Discover These Yunnan Ancient Towns Hidden in Time
In the long river of Chinese history, every era sees people rise and fall. As time flows on, the brilliance that once dazzled becomes a stroke of black ink in the annals of history. As the crystallization of human wisdom, ancient towns have ebbed and flowed with the tides of history, preserving people’s longing for and connection to the past amidst social change, quietly guarding their own peace.
As one of China's major tourist provinces, Yunnan has no shortage of ancient towns—Shaxi, Heshun, Jianshui, Dukezong... With spring breezes and nature reviving, the Qingming holiday is a perfect time to skip the crowds and bustle, and instead visit these lesser-known Yunnan towns tucked away in time. Slow down and savor the timeless charm of these small towns.
Beyond Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La, few people know that hidden in Yunnan’s eternal spring scenery, beneath the majestic Cangshan Mountain, lies a quiet ancient town: Shaxi.
Shaxi’s history dates back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. It is the only surviving ancient market on the historic Tea Horse Road. Sideng Street is the soul and core of Shaxi—a thousand-year-old bazaar that brings together a temple, an ancient stage, shops, horse inns, century-old trees, old lanes, and a village gate.
Shaxi is unlike any other ancient town. Quiet, rustic, and exquisitely preserved, it lies in Jianchuan, Dali Prefecture, nestled between Dali and Lijiang. Yet it enjoys a tranquility that is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of its famous neighbors.
Heshun Ancient Town, originally named Yangwendun, is located 4 km southwest of Tengchong. Because a small river winds through the village, it was renamed Heshun ('River Smooth'), and later the name was refined to its current form, meaning 'harmony and peace among people'.
This frontier town on the Yunnan-Myanmar border in northwestern Yunnan was founded in the Ming Dynasty. It was once a major horse caravan hub and a vital stop on the ancient Southwest Silk Road, with over 600 years of history. As a melting pot of diverse cultures, Heshun has many accolades, but true to its name, it remains unpretentious and authentic, elegant and noble, open and connected, mysterious and ancient, tranquil and far-reaching.
Homes are built from east to west along the hillside, rising gradually and stretching for two to three kilometers. Ancient temples, ancestral halls, and Ming-Qing buildings are scattered around this small basin. Open flatland lies before the village, while clear streams encircle it and weeping willows brush the banks—a scene that captivates visitors. Li Genyuan, acting prime minister during the Republican era, praised Heshun in a poem: 'Surpasses even the little Su-Hang.'
Jianshui, known in ancient times as Butou and also called Badan, has remained little known compared to world-famous Dali and Lijiang. Who would imagine that this low-key and mysterious old town is a thousand-year-old historic and cultural city, with a brilliant page in Yunnan’s history?
As a frontier Confucian town, Jianshui is ideal as a journey’s final stop—a place to calm the mind, still the spirit, and collect oneself. The old town is not large, but it harbors countless stunning scenes. Strolling through it feels like stepping into an ancient marketplace, where every house is a painting and every step brings a view. The buildings, stone paths, and streets brim with antiquity, leaving you in awe of the great craftsmen—what extraordinary skill it must have taken to create such wonders.
Dukezong, meaning 'castle built on stone' in Tibetan, is also known as the 'Moonlight City.' It rivals the bustling townscapes of Dali and Lijiang, yet is quieter, like a hidden paradise.
Dukezong Ancient Town is located in Shangri-La County, Diqing Prefecture. Founded in the Tang Dynasty, it boasts over 1,300 years of history and is the best-preserved and largest Tibetan residential cluster in China. It was also a key town on the Tea Horse Road and the first stop for horse caravans entering Tibet. Unlike other quaint ancient towns, every building here exudes distinctive Tibetan style—rustic and full of character.
Built against the mountain, the ancient town is like a utopia carrying many people’s distant dreams. Wandering through Dukezong, the air is fresh. Sunlight filters through wooden houses, casting dappled shadows deep into the lanes. Step into any alley, and you’ll see locals sitting casually by the roadside or bending over daily chores. Walking on the uneven flagstone paths, you can feel the town’s unique customs. Pause, listen closely, and you’ll be enchanted by the soft chanting of Buddhist sutras.
Because of the presence of Dali Ancient City, Weishan, lying a hundred miles away, became a forgotten old town—earning it the reputation as 'Yunnan’s last pure land for idling away time.'
As one of the cradles of the Nanzhao Kingdom, Weishan Ancient City was first built in the 23rd year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1390 AD), with over 600 years of history now. The town has endured great rises and falls, from prosperity to decline. In the glow of sunset, it is serene and quiet. Distant history, legendary kingdoms, and thrilling past events have all been eroded by time, washing away the town’s former bustle, yet leaving generations to dwell here poetically.
North of Dali Ancient City lies a town called Xizhou, an old Bai settlement on the western shore of Erhai Lake. It preserves the world’s largest and most complete ensemble of traditional Bai houses—what the writer Lao She called 'the miracle of Xizhou.'
