Fourth Entry into Yunnan: Kunming, Tengchong, Mangshi, Ruili, Baoshan, Dali, Wuliang Mountain, Red Land (Part 3)

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, check out, then take a bus to Menghuan Golden Pagoda, a 7-kilometer drive taking 15 minutes. Menghuan Golden Pagoda is located on the top of Leiyarang Mountain. To reach the parking lot at the summit, one must drive along a winding mountain road. To the left of the parking lot is Menghuan Golden Pagoda, and to the right is the Silver Pagoda. The two attractions are very close and can be visited on foot. Tour groups all go to the Golden Pagoda, while fewer people visit the Silver Pagoda, but I think it is also well worth a visit. From the parking lot, walk 300 meters to reach the Golden Pagoda. It was already 10 a.m. at this time. We set off late today, making the entire itinerary particularly tight.

“Menghuan Golden Pagoda” shines brilliantly, a dazzling sight. It is an iconic building of Mangshi and a sacred site for the Dai people living here. Legend says that before his death, Sakyamuni once lived here as the reincarnation of the Golden Rooster, A Luan. The Menghuan Golden Pagoda was destroyed in 1966, and the current pagoda was rebuilt in 2007. Menghuan Golden Pagoda stands majestically on the summit of Leiyarang Mountain, at an altitude of 1079 meters, southeast of Mangshi by the Peacock Lake. From the foot of the mountain, one can see the glittering tip of the pagoda. Two golden dragons descend from the mountain slope at the pagoda’s gate, turning into two giant claws in front of the pagoda. Climbing the steps from the gate, one sees the five characters “Menghuan Golden Pagoda” shining brightly. Surrounding them are carvings of peacocks, Buddhas, and ritual objects. The golden color is dazzling under the sunlight, solemn yet somewhat lively. The Golden Pagoda is the largest main building in the temple, styled after the Southern Asian Dai King’s palace, resplendent on the outside with white jade walls. There are stairs on the sides going up and down, making it like a beautiful garden. The Golden Pagoda is 76 meters high, an octagonal four-door hollow pagoda with four levels. However, the lower three levels are actually hollow halls. On the second and third levels, there are eight small pagodas, and on the outer platform of the fourth level, eight vase-shaped pagodas are built. These 16 small pagodas surround the central golden spire, enhancing the main pagoda’s grandeur and beautifying it. The Golden Pagoda has four main gates facing east, south, west, and north, all of which can be entered. Before entering the main hall, shoes must be removed. Around the Golden Pagoda, there is a promenade for visitors to rest, offering a panoramic view of the entire Mangshi city. The mountain breeze feels pleasant. Another notable attraction in the scenic area is the Reclining Buddha relief. On the wall to the right of the main gate, a giant reclining Buddha statue appears serene and kind, its golden robe blending with the green mountains and trees, becoming one with nature. Additionally, besides the pagoda, there is a Bodhi tree, the third generation of the one under which Sakyamuni attained enlightenment over 2000 years ago. It was propagated from India to Sri Lanka, where it thrived. This sapling was brought from Sri Lanka to Xishuangbanna, Yunnan in 2005, and is now also cultivated in Jinghong, Kunming, and Dehong Mangshi.

Leaving Menghuan Golden Pagoda, return to the parking lot. From the parking lot, walk 100 meters downhill to reach the Silver Pagoda. Menghuan Silver Pagoda is a new landmark of Dehong Mangshi tourism, completed and opened to the public in April 2019. The Silver Pagoda is 66 meters high with a diameter of 46 meters, overall smaller than the Golden Pagoda. However, because the peak where the Silver Pagoda stands is about 20 meters higher than the Golden Pagoda, the two pagodas appear roughly equal in height visually. The Silver Pagoda’s architecture is purely white, forming a sharp color contrast with the Golden Pagoda. The two pagodas stand atop Leiyashan Mountain by the Peacock Lake, one elegant and splendid, the other plain and serene, complementing each other. The ticket price for the scenic area is 40 yuan. Since the area is not large, we did not take the electric cart. Entering the scenic area, walk along the central axis. The right path leads uphill via steps, while the left path is a vehicle road. Therefore, it is recommended to go up on the right and down on the left, making exiting the scenic area easier. The overall design of the scenic area centers on Dai culture, arranged as “one ring, six zones, and thirty nodes.” The one ring is the sightseeing experience ring; the six zones are the World Entrance Zone, Handprint and Good Karma Zone, Enlightenment Square Zone, Silver Wheel Square Zone, Forest Drifting Cloud Zone, and Silver Pagoda Flower Language Zone.

