Listening to the Maples, Bathing in Snow, At Ease Between Cangshan and Erhai (Experience at Dali THE ONE Ancient City No.1 Courtyard)

Days are light as leaves,

life is like a whirlwind.

From the moment we land,

it is already worthy of blessing.

I look out the window, the dark clouds have not yet dispersed, the sunlight just pierced through the clouds, a girl's long skirt walked down the street, the wind rolled up fallen leaves, autumn cool as water.

How many loves cannot withstand time, how much warmth is defeated by reality.

After so many years, going west to wherever has become less important, but I still remain true to my heart, traveling day and night towards my ideals and you.

One day, you will temporarily bid farewell to the city's dazzling neon and congested roads, go to Dali to feel the intoxicating breeze by Erhai Lake and the refreshing early snow among Cangshan.

Position and Transportation: The hotel is located at No. 9 Bo'ai Road, Dali Ancient City, Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, 28 km by car from Dali Huangcaoba Airport, 17 km by car from Dali Station. The hotel backs onto Cangshan, borders Bo'ai Road to the east, and the South Gate to the west, and is only a 5-minute walk from Wu Temple, Honglong Well, Renmin Road, and Yangren Street.

Decoration Style: Dali THE ONE Ancient City No.1 Courtyard is a unique style courtyard resort hotel combining traditional Bai residential architecture with Hui-style architecture. Green tiles and white walls, three houses with a screen wall, four courtyards with five patios—these typical features of Bai dwellings can all be seen here. Stepping on the bluestone slab paths in the hotel's alleys, watch the maple leaves like fire, the dancing tree shadows, the dappled light, transforming into countless forms as time flows, embracing all things, merging with nature.

Inadvertently, a cat named 'Duoduo,' possibly a British Shorthair, will momentarily disturb your reverie. What bad intentions can a little cat have? Let it be; it's just a bit proud but lives freely.

The minimalist beauty of the architecture, the Chinese artistic conception of the courtyards, the authentic Yunnan cuisine, and the attentive butler service—these hospitality ways will strike the deep heart of every guest. A journey of self-cultivation—hiding from the city, returning to the heart, manifesting action—begins here.

Guest Room Views: Whether you stay in the Listening Maple King Room, the Bathing in Cloud Room, or the Maple Path Villa, the moment you pull open the curtains, you might fall in love with this place. This season is just right, away from the summer and winter holiday crowds. Gazing at Cangshan in the distance, it seems like forests are dyed in colors; large white clouds slowly drift in the azure sky, as if within reach.

From Borghese toiletries to Duravit wall-hung concealed cistern toilets, the understated luxurious amenities are only for guests' comfortable stay. As for the rest, there is no need to show off or reveal more. People are born into hustle and bustle but yearn for freedom. Who likes Dali if not for this sense of carefree solitude like clouds and cranes?

City Travel: Dali Ancient City was the political, economic, and cultural center of Yunnan for over 500 years during the Tang and Song dynasties. The ancient city has numerous cultural relics and historical sites, the city layout is basically well-preserved, and important historical ruins are clearly identifiable.

In addition to the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, the Taihe City ruins (including the Nanzhao Dehua Stele), Dali City Museum (Du Wenxiu's Marshal Mansion), former site of Yunnan Governor's Office, Hongsheng Temple Pagoda, and Dali Catholic Church—these major cultural relic protection units—there are also the following architectural remains that carry Dali's history and culture:

Ancient City Gates: Wenxian Tower, Wuhua Tower, South Gate Tower, North Gate Tower. Among them, the South Gate Tower is called Shuanghe Tower or Cheng'en Tower, the foremost of the four gates, first built in the 15th year of Hongwu Ming Dynasty (1382 AD), the oldest and most majestic structure in the ancient city, symbol and landmark of Dali Ancient City. The city walls are about 1500 meters long on each side, 6 meters high, and 12 meters thick. The characters 'Dali' on the city gate were personally inscribed by Guo Moruo during his visit to Dali in 1961. 'Dali' is a reign name, meaning 'great governance, enriching the country and prospering the state.'

Ancient Academies: Xiyun Academy, Dali Prefecture Examination Academy.