Nestled between mountain and water, Xizhou dates back to the Nanzhao Kingdom with a history of several thousand years. During the Sui and Tang dynasties, it was called Dali City and was one of the ten administrative divisions of Nanzhao. Having traversed the long river of history, Xizhou stands quietly by Erhai Lake with a composed and reserved air, living out its own peace and tranquility.
Stepping into Xizhou is like entering an ink-wash painting. Blue bricks, white tiles, mottled walls, and roofs overgrown with weeds all whisper of the town’s long history. Deep hoof prints from the horse caravans still dot the bluestone roads, evoking images of bygone days when caravans crowded the town, merchants gathered, and laughter filled the air.
Shuanglang Town lies in the northeast of Dali City, surrounded by mountains on three sides and facing the sea on one. Nestled between mountain and water with enchanting scenery, it is a typical Bai fishing village and ancient town.
As the saying goes, 'Dali’s beauty lies in Cangshan and Erhai, and the beauty of Cangshan and Erhai lies in Shuanglang.' Some say a trip to Dali is incomplete without visiting Shuanglang. As a resort town blending scenery and folk customs, Shuanglang may be smaller than Lijiang and Dali Old Towns, but it exudes a distinctive charm. Like a dream forgotten by Erhai Lake, it quietly stands at the foot of Cangshan Mountain and beside Erhai’s waters, slowly telling the world the past stories of this thousand-year-old fishing village.
Inside Shuanglang Ancient Town, there is only one wide main street. Walking along, houses rise and fall in height on either side, and occasionally you’ll spot an elderly resident lounging contentedly in a deckchair outside a shop. Stroll down a side alley for two or three hundred meters, and suddenly the view opens up: Erhai Lake sparkles under the sunlight, its water so clear you can see tiny fish swimming near the bottom. When tired, find a seaside café, sip coffee to the sound of Erhai’s waves, and meet Shuanglang at its most beautiful.
In Dali, Yunnan, surrounded by mountains, there is an ancient village whose name has not changed since the Nanzhao period of the Tang Dynasty. Known as the 'Millennium Bai Village,' it is Nuodeng, nestled deep in the mountains of Yunlong County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture.
Nuodeng is the oldest village name recorded in Yunnan’s historical documents and is honored as the 'Millennium Bai Village.' Today, Nuodeng has lost its former bustle; it is quiet, rustic, free from worldly distractions. It is most famous for Nuodeng ham, which gained nationwide fame after appearing in 'A Bite of China.'
Nuodeng boasts the densest concentration of Ming and Qing ancient buildings and cultural relics in western Yunnan. Over a hundred old residential courtyards climb the mountainside, stacked from summit to foot, like houses suspended in midair. Walking on the village’s polished flagstone roads and gazing at the ancient buildings, you can’t help but feel that history has frozen here. Following steep bluestone steps into the village, a peaceful, harmonious atmosphere greets you. Step inside any home, and you’ll see golden hams hanging from the rafters—mouthwatering sights.
If you want to see what Lijiang Ancient Town looked like twenty years ago, take a stroll through Baisha Ancient Town.
As the birthplace of the Mu chieftain family, Baisha has existed for over 800 years. It was the ancient capital of the Naxi people and is called the world-class 'Ancient Naxi Kingdom.' It still preserves Naxi traditions and is the most authentic Naxi village. After past glories and vicissitudes, it has shed the ostentation of time, leaving behind an air of light breezes and calm clouds—a sun-soaked languor and serenity. Sitting quietly at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, it watches the years pass peacefully, telling Naxi stories to later generations.
As a Naxi 'hidden paradise' beneath the snow mountain, Baisha feels worlds apart from modern cities. Low houses with white walls and gray tiles line the streets, and over 80% of the residents are original villagers going about their daily chores, absorbed in their tasks—natural and unpretentious. Wandering the flagstone paths, you look up to see the majestic snow mountain. Time seems to have pressed pause here, and the heart returns to peace.
When speaking of Lijiang’s ancient towns, the most famous is Dayan Ancient Town, but few know Shuhe Ancient Town. Some say Dayan is for sightseeing, while Shuhe is perfect for doing nothing.
Compared to Lijiang’s hustle and bustle, Shuhe always feels gentle. The town is nearly uniform with gray tiles and black bricks, upturned eaves and painted beams, old houses, ancient wooden shop fronts with dark red paint, old stone bridges, and mottled stone slopes. Endless streams of clear water flow, with aquatic plants swaying back and forth—painting a picture of the town’s rustic, natural beauty.
Under eaves and around street corners, buildings weathered by time retain their original look. With the passage of time, houses have gained some decoration, the roads have become smoother and flatter, and scenes of daily life have grown more vivid and colorful. When you pass through bustling streets and step into Shuhe with a leisurely pace, it’s like uncorking a sealed fine wine—take a sip, and its rich, mellow flavor lingers long after.
