dali Station began operating bullet trains. I remember when Dali and Lijiang started train services, I told XL that we could take a bullet train to Dali, after all, regular trains take too long and driving is too tiring.

After the renovation, bullet trains can also be taken here. Kunming South Station is too far. If you need to take a train from Kunming South Station, it is recommended to take a train from Kunming Station to Kunming South Station, and then take the train from there.

We took D8692, a bullet train departing at 10:42, direct to Dali, arriving at 12:05, only 1.5 hours.

The weather was cloudy and slightly overcast. Along the way, the train passed through mountains, with colorful clouds swirling around the peaks. A good companion by my side, infinite tenderness~

Look up at the sky. Look, look, how clear and pure the blue is!

The azure sky looks as if it has been washed clean. When I was a child, I often used the phrase 'the sky is as clear as if it were washed' to describe good weather in compositions. Actually, I had no idea what 'sky as clear as washed' really looked like. But upon arriving in Dali, this phrase immediately popped into my mind. This is it: the sky is as clear as if it were washed! The saying 'reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles' is truly true~

Although it was deep winter, there was no chill after getting off the train, thanks to the spring-like climate here all year round. Clouds like cotton balls floated just above the rooftops, within reach. The colorful south of the clouds is indeed the hometown of colorful clouds, living up to its reputation~

Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture is located in the mid-west of Yunnan Province, at an altitude of 2090 meters. It borders Chuxiong Prefecture to the east, Pu'er City and Lincang City to the south, Baoshan City and Nujiang Prefecture to the west, and Lijiang City to the north. It stretches to Erhai in the east and the Cangshan Mountains in the west, governing Dali City and eight counties (Xiangyun, Midu, Binchuan, Yongping, Yunlong, Eryuan, Heqing, Jianchuan) as well as three ethnic autonomous counties (Yangbi, Weishan, Nanjian). It is one of the earliest developed regions in China's southwestern border.

Located in a low-latitude plateau, the temperature difference between seasons is small, with distinct dry and wet seasons. The climate is mainly a low-latitude plateau monsoon climate. The most representative attractions in the area include Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake, Dali Ancient City, the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, and Butterfly Spring.

Dali Prefecture is equivalent to a prefecture-level city in inland China. Dali City is a county-level city and the capital (city government) of Dali Prefecture. Dali City is China's most charming city, a national historical and cultural city, a national scenic area, a national nature reserve, and an excellent tourism city. The most representative attractions include Butterfly Spring, Cangshan Mountain, Erhai Lake, Dali Ancient City, and the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple—from Baidu.

Of course, I know about Dali because of Jin Yong's Dali Duan family and the Fairy Sister...

After leaving the station, we took a taxi to Shuanglang. A friend runs an inn there. Looking at the map, we took the eastern route along Erhai.

We encountered Cangshan and Erhai.

At 13:30, for the first time, I saw Cangshan, which had appeared in my dreams countless times—as broad as a chest, rising abruptly from the plain, towering and majestic. I also saw Erhai, quietly nestled beside it, accompanying each other, guarding each other for eternity.

Cangshan and Erhai are located in Dali City, Dali Prefecture, at a low-latitude plateau. The temperature difference between seasons is small, with distinct dry and wet seasons. The climate is mainly a low-latitude plateau monsoon climate, covering an area of about 1096 square kilometers, with a subtropical highland climate.

Cangshan has an altitude of 4122 meters, and Erhai has an altitude of 1972 meters, with a difference of about 2150 meters, already exceeding the altitude of many famous mountains in the central and eastern regions.

Cangshan is the main peak of the southern end of the Yunling Mountains, composed of nineteen peaks from north to south, starting from Eryuan Dengchuan in the north and ending at Xiaguan Tiansheng Bridge in the south. These peaks generally have an altitude above 3500 meters, with seven peaks exceeding 4000 meters. The highest, Malong Peak, is 4122 meters. The nineteen peaks of Cangshan are majestic and imposing, forming a strong contrast with the beautiful scenery of Erhai.

Erhai is named for its shape resembling a human ear. It is long and narrow, stretching from the southern end of Eryuan County in the north to Xiaguan in Dali City in the south, with a length of 40 kilometers. It is the second largest lake in Yunnan after Dianchi Lake and ranks seventh among China's freshwater lakes.

