Yunnan Southeast Road Trip (Continued)
After nearly ten hours of bumpy travel, we finally arrived at Cai Village by Erhai Lake in Dali. By the time we reached our accommodation, it was already dark and the lights were on (though there is a two-hour time difference with Shanghai, and it gets dark later here). Cai Village was shrouded in darkness, with almost no streetlights. When we drove in, it was hard to even find the road. Once we reached the guesthouse, parking became another issue. I looked around—there were only a few mediocre parking spots near the house. The landlady came out to greet us and we finally managed to park.
We stayed in a homestay called 'One Cloud Inn.' The owner is a local, while the landlady is from elsewhere. They were very hospitable, but the rooms were quite small and the toilets were squat-style, which we southerners found a bit uncomfortable. A few of the female classmates had some complaints, but everything was promptly resolved. We had four days planned in Dali, which was more than enough. On our first day in Dali, we rented seven electric scooters and planned to ride along Erhai Lake, with our first stop being the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple.
The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple are located in the northwest of Dali Ancient Town, facing Cangshan Mountain's Yingyue Peak to the west and Erhai Lake to the east, about 1,500 meters from the foot of the mountain. The three pagodas consist of one large pagoda and two smaller ones. The large pagoda is also called Qianxun Pagoda, and locals refer to it as the 'Writing Brush Pagoda.' The three pagodas stand in a tripod formation, with Qianxun Pagoda in the center and the two smaller ones guarding it to the north and south. After the Nanzhao Kingdom, the Dali Kingdom saw even greater development of Buddhism, earning titles like 'Buddhist Kingdom' and 'Fragrant Land.' Once built, Chongsheng Temple became the center of Buddhist activities during the Nanzhao and Dali periods. Of the twenty-two emperors of the Dali Kingdom, nine once renounced their thrones to become monks at Chongsheng Temple. The nine monk-emperors were: Duan Siying, the second king; Duan Sulong, the eighth king; Duan Suzhen, the ninth king; Duan Silian, the eleventh king; Duan Shouhui, the thirteenth king; Duan Zhengming, the fourteenth king; Duan Zhengchun, the fifteenth king and father of Duan Yu in Jin Yong's 'Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils'; Duan Zhengyan, the sixteenth king, who is Duan Yu in the novel; and Duan Zhengxing, the seventeenth king. Our second stop was Xizhou Ancient Town.
Xizhou is located 18 kilometers north of Dali Ancient Town, bordering Erhai Lake to the east and Cangshan Mountain to the west. Xizhou is an important town of the Bai ethnic group, boasting the largest and best-preserved cluster of traditional Bai residences. The layout typically follows the Bai courtyard pattern of 'three houses and a screen wall' and 'four courtyards with five skywells.' The center of Xizhou is Sifang Street, a small square surrounded by shops. Here stands a stone archway, recently built, called the 'Civilization Arch.' Xizhou is also the seat of a township government. Even before the Nanzhao Kingdom relocated to the Erhai area, Xizhou was already a settlement of the 'He Man,' the ancestors of the Bai people. Our third stop was Butterfly Spring.
Butterfly Spring features crystal-clear water. Every year during the Butterfly Gathering, thousands of butterflies come from all directions, fluttering in the air above the spring. Some are as large as a palm, others as small as a copper coin. Countless butterflies hook their legs and antennae together, linking head to tail, hanging from the large silk tree down to the water’s surface in long chains. The colorful spectacle is truly a wonder. Butterfly Spring is a renowned scenic spot, celebrated for its beautiful scenery, clear water, and the uniquely rare Butterfly Gathering. Thanks to the classic film 'Five Golden Flowers,' which reflects Bai life, Butterfly Spring has become famous far and wide. Its reputation is huge, but when you actually get there, you might be greatly disappointed. The Butterfly Spring in the movie is completely different from reality. The spring itself is very small (though the water is surprisingly deep—7 meters), not as crystal-clear as in the film, and it’s surrounded by crowds taking photos. Still, the surrounding scenery is quite pleasant, making it a nice spot for quiet reflection. Oh, and a friendly reminder: if you’re from Pudong, Shanghai, you can enjoy free admission here! Our fourth stop was Shuanglang Ancient Town.
Shuanglang lies in the northeastern part of Dali city, on the northeast shore of Erhai Lake. It’s bounded by Binchuan’s Jizu Mountain to the east, Wase Town to the south, Erhai Lake to the west, Shangguan Town to the north, and Huangping Town of Heqing County to the northeast. To its north is Luoshi Bend and to its south is Lianhua Bend, with Jinsuo and Yuji islands cradled between them—hence the name Shuanglang (meaning 'two bends'). Standing on the high hill to the east of Shuanglang, you can overlook the deep blue Erhai Lake; the town itself and Nanzhao Fengqing Island are all in full view. In the distance, Cangshan Mountain looks exceptionally beautiful set against blue skies and white clouds. In Shuanglang, water and sky merge, mountains rise in layered green, and guesthouses reflect the lake’s shimmering colors. Jinsuo Island weaves like brocade, and the 'two islands and two bends' complement the ancient, elegantly simple Bai township full of rich local flavor. Shuanglang is a town perfect for living, earning high praise: 'The best scenery in Dali is at Cangshan and Erhai, and the best of that is in Shuanglang.' On Fengqing Island, Prince Duan’s mansion and dancer Yang Liping’s villa are among the spots tourists love to check off. Due to time, we only took a quick tour before heading back. On the way back, there was a bit of an episode: one of the female classmates fell off her scooter, which really gave us a fright. Fortunately, it was only minor scrapes, though she did strain some muscles and likely needed a couple of days of rest. The entire ride around Erhai Lake covered about 150 kilometers. It was my first time riding that long—we set off at dawn and returned after dark, truly exhausting!