Upon entering the Silver Pagoda scenic area, the immediate impressions are “snow-clad” and “pure.” The left path uphill is the eco-friendly vehicle road, while the right path is the walking trail. It takes about 15 minutes to climb to the top. It is recommended to go up on the right and down on the left. On the eco-friendly vehicle road, there is a small platform offering a distant view of the Golden Pagoda, with a really nice scenery. The entire scenic area is not tiring and is quite relaxing, as the number of visitors is far less than that at the Golden Pagoda, making the visit enjoyable. Looking out from the viewing platform, which features unique Dai architectural elements and sculptures, the white is set against the green, presenting a scene of “people in a painting.” Unlike the Golden Pagoda, the Silver Pagoda cannot be entered, only viewed from the outside. Its architectural style is primarily Dai and Buddhist, and this distinct style creates a unique ambiance. As we exited the scenic area, we saw locals taking wedding photos there. The white wedding dress against the solemn white pagoda appeared even more pure and innocent.

Today’s itinerary was tight, and we were delayed in the morning departure, so we had to leave the Silver Pagoda in a hurry. The next attraction was the Tree-Wrapped Pagoda, a spot in the city. It took only about 10 minutes to navigate there. The pagoda is surrounded by parking, so you can park and visit directly. The Tree-Wrapped Pagoda is a Dai-style pagoda, originally named Tiecheng Pagoda, built to commemorate a battle. It is a solid brick pagoda enveloped by tree roots, hence the name Tree-Wrapped Pagoda, and it is the earliest pagoda built by the local Dai people. The wonderfully unique Tree-Wrapped Pagoda: the pagoda body stands like a majestic Vajra warrior, and the magnificent Bodhi tree spreads like a giant umbrella over the top. The thick canopy stretches like arms into the sky; the bronze-colored trunk twists and bends, tightly embracing the pagoda. The tree wall cascades like a waterfall, bathing the base. The tree wraps the pagoda, the pagoda embraces the tree, interdependent and mutually complementary, forming a unique wonder known throughout western Yunnan and Southeast Asia. Next to it is an elementary school. It was school dismissal time, and the roadside was full of students. Carefully driving out of the school zone, we left Mangshi and headed to China’s border—Ruili. Ruili is a 1.5-hour drive from Mangshi, located at the end of the Hangrui Expressway. It shares mountains and rivers with Myanmar, with villages facing each other, adjacent to the Myanmar national-level port city of Muse. Ruili is southwestern China’s largest inland port, an important jewelry distribution center, and one of the first batch of China’s excellent tourism cities. Ruili is also one of China’s 17 international land port cities and the first stop for the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline entering China. The first attraction was Jiegao National Gate. We stayed here for 20 minutes. There is a parking lot right in front of the national gate, very convenient. “Jiegao” means “old city” in Dai language. It implements a special supervision model of “inside the country, outside the customs.” Here, there are the well-known “China-Myanmar Street,” “Ruili Port National Gate,” and “Tianya Haijiao.” Beside Tianya Haijiao, through the barbed wire, we could see Myanmar people queuing to enter the country. According to locals, Myanmar people can work in Dehong Prefecture but cannot leave Dehong without a passport, and obtaining a passport costs a large sum for local Myanmar people. The “Tianya Haijiao” monument is located in a corner of the national gate, donated by a certain company. I’m not sure why this stone tablet has become a check-in spot.

Driving away from the national gate, about 30 minutes later, we reached the “One Village Two Countries” scenic area. Ruili has many small attractions, but due to time constraints, Limengbo only chose the National Gate and One Village Two Countries. There were quite a number of tourist buses at the One Village Two Countries scenic area. The entrance gate is very small, but inside it is a hidden world, precisely a large enclosed area. The ticket for One Village Two Countries is only 27 yuan. As the name suggests, this scenic area spans China and Myanmar. Tour the left side first, then return to the Cross-Border Giant Swing, and then visit the right part. Swinging on the giant swing lets you cross the border between China and Myanmar, shuttling back and forth between the two countries, which is very fun. Passing by a row of shops, first you see a well called “One Village Two Countries Well,” followed by the 71st border marker between China and Myanmar. The border line meanders through the village. Crossing a narrow road, you can enter Myanmar without a visa. You cannot stop on the road, as border guards prohibit tourists from taking photos there; this is the Yinjing checkpoint. The Chinese side is called Yinjing, and the Myanmar side is called Mangxiu. Entering the Myanmar village, it is very small. You can see simple Myanmar houses and a small shop, but it sells mostly Thai goods. It takes just a few minutes to tour the Myanmar village and return to the giant swing. Continuing along the border fence, you come across a paid elevated corridor, but it was not open that day, so we didn’t go up. There is also “One Pagoda Blesses Two Countries” and a large Myanmar architectural complex. Around 14:30, we left the scenic area and headed to Tengchong Bus Station. The drive took about 3 hours. Arriving in Tengchong at 17:30, we returned the rental car and caught the last bus at 18:00 from Tengchong to Baoshan. I fell asleep on the bus. After getting off, I took a DiDi to Landu Hotel (a four-star hotel). The hotel had central air conditioning, but it was not effective, so I managed to sleep anyway.