The so-called 'Cangshan snow, Erhai moon, Shangguan wind, Xiaguan moon'—taking one character from each, they form the phrase 'wind, flowers, snow, and moon.' This is the best description of Dali's scenery and the best promotional copy for Dali tourism, bar none. The ancients were talented, and modern people are also wise.

The bare branches seemed to have a hint of autumn. All along the way, this blue color rushed towards us~

We are the clouds of the high mountains

We are the snowflakes of the grasslands

Let us cross the sunlight

To the top of the high mountains

Shuanglang is located at the northeastern end of Dali City, on the northeast bank of Erhai. It is a provincial-level historical and cultural town in Yunnan Province and the 'First Town of Cangshan and Erhai Scenery.' The town is surrounded by mountains on three sides and faces the sea on one side, enjoying the stunning scenery of Cangshan and Erhai. As the saying goes, 'To the west, view the nineteen peaks of Cangshan; at the gate, face the vast waves of Erhai.'

Cangshan snow, Erhai moon, the moon of Erhai shines on the snow of Cangshan. Shuanglang, located by the sea, uniquely captures the beauty of snow and moon.

Motor vehicles cannot enter the ancient town. Dragging our suitcases along the uneven stone-paved road, a sense of vicissitude welled up. First, we went to find food.

My girlfriend had lived in Yunnan for a while and had visited Shuanglang several times. Though the business project didn't work out, she fell in love with the place.

'The most beautiful places I have walked, I must walk again with the one I love.' This time, revisiting with her was also fulfilling our initial vow~

When we are together, we always manage to find the most delicious food. This is one of the harmonious aspects of our relationship.

My girlfriend's friend was too busy to come out, so we feasted on our own: cured pork ribs, Erhai fish, and Erhai water plants. We ate until we were stuffed.

Oh, the Erhai water plant is called 'Water Spirit Flower.' Four months later, we went to Lugu Lake together, where there were even more 'Water Spirit Flowers,' but that's a story for another time. Why is it called that? I guess it's related to its form and taste. In form, this water plant is green with small white flowers that drift on the water surface, riding the wind and waves, while the flower stems sway in the water. 'Water Flower' might be more fitting, but there are also lotuses and lilies that bloom on the water, so it's not appropriate to steal their thunder. In taste, it's crisp and smooth, a bit like a mix of daylily and okra, with rich, sticky juice. Combining these characteristics, it's simply called 'Water Spirit Flower.' Once you try it, you'll remember it for sure~ This is purely my speculation, not included in the encyclopedia~

After environmental management, the waterfront inns along Erhai have been mostly demolished, leaving few remaining. Our girlfriend's friend's inn has a good location, right by the sea with clear waves, allowing us to sit and view the 'canghai'—a combination of Cangshan and Erhai, abbreviated as 'canghai'~

Writing this, I suddenly think of the line: 'In the moonlight, the sea has tears from pearls; under the sun, the Lantian fields give off jade smoke'...

This is the sunlight at 16:09, warm and dazzling. It gets dark here about 1.5 hours later than inland. It's still early, so we rested a bit and then went out for a stroll to digest our food~

Bougainvillea in full bloom, from Xiamen in the east to Dali in the west, her graceful figure can be seen everywhere.

Blooming under the scorching sun, fragrant all year round, simple and unpretentious, unafraid of wind and rain~

We rode our girlfriend's friend's electric bike along the same direction we came, visiting the ancient fishing village of Shuanglang, while also looking for a more peaceful homestay where we could see the starry sky. That's where we found it—Shili Li Fan Honey Moon Sea View Resort Hotel.

Today, homestays have gone beyond the traditional function of providing a place to stay during travel. Good homestays have formed a new lifestyle that is stylish, tasteful, design-oriented, simple and modern, and poetic. Some people even travel to a destination just to stay at a particular homestay. Yes, that's us—we once drove hundreds of kilometers from Zhoushan to Moganshan just to stay at Naked Stables Retreat~

Haha, borrowing Mr. Song's words to briefly summarize: a homestay is 'more civilized than an inn, warmer than a hotel,' suitable for cultivating the mind, letting go of oneself, and enjoying a travel stay product.