On the second day in Dali, we headed to Cangshan Mountain, Dali Ancient Town, and the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Film Studio. To tour Cangshan, we opted for the Xima Pond Cable Car. The weather was genuinely uncooperative—thick fog again! I wondered if this place had turned into Fog City Chongqing. The cable car ride took over an hour; at the foot of the mountain it was sunny and warm, but once we reached the top, we couldn’t see a thing. It was windy and freezing. Cangshan’s altitude is 3,962 meters, but only a few of us climbed to 3,920 meters before deciding not to go further. The reason: it was too cold, and going higher was pointless—thick fog obscured everything, probably even the boardwalk, let alone Xima Pond. So we wisely gave up! Then we took the cable car back down. At the midway transfer platform, the sun was shining brightly, and our group excitedly took photos. The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils Film Studio wasn’t much to see. It was built for the 1987 TV series; entry was included with the full cable car ticket. As we were leaving, we happened upon a performance and stopped to watch for about five minutes—nothing special. As for Dali Ancient Town, ah! What a disappointment. I’d heard it was more fun than Dayan Old Town, but once I saw it, I realized it didn’t even compare. It was utterly boring—modern beyond belief, with hardly any trace of an ancient town. We gave up.
On our last day in Dali, we went to Lijiang. Let me explain: Lijiang was a spontaneous addition, not in the original plan. Since we were already in Dali and Lijiang wasn’t far, we figured we might as well visit and check it off our list. That’s how we got to Lijiang. For me, it was the second time—I remembered visiting in 2014 and staying about a week. This time, I could act as a 'tour guide,' heh heh! Four people in our group had been to Lijiang before, but most hadn’t. I led them through the south gate to Sifang Street, then up to the highest point in Lijiang to take in the view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the entire ancient town. Then we stopped at the famous check-in spot, the 'Big Waterwheel,' to snap photos. No matter what, we could say we’d been to Lijiang!
With Dali finished, we drove 350 kilometers back to Fuxian Lake in Kunming. That turned out to be a wonderful surprise, completely unexpected. The accommodation was the most comfortable of the trip, and the scenery (Moon Bay Wetland Park) was stunning, much like Sanya in Hainan. Beaches, coconut trees, and lapping waves—it was incredibly pleasant, romantic yet playful. The area was filled with couples taking wedding photos, especially at sunset, capturing silhouettes. That got everyone super excited! I highly recommend visiting Fuxian Lake and staying at Shangjia Hotel (Fuxian Lake Lakeview Branch).
The final stop of the trip (originally we planned to visit Jiaozi Snow Mountain, but we canceled because the weather wasn’t cold enough for snow) was Dongchuan Red Land. Fuxian Lake to Dongchuan Red Land isn’t far—just 200 kilometers. However, after reaching Dongchuan, we had to drive about thirty to fifty kilometers of mountain roads, which left me feeling a bit carsick. Upon arriving at the Red Land, we first went sightseeing. The landlady of Red Summer Inn was wonderful. We hadn’t even arrived, but we’d already been in touch because we were unfamiliar with the roads inside the scenic area. She gave us directions over the phone, sent her location, and provided exceptionally considerate service. Unfortunately, our trip overall was plagued by bad luck—once again, we encountered mist. Up close, it was okay, but from afar we couldn’t see much at all. Thankfully, the weather gradually improved a bit in the afternoon, allowing us to take some photos. But we had really wanted to see the sunset, and sadly, it didn’t happen. The landlady of Red Summer Inn is the only university graduate from this village. After finishing school, she returned to help her family run the homestay. She’s very sensible, sincere, and down-to-earth. I strongly recommend staying at her place if you ever visit. Trust me, we came during the off-season, and there were hardly any tourists in the village, yet her inn (a four-story building with about a dozen rooms) was fully booked. Doesn’t that say it all?
As the trip drew to a close, we headed back to Kunming, where we visited Cuihu Park and the adjacent Yunnan Military Academy. The Yunnan Military Academy was the starting point of our revered Commander Zhu De’s military career. It also houses precious historical records and photos of the Chinese Expeditionary Force. The seagulls at Cuihu Park—I met them for the second time. I remembered last time (in 2014), it was evening, and the gulls had already gone to their nests. This time, I really got to see them and took picture after picture, ha ha ha!
Finally, let me mention the bell-wearing dog and the old man you see in the photos—they were local internet celebrities. It’s a pity: the dog is still around, but the old man has... We actually stayed right next door to that celebrity old man.