[One Village Two Countries Scenic Area images]

The next morning, we almost missed the bus to Dali Xiaguan (bus number 1105, fare 82 yuan). Fortunately, the DiDi driver took a shortcut, and we luckily caught the bus. I gave the female driver a small red envelope. The trip to Dali took 2.5 hours. It was all highway. Looking out the window at the scenery, I sighed at how fast time flies; it was already the sixth day. Arriving at Xiaguan and the train station, we got off. We asked the driver how to get to Dali Ancient Town. He said he was headed to the Dali Ancient Town bus station for handover, and kindly gave us a ride to the ancient town. The ancient town is quite far from the city train station, about a 40-minute drive. From the bus station to Dali Ancient Town, it is a 10-minute walk. Dragging our suitcases, they made a “rumbling” sound on the street. Along the way, many people tried to pull us into their lodgings. We specifically chose “Warm Inn,” located inside the ancient town and close to the gate (youth hostel style, at No. 12 Bo’ai Road, Ancient Town). The room was simply decorated, and the shower facilities were very basic. We were arranged in a new branch, which was quieter, which I liked. Compared to famous domestic ancient towns like Phoenix and Pingyao, Dali Ancient Town is much larger. After all, it was a royal city. For over 500 years during the Tang and Song dynasties, it was the political, economic, and cultural center of Yunnan. The ancient town lies at the foot of Cangshan Mountain and by the shore of Erhai Lake, majestic. The current ancient town’s history can be traced back to the Tianbao era of the Tang dynasty, when Nanzhao King Geluofeng built Yangjumie City as his new capital. The tour route of the ancient town follows Fuxing Road from the South Gate to the North Gate, a total length of 1500 meters. The road surface is made of stone blocks. It is the longest north-south main artery in the ancient town. Shops on both sides of Fuxing Road maintain the architectural style of the Ming and Qing dynasties. It is the main commercial street of Dali Ancient Town, with numerous shops selling marble carvings, ethnic costumes, and local specialties. Another famous street is the west-east oriented Foreigner Street. The ancient town is really huge; it would be advisable to rent a bicycle to get around. The ancient town has four city gates: East Gate (Erhai Gate, also called Tonghai Gate), South Gate (Shuanghe Gate, also called Chengen Gate), West Gate (Cangshan Gate), and North Gate (Santa Gate, also called Anyuan Gate). The city maintains a typical checkerboard layout, with symmetrical north and south gates. The streets crisscross, known as “nine streets and eighteen lanes.” The city center is slightly to the west, and the north-south axis is not in the center, forming a “west-heavy, east-light” layout. The east and west gates are offset, following the principle in Bai architecture of “not centering the four cardinal gates.”