From the second-floor terrace, the entire scenery of Cangshan and Erhai is in full view~

The barrier cables on the water surface are presumably set up to collect garbage, affecting the lake view and also reminding us to pay attention to environmental protection. When we go out to play, we must remember to cherish nature~

How about having breakfast sitting here?

Yunnan's clouds, sky, and water are beautiful, but the mountains are usually like this: covered with a layer of grassland or shrubs at the top, with few big trees because the altitude here is very high. The higher the altitude, the less green. Higher still, there are snowy peaks~

At the village entrance, there is a large Ficus virens tree. It looks huge, but it's actually only 250 years old. Trees in the south grow fast, tall, and large, but have a relatively shorter lifespan. The 600-year-old Chinese juniper in Tiantan Park is not as thick as one branch of this tree~

At the entrance of the ancient town, a bougainvillea is blooming luxuriantly, a riot of flowers, perfectly fitting the scene~

Sui Shan Yuan, with its ancient charm, is covered by large patches of bougainvillea. It is actually a restaurant, but we didn't go in~

Yun Qi Pi She, this inn is very distinctive. Its architectural appearance, courtyard layout, landscape arrangement, and the combination of flowers, trees, and bamboo are all very unique, full of design. A truly deep courtyard with a garden inside, a pavilion in the garden, stones beside the pavilion, water by the stones, and you by the water... It feels great. Next time, we can choose to stay here~

Bai architecture typically uses the style of central plains palaces, with flying eaves and upward-curving corners, but mostly made of lime plaster or brick tiles. Except for the gate's eaves, skirt boards, and door lintel decorations, which use wood structure, the rest is mainly brick and tile. Dali has plenty of stones, so Bai folk houses mostly use local materials, extensively using stone as the main building material. The wood parts are joined with tenons and mortises, skillfully blending with the brick and tile parts, exquisite and rigorous. The building surfaces are decorated with colorful three-dimensional patterns made of clay sculptures, wood carvings, colored paintings, stone carvings, marble screens, and embossed blue bricks, creating a magnificent, simple, and generous effect.

The white screen wall at the entrance reads 'Xia Hui Cang Er' (Sunset Glow on Cangshan and Erhai). If they dare to say this, then the sunset and evening glow must be the most beautiful here~

Misty and hazy, the evening mist is thick, Cangshan is like ink~

Here you can see Cangshan snow and Erhai moon~

Black steel structures and transparent glass are modern elements.

Black glazed tiles and pine wood thatched roofs are traditional elements.

Complemented by red flowers and green plants as connections, various elements are perfectly integrated.

Flying eaves, upturned corners, and cloud patterns reflect local ethnic customs in the details.

Indigo blue and gilding, similar to the Forbidden City, exude subtle nobility. This is what understated luxury means~

It's now 17:38 in the afternoon, the sun is still strong, and the wind has picked up. Silhouettes are also beautiful~

This is 'Nanzhao Scenic Island.' 'Nanzhao' naturally refers to the Nanzhao Kingdom, an ancient kingdom that rose in the Yunnan region in the 8th century. It's a tourist attraction, but of course, we didn't go ashore.

Back at our girlfriend's friend's inn, here is the inn's 'lobby.' Curled up in the soft sofa, reading a book or sipping tea all afternoon is a delightful thing~

The inn's balcony is right on the sea, about 1.2 meters deep, combining steel and wood. Standing on the wooden floor, blowing the cool sea breeze, I truly felt a moment of self-forgetfulness, as if detached from the mundane world~

The neighboring inn is also on the sea. There are quite a few inns around, but sea-view rooms are scarce. Waterfront inns need to pay more attention to sewage discharge, building layout, color matching, etc. I hope that after the management, we can have a beautiful Erhai and leave a warm, memorable Erhai for future generations~

The red-billed gulls flying across the sea surface are returning home. They fly thousands of miles to spend the winter here and return to their hometown the next year~

Even birds do this; what about humans? Hometown is always the warmest, most accepting place for you.

The cherry blossoms in the small courtyard are bright red, looking fake, but they are actually real cherry blossoms, blooming so vividly.

I think if we have time, we can go to Wuliang Mountain to see cherry blossoms everywhere. In addition, 'Wuliang' refers to the spirit that should be possessed to universally save countless sentient beings. There are four kinds: giving joy to sentient beings is the immeasurable mind of loving-kindness, rescuing sentient beings from suffering is the immeasurable mind of compassion, seeing sentient beings leave suffering and attain joy is the immeasurable mind of sympathetic joy, and having no hatred or love for sentient beings, treating all equally is the immeasurable mind of equanimity. That is 'loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity.'