Ancient Temples: Catholic Church, South Gate Mosque, Confucian Temple, Military Temple.

Dali Ancient City has four gate towers and four corner towers. The city wall has four gates: East Gate Erhai Gate (also called Tonghai Gate), South Gate Shuanghe Gate (also called Cheng'en Gate), West Gate Cangshan Gate, North Gate Santa Gate (also called Anyuan Gate). The city maintains a typical checkerboard layout, with three north-south streets and six east-west streets, known as 'nine streets and eighteen alleys.' The city center is slightly west, the north-south axis is not centered, forming a layout heavy on the west and light on the east. The north and south gates are symmetrical, while the east and west gates are staggered, following the Bai architecture principle of 'not taking the center in the four directions.'

The most well-known street among tourists is Fuxing Road, the main artery and busiest street of Dali Ancient City, connecting South Gate and North Gate, 1500 meters long, with cobblestone pavement, the longest north-south thoroughfare in the ancient city. Shops on both sides of Fuxing Road maintain architectural styles from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Yangren Street, originally named 'Huguo Road,' paved with bluestone slabs, with the busiest section in the middle. Honglong Well, the landscape runs from west to east, divided into upper and lower sections by Bo'ai Road, with ancient-style Bai dwellings along the street.

Thus, Dali Ancient City is a treasure city where you can wander freely and encounter history at every step.

Dining: During my stay at Dali THE ONE Ancient City No.1 Courtyard, almost all main meals were enjoyed at the Listening Maple Restaurant. Connected to it is the Bathing in Snow Bar. Indifferent to the mundane world, listening to the wind and bathing in snow, plainness like water is the norm of life; calm in the face of events enables steady progress.

Here there is a scientific breakfast with balanced nutrition, as well as authentic Bai-style home dishes.

Sleep until you naturally wake up, then in the Listening Maple Restaurant, have a bowl of meat ersi (rice noodles) or rice noodles, as well as porridge, steamed buns, mantou, eggs, corn, sweet potatoes, fried eggs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and seasonal fruits. You must have a cup of locally produced Dali yogurt. Business hours: 0800-1030.

Carved Plum Spareribs: Small spareribs fried crispy on the outside and tender inside, combined with Dali's specialty carved plums, sweet and sour, occasionally with plum flesh, very appetizing with rice.

Yellow Braised Chicken: Made with local free-range chicken, firm yet tender texture; it must be said that yellow braising is a cooking method that really infuses flavor into the ingredients.

Sour and Spicy Crucian Carp: The crucian carp from Erhai Lake is extremely delicious, paired with homemade sour and spicy sauce, it greatly satisfies the taste buds.

Stir-fried Pork, Crispy Pork: Both are Yunnan specialty dishes. Different methods test the chef's control of heat. Stir-fried pork is smooth and tender; crispy pork is crunchy.

Seaweed Soup: A wild vegetable growing in Erhai Lake, famous for being 'watery and fickle' (a pun on its name), the soup has a silky smooth and fragrant taste.

In the hotel, there is a courtyard surrounded by pink muhly grass. The Coffee Talk café is nestled in this serene and dreamy garden. Choose an espresso or American coffee, or brew a pot of aged Pu'er tea or a couple of bottles of Dali beer, sit upright in the courtyard, let time pass, watch clouds roll and unfurl, see flowers bloom and fade.

The nearby pool reflects the distant pavilion, white curtains flutter in the wind. At sunset, the pink muhly grass is bathed in golden twilight. Is this wild gentleness what you have been searching for across mountains and rivers?

Choose not to speak, leaving blank spaces gives strength.

Blend into laughter to protect yourself.

The curved moon does not come for anyone;

its waxing and waning are predestined.

Those who face the wind remain unperturbed;

the gathering and scattering of crowds are like fine rain.

I am still here.

Original text and images copyright © @Tianlan Niandai. Please contact for reprint. I am an invited photographer for AirAsia, Malaysia Tourism Board, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Canadian Embassy in China; financial writer; multimedia professional; signed traveler; signed photographer; winner of Yunnan News Award (Online Commentary Award, Innovative News Award).