Around 12 o’clock, after storing our luggage, we headed to the South Gate. This area has relatively more tour groups and is also the starting point for sightseeing cars. Adjacent to the South Gate Tourist Center, the sightseeing car costs 35 yuan per person and goes around the ancient town once. The South Gate tower was rebuilt in 1984, and the city wall was restored on the original site in 1998, maintaining the original Ming dynasty style. One can take photos here, but due to the large number of tourists, Limengbo did not linger and proceeded directly along Fuxing Road. The streets were indeed lined with shops, and items were not cheap. A skewer of black pork meat not very big was priced at 15 yuan. Needing to fill our stomachs, we tried two skewers. There were many silverware shops on the street, all named “Cun Family Silver Shop”—could they be related to the Cun Family Ancestral Hall in Heshun Ancient Town, Tengchong? A relatively close attraction is Du Wenxiu’s Marshal Palace. Du Wenxiu was a leader of the Hui rebellion in Yunnan. His family had been merchants for generations. He himself passed the imperial examination at the county level and once worked as a village tutor. He was known for his integrity and honesty. In 1856, he was rescued from prison by the Yunzhou Hui rebel leader Cai Chunfa, then raised troops in Menghua (today’s Weishan), recruiting thousands of Hui and Yi people. On September 16, he captured Dali. On October 17, he was elected Grand Marshal, establishing a regime. He declared “following the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom’s call from afar,” opposed narrow ethnic concepts, and put forward the slogan “unite Hui and Han as one, raise the righteous banner, expel the barbarians, restore China, eliminate corruption, and rescue the people from misery.” He adopted measures to develop production, reduce the people’s burden, abolish local exactions, and enforce strict governance and military discipline. In 1872, Qing forces attacked Dali. On December 26, Du Wenxiu took poison and then surrendered to the Qing camp, pleading for the lives of Dali’s soldiers and civilians. He was killed by Cen Yuying, and the rebellion failed. Currently, the Marshal Palace’s main gate, parts of the Forbidden City wall, the inner gate of the palace, the White Tiger Hall, and side rooms remain. After the rebellion’s failure, the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, Cen Yuying, renovated the palace. In 1988, after repairs, it was converted into the Dali City Museum. Today, it is still the Dali City Museum, displaying mainly stoneware, pottery, bronze, porcelain, jade, stone carvings, jade carvings, wood carvings, calligraphy, and paintings. Not far from the Marshal Palace is Wuhua Tower. At the intersection of Fuxing Road and Renmin Road, there is a McDonald’s, where we conveniently had lunch. Then we turned from Fuxing Road onto Renmin Road and continued walking. Renmin Road was under repair, with small shops on one side and local residences, Dali No. 4 Middle School, etc., on the other. The Catholic church here is very distinctive. Limengbo felt it was necessary to visit. Afterwards, one could return to Fuxing Road and continue north. However, I chose to follow Renmin Road to see Erhai Gate. That section had no scenery and was far, and Erhai Gate was entirely surrounded by vendors, not very interesting. Let me talk about the Catholic church. Tour groups do not come here, and individual tourists are rare, but it is a fine building. The church is located in a quiet alley in Dali Ancient Town—the Holy Trinity Church, blending Chinese traditional and Bai architectural art styles in its simple and ancient form. The church’s architectural characteristics are unique, a national treasure integrating local Bai cultural features, Han Chinese, and Western architectural elements, with flying eaves, dougong brackets, and beautiful paintings. It is renowned domestically and abroad for its structural style, exquisite carving art, and fusion of Chinese and Western architecture. The church was built in 1927 and underwent a comprehensive renovation in 1983. It has a history of over 90 years, about 16 meters high, with four levels from bottom to bell tower. It is about 34 meters long east-west and 15 meters wide. The church faces east, with layered flying eaves decorated with Bai-style carvings and traditional Chinese paintings. The eaves extend 4.5 meters beyond the foundation. The interior area is 600 square meters, accommodating over 500 people. The church is built in the Dai temple style. The altar inside is made of locally abundant marble. The church is elaborately carved and painted inside and out, with a strong Bai architectural style. In 2002, under the care and support of the Party and government, the Dali church underwent another comprehensive renovation. From the front, the church resembles a soaring dragon with raised head and tail, reflecting the traditional Chinese cultural idea of “descendants of the dragon.” From the side, it looks like a huge ship, symbolizing the church setting sail like Noah’s Ark, bringing hope, justice, peace, and love to humanity. Entering the church feels like walking into an ancient gallery and museum. The north wall is covered with old and excellent Western paintings. The south wall is inlaid with beautiful Chinese ink wash landscapes. On the front wall, there are three paintings, the middle one being a miniature of the church, recording its history and elegance.

After walking a long distance, we reached Erhai Gate. From Erhai Gate, we turned sharply onto Yuer Road, heading back toward Fuxing Road. Yuer Road is wide, with bus routes. A small turn onto Fuxing Road brings us to another pedestrian street section. One side of this section was under renovation. This part is less crowded than the first half of Fuxing Road, and one can climb the North City Tower (also called “Anyuan Tower”) for a panoramic view of the ancient town. The North City Tower had been renovated in September 2016. The tower closes around 17:30, and I was called down by the gatekeeper. The ancient town is illuminated at night. Strolling along Fuxing Street is pleasant. Alternatively, going to Yangren Street (Foreigner Street) to listen to music or visit bars is also a good option.

