2020 Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan 51-Day Autumn Road Trip Diary: (8) Dali, Weishan, Chuxiong, Kunming, Dongchuan Chapter

2020 Yunnan-Guizhou-Sichuan 51-Day Autumn Road Trip Diary, divided into 10 parts:

(1) -- Zhijiang, Maotai Town, Chishui, Luzhou, Zigong part.

(2) -- Chengdu, Dujiangyan part.

(3) -- Wenchuan, Lixian, Barkam, Jinchuan, Danba, Xinduqiao part.

(4) -- Xinduqiao, Yajiang, Litang, Daocheng part.

(5) -- Daocheng Yading part.

(6) -- Shangri-La, Lijiang part.

(7) -- Jianchuan part.

This is (8) -- Dali, Weishan, Chuxiong, Kunming, Dongchuan part.

(9) -- Panzhou, Qianxinan, Ziyun, Duyun part.

(10) -- Qiandongnan, Fuzhou, Quzhou part.

This self-driving trip, from October 9 to November 28, lasted 51 days, covering 8,780 kilometers.

Starting from Shanghai, passing through Quzhou (Zhejiang), Zhuzhou (Jiangxi), Zhijiang (Hunan), Maotai Town and Chishui (Guizhou), Luzhou, Zigong, Chengdu, Dujiangyan, Wenchuan, Lixian, Barkam, Jinchuan, Danba, Xinduqiao, Litang, Daocheng (Sichuan), Shangri-La, Lijiang, Jianchuan, Shaxi, Dali, Weishan, Chuxiong, Kunming, Dongchuan (Yunnan), Panzhou, Qianxinan, Ziyun, Duyun, Qiandongnan (Guizhou), then via Loudi (Hunan), Fuzhou (Jiangxi), Quzhou (Zhejiang), and back to Shanghai.

Day 28, November 5: From Shaxi Ancient Town to Shuanglang Ancient Town.

4. Shuanglang: The best place to view Erhai Lake. Yuji Island and Nanzhao Scenic Island, elevation 1,985 meters.

Stayed at Yunqi Pisha Seaview Courtyard Inn, an inn facing the sea:

After checking in, I sat by the sea at the inn, facing the ocean, drinking Yunnan coffee, watching clouds roll and waves splash, until the sun went down, then went out for dinner:

To reach Nanzhao Scenic Island, take a boat:

For dinner, had fish hotpot, could resume drinking alcohol:

Full and tipsy, went for a walk to see the old town at night:

Day 29, November 6, Dali, 10:40 -- 16:15.

Morning at Erhai Lake:

Hotel breakfast:

Yang Liping's Moon Palace:

Yang Liping's Sun Palace:

From Shuanglang Ancient Town to Butterfly Spring:

5. Butterfly Spring:

4A, ticket 15 yuan, round-trip shuttle 20 yuan.

Visiting for the second time; a clear spring under a crooked tree. A place made famous by the movie "Five Golden Flowers."

The market at the exit made everyone go around eight or nine times, which was really disgusting. Inside the scenic area, there were many pushy vendors renting Bai ethnic clothing, taking photos, selling food, etc., recommending relentlessly.

Brother Apeng and Jinhua, deep affection between brothers and sisters:

6. Xizhou Ancient Town:

7. Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple:

5A, ticket 37 yuan. Visiting for the second time.

The pagodas are even in number, said to represent gender equality.

Stayed at Vienna Dali Ancient City Scenic Area Hotel. Encountered a power outage at night, but fortunately the hotel had a generator.

Day 30, November 7, Dali, 9:30 --

8. Dali Ancient City: 4A.

Visiting for the second time.

Dali Ancient City had too many people, even more than Lijiang Ancient City.

Inside the ancient city: Ancient city wall, Foreigner Street, Dali City Museum, Wuhua Tower, Renmin Road, Wumiao Temple (now an antique market).

One Pagoda (Hongsheng Temple, not open).

Yuan Shizu's Stele for Pacifying Yunnan (not open, photographed through the crack in the door):

9. Nanzhao Dehua Stele:

10. Xiaguan:

Dali Prefecture Museum.

From Xiaguan to Weishan County.

Stayed at Yunzhishang Hotel in Weishan County.

The birthplace of the Nanzhao Kingdom 1,300 years ago, founded in the 22nd year of Ming Hongwu (1389). The ancient city maintains the chessboard layout from when it was built over 600 years ago, and is a well-preserved Ming and Qing architectural complex in China.

Gongchen Tower, Xinggong Tower, Menghua Old Residence, Jinshi Memorial Arch, Qunli Gate, Mengyang Park, Yuanjue Temple (with a white pagoda in front from the Ming Dynasty), and Confucian Temple.

Weishan County is not on the main road, with few tourists, relatively authentic.

Day 31, November 8, Weishan county seat to Chuxiong, 8:40 -- 16:15.

From Weishan County to Weibao Mountain: 14 km, 0:25.

Ticket 18 yuan. 9:10 -- 11:50.

One of China's 14 famous Taoist mountains, with nearly twenty Taoist temples, mostly from early Qing dynasty, with a rustic atmosphere. It is also the birthplace of Nanzhao. Elevation 2,230 meters.

We only visited the Yuhuang Pavilion area, which concentrated nearly half of the Taoist temples, about a 20-minute walk from the gate.

It seemed we were the only two visitors; we met fewer than twenty people on the way. Bird calls were constant in our ears, such a quiet and magical mountain.