Next time we come, we must go to Wuliang Mountain.

Management is reflected in the details. This is a distribution box or switchgear, enclosed with pine wood to avoid being an eyesore.

Tourists haven't swarmed in yet, or maybe there are too few people living here. The streets aren't busy at night. On the new street, we even encountered a dumpling shop run by a fellow townsman. We had to support it. After two days of hard work, we returned to the inn and went to sleep early on the first floor.

Exhausted, we slept deeply until the sun was high.

Ten thousand years from now, the Scenic Island will still be there. Who will remember us?

After washing up, we went out to find food. There weren't many people in the ancient town. Fallen leaves drifted. Finally, a trace of autumn appeared~

I don't remember the name of this breakfast. It had many seasonings, mainly sauce. It should be a rice pancake rolled with shredded potatoes, somewhat similar to inland rolled pancakes. The taste was okay. We bought one to try. Then we had two bowls of rice noodles at a nearby Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles shop. The rice noodles were average—typical tourist area taste, not recommended.

The weather was so good. After eating, we continued to stroll around.

The painted walls are full of ethnic flavor. The Bai people have been engaged in rice-based agriculture since ancient times, living a settled lifestyle. Like the Han people in the central plains, they have high requirements for houses and courtyards. Building a home and courtyard reflects the owner's diligence and prosperity.

It was too hot. We unanimously agreed to go back and change clothes, and even take another nap.

When we woke up, it was already 2:30 PM. We couldn't spend our time in bed after flying thousands of miles. We had to... get... up.

Circumnavigating the lake—by bike, by electric bike. We abandoned the idea of driving around the lake.

Green cherry blossoms. There is a green cherry blossom tree on the campus of USTC. 'A touch of green amidst a sea of red' attracts countless visitors every spring.

There are many green cherry blossoms here. Although not as lush as those at USTC, they are more numerous, which quickly made me immune to green cherry blossoms.

Red cherry blossoms are gorgeous; green cherry blossoms are elegant. They look unreal. Suddenly, I think of the white rose and the red rose...

Coiling like a jade dragon, or a jade dragon coiling, ever-changing, finally dissolving into nothingness. Beauty is captured the moment you discover it~

Ahead is the entrance to the Dali-Lijiang Expressway. Dali-Lijiang refers to the expressway from Dali to Lijiang. Heading in this direction for 2 hours, you reach Lijiang.

A tree growing in Erhai, with a graceful crown and sturdy trunk. I don't know its name.

To beautify the environment around Erhai, the local government has planted many trees along the shore, forming a green barrier stretching dozens of kilometers. Some native trees that originally grew by fish ponds and fields have become trees in the water. Having grown in water for a long time, they have adapted to Erhai's aquatic environment, standing gracefully in the clear waters of Erhai, creating a unique 'trees in water' spectacle.

This photo is magnificent, right? Clouds, light, shadows, mountains, islands, sea, trees, birds...

The sun casts down through the clouds in a divine light, radiant and magnificent. God is with us~

The red-billed gulls fly over mountains and wilderness, coming here from Qinghai Lake to spend the winter. We should treat them kindly.

The red-billed gulls fly against the light, humans and birds living in harmony~

This is the location of the local 'Red Mountain Benzhu Temple,' adjacent to Erhai, overlooking Cangshan, with beautiful scenery.

It is also a feeding spot where red-billed gulls gather most.

Though this is a foreign land, where my heart feels at peace is my hometown~

On the road, we encountered the most beautiful divine light, bar none.

It was getting dark, and we regretted not wearing more clothes. Actually, we had worn more but took them off because it was hot.

When cycling around the lake, be sure to wear more clothes. Fleece + a windproof jacket are standard~

This is boundary marker No. 1482 of Erhai.

The sun shines, bringing brief warmth, but the howling cold wind is the main event. Fortunately, I was in front to block the wind and lead the way, giving you warmth from behind~

We encountered a shallow beach, stopped for a while, and got close to Erhai and the trees in the water.

Completely original natural landscape, no traffic, no crowds, only the sound of my camera clicking~

Look at the distance, cherish the present. Beautiful encounters happen unexpectedly~

One person easily falls; two are just right. Mutual support, reliance, and companionship~

Although time might not be enough, and the e-bike battery might not be sufficient, we definitely didn't have enough clothes. Under these unfavorable conditions, we decided to continue past this village and cycle a bit more along the lake.

White clouds as good companions, cold wind accompanying us.

If you don't move forward, how can you encounter such beauty?

If you don't move forward, how can you encounter such light and shadow?

If you don't move forward, how can you encounter such beautiful scenery?

Without a camera, when a bird flies across the sky, it leaves no trace.

Now with a camera, this scene is forever etched in my heart~

The withered but not dead, dead but not fallen 'trees in the water.' Every place has species adapted to its climate—'survival of the fittest.'

Thousands of kilometers away, the poplar trees also have kindred spirits here~

Silhouette of Cangshan, pitch-black, standing in the distance. The continuous peaks resemble a sleeping Buddha facing the sky~

Looking back at the sky, the blue in the east is different from the blue in the west. The blue in the east, with faint clouds, is moist, smiling, and light~

Radiant light shooting in all directions, yet still unable to resist the passing of time~

Changing scenery with each step, beautiful and magnificent~

To prevent my girlfriend from getting cold again, and to move our luggage to the new accommodation, we returned to the inn before dark.

Under the sunset, the silhouette of a solitary lamp without a light bulb or lampshade appears even more desolate.

Fortunately, we are two people.

The world of two people.

Everywhere is wonderful.

The thick clouds finally gathered above the summit of Cangshan, like a thick quilt covering the mountain~

A solitary boat floating on the sea is not lonely, because there are also two people on board, sharing fortune and misfortune, life and death, natural and peaceful~

This should be a place where one could choose to grow old, working at sunrise and resting at sunset~

At 18:40, we packed our luggage and rode the e-bike to Shili Li. From the balcony, Cangshan and Erhai looked the same as yesterday, but our mood was different—from the strangeness upon arrival yesterday to the familiarity of adaptation today.

Today was also our first New Year's Eve together~

With such a wide view, the starry sky at night should be beautiful too. Looking forward to it...

Two chairs and a small table in front of the room. Chatting, spacing out, sipping tea, watching the stars, listening to the waves, and carefully enjoying every moment of the present—what a delightful thing it is~

Fortunately, we are still young and youthful, still able to talk about everything, talk about love, unrestrained, tireless, because we both love life and love living.

I wish time would be gentle and treat you kindly~

The room is large and fully functional. Apart from the simple white tones on the walls and ceiling, the rest of the decoration uses natural wood and wood finishes, with uniform and simple furniture tones.

The basin, bathtub, and hardware fittings are all of good texture, with smooth glaze and delicate feel.

What do you think about lying in this bathtub, watching the snow of Cangshan, the moon of Erhai, the starry sky, and the vast Milky Way?

The bed is very low, slightly higher than a tatami, comfortable and convenient...

Tonight, we'll count down the New Year here, cheering for tomorrow and wishing for the future~

The starry sky is beautiful, but the phone can't capture the effect.

This scene can only be remembered in the heart.

Beautiful things in the world are mostly like this.

We slept until the sun was high. If not for the holiday ending and needing to return to the company to fulfill social responsibilities and contribute our intelligence, we would have stayed here, not sleeping or resting~

Such a gorgeous place should never be heard by hearsay.

It must be discovered by oneself. There is no noise here, only freedom, only oneself~

Goodbye, Cangshan. Goodbye, Erhai. Goodbye to the blue sky, white clouds, clear breeze, bright moon, and stars here.

Wait for us, we will come again!

It's very convenient to call a car; it arrived in 5 minutes. We planned to take the West Ring Road, forming a complete loop with the road we came on, completing the 'feat' of circling Erhai.

Passing another viewing platform where red-billed gulls are fed, we couldn't help but stop and get close again.

At this time, the sun was shining brightly, and the breeze was warm.

Don't move, don't move. The red-billed gulls will gently take away their food~

Lightly flying past your fingertips, leaving a classic moment~

The harmony between humans and nature, the peaceful coexistence of humans and all things, can be seen here~

After eating their fill, the red-billed gulls contentedly dance and flutter.

They are travelers here, but even more so, they are the masters here~

This is a sea of grass. The highlight is the pairs of mandarin ducks swimming around on the water.

They lead a very leisurely life~

Butterfly Spring is very famous, a truly scenic spot, but crowded tourist attractions are not our thing.

We prefer to get close to nature, to the original ecology, to the essence of life.

Brick and wood structures, intricate beauty.

The industrious farmers still cultivate fields between Cangshan and Erhai, reaping abundant harvests.

The local government should protect the environment, respect nature, and not reclaim land from the sea or cultivate mountain slopes for short-term benefits, thus ruining the beautiful scenery~

From here, we are close to Dali Ancient City. We planned to have lunch in the ancient city and also visit it.

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple. This is probably the prototype of the Tianlong Monastery in Jin Yong's 'The Demi-Gods and the Semidevils.'

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple are located 1.5 kilometers northwest of Dali Ancient City, facing Yingle Peak of Cangshan to the west and Erhai to the east, about 1500 meters from the foot of the mountain. There is a peach stream flowing eastward 336 meters to the south. There is a plum stream 76 meters to the north. To the east, it borders the Yunnan-Tibet Highway. The three pagodas consist of one large and two small pavilions. The large pagoda, also called Qianxun Pagoda, is known locally as the 'Writing Brush Pagoda.' It has a total height of 69.13 meters, a base width of 9.9 meters, and 16 levels. It is a typical dense-eave hollow square brick pagoda in the Dali area. The north and south small pagodas both have 10 levels, each 42.17 meters high, and are octagonal dense-eave hollow brick pagodas. The three pagodas stand in a tripod shape, with Qianxun Pagoda in the center and the two smaller pagodas flanking it. On March 4, 1961, they were announced by the State Council as one of the first batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Entering the ancient city, the shop signs and tourist souvenirs are full of literary atmosphere. They are the same in Lijiang, Yangshuo, Gulangyu, Hefang Street, and countless other old streets.

It should be imitating the name 'Miss Zhao's Shop' from Gulangyu. My girlfriend likes to taste wine, so we stopped at the shop. Finally, we bought a bottle of mulberry wine. The lunch before leaving Dali should have wine~

The small courtyard is beautifully decorated, both in ancient city style and refreshing.

Naturally fermented, sweet taste, one bottle for two people, just right~

Oh, this is the tie-dye bought in Xizhou Ancient Town. My girlfriend regretted not buying more.

We only bought a scarf and a tablecloth, all handmade, inheriting ancient methods, unique.

Looking at Cangshan from the ancient city. The white should be glaciers. I heard it hasn't snowed recently.

Now it has chain stores too.

Firecracker flowers. Their color looks a bit like that of trumpet creeper, but the shape is different. It should be called long trumpet flowers.

Bougainvillea covers the sky, firecracker flowers make a striking statement.

It's also a chain store now. The main store should still be on Pingjiang Road in Suzhou. In the commercial era, it's not easy for people who insist on running a bookstore.

After all, Eslite has all closed, but Librairie Avant-Garde still persists~

The colorful south of the clouds—living up to its name.

Light clouds and gentle breeze—also a kind of mood.

This cluster should be the most beautiful bougainvillea of this trip~

The design of this small shop must have taken some thought~

This is Erhai Gate, as the name suggests, directly facing Erhai, which is the east gate of the ancient city.

White clouds and dark clouds are gathering.

Is it to bid us farewell with a rain?

Goodbye, Cangshan! Goodbye, Erhai!

We arrived at Dali Station on time at 16:20.

D8698, departing at 16:52. After a brief rest, we boarded the train back to Kunming.

After arriving, we went directly to Cuihu Hotel to check in, then went out to dine at 'Cuihuli,' which my girlfriend had designated.

The dining environment was ecological, and the mushroom hotpot was delicious. This trip, we were determined to gain three pounds.

At the hotel entrance, six copper cauldrons spouted fire, combined with a fountain, making it lively and distinctive.

To relieve fatigue, we had a foot massage at the hotel, relaxed completely, and fell asleep...

We got up early to catch the return flight. The itinerary was fulfilling and comprehensive; the memories were joyful and beautiful~

Seize the day while young, cherish the present.

Bless tomorrow; the future will definitely be better!