Took a DiDi for 16 yuan to Dali Bus Station (near the train station), then took a minibus to “Tiaocai Hometown” Nanjian Yi Autonomous County for 32 yuan. It was a 3-hour drive to Nanjian Bus Station. At the bus station, we chartered a minibus to Tulin (Earth Forest) and Cherry Blossom Valley for 400 yuan. It was already around noon. The driver took us for lunch; I had a bowl of noodles for 10 yuan. Nanjian Tulin is located around the Nanjian River valley basin in Dali Prefecture. There are four or five spots, including Xishanjiao, Zongfuzhuang, and Yingdi. The largest and most spectacular is the Tulin area behind Zongfuzhuang in the southeast of the county town. Under the sun, Nanjian Tulin looks like a beautiful oil painting. The lines, varying in thickness, undulate with the hills. The vivid colors seem like bold splashes by an oil painter—sometimes golden, sometimes orange-yellow. The vegetation growing on it is lush and pleasing. The shapes of the earth formations vary: some like shy beauties, some like tall men, some like big Buddhas, some like young monks, some like clusters of mushrooms. They change endlessly, captivating. The combination of earth peaks and columns depicts scenery with bold yet delicate strokes. The well-arranged gullies and caves portray charm with realistic yet ethereal brushwork. The techniques are diverse and styles vary infinitely. For convenience of visitors, Nanjian Tulin has built a 168-step plank road leading to Wuliang Pagoda, plank roads and stone paths 1-2 meters wide and 1.8 kilometers long, installed 130 garden lights, 280 floodlights, 990 point light sources, built a 4109 square meter parking lot, and carried out forestation and greening projects. Currently, the scenic area is free of charge, so you should go soon.

From Nanjian Tulin to Cherry Blossom Valley takes 1.5 hours. We arrived at around 15:45. Wuliang Mountain Cherry Blossom Valley currently only charges for parking; no entrance fee. The cherry blossom season is from late November to early December each year, about 25 days. The valley covers about 2000 mu. I first learned about Wuliang Mountain from Jin Yong’s novel “The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.” In the opening of the novel, Duan Yu mistakenly enters the Wuliang Sword Lake Palace, enters a stone cave to see the statue of the fairy sister, and learns the “Lingbo Weibu.” Originally, this was a large tea plantation. While planting tea trees, winter cherry trees were also planted to provide shade for the tea trees and improve the tea garden ecosystem. The cherry trees grew, blossoming in the twelfth lunar month, lush and vibrant, complemented by the neat green tea fields, creating a splendid cherry blossom scene. Gradually, people called this place “Cherry Blossom Valley.” The entire valley is roughly divided into three parts: No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 scenic areas. In fact, from the hilltop, hillside, valley, to the valley bottom’s Shanhua Village, there are patches of winter cherry blossoms. The viewing platform in No. 1 scenic area might be the best viewing spot, offering a distant view of No. 3 and an overlook of No. 2 in the valley. The frequently circulating “panoramic view” of the valley on the internet is actually the overlook of No. 2, almost always taken from this area. Limengbo’s suggestion is to first walk from No. 1 to No. 2 camp; there is a main road connecting them conveniently. Then return to No. 1 area to watch the sunset over the opposite No. 3 area, combining it with photography from the hilltop for multiple perspectives of the winter cherries. If time does not permit, skip No. 3 area; after sunset, No. 3 area gets dark early because the sun goes down behind the big mountain behind it. So around 16:00, No. 3 gradually darkens. Took a car back to the county, had dinner of Nanjian black-bone chicken for 66 yuan, and finally stayed at Yunzhi Shang Hotel for 108 yuan. The hotel facilities were average, and the washbasin was leaking. Too lazy to change, so I just managed for one night.

[Nanjian Tulin images]

After breakfast, took a DiDi to Nanjian Bus Station, then took a minibus back to Dali Bus Station for 32 yuan. Due to a previous miscalculation of the route, I didn’t visit the Dali Three Pagodas. I initially thought the Three Pagodas were in the city center, but later realized they are near the ancient town. So I rented a Volkswagen Lavida and continued self-driving. Tickets for Dali Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas are not cheap, costing 74 yuan. Because time was tight, I did not go to Chongsheng Temple itself, only to the Three Pagodas Reflection Park and the pagodas. I did not enter Chongsheng Temple. Three Pagodas Reflection Park is located 1 kilometer south of Dali Chongsheng Temple in Yunnan. The park faces south, backed by the Three Pagodas. It is named for the pond water that can reflect the three pagodas. The reflection is exceptionally clear. At night, the stars twinkle and the moon moves gently in the water, making one feel as if between heaven and earth, only in a thought. The Reflection Park does not sell tickets separately; it must be combined with Chongsheng Temple through a joint ticket. The famous site of the three pagodas seems like a divine structure. Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas are the symbol of Dali as a “famous city of culture and literature” and were the royal temple during the Dali Kingdom period, the largest ancient temple in Dali’s history. The main pagoda is called Qianxun Pagoda, locally referred to as “Wenbi Pagoda.” The three pagodas stand in a tripod arrangement—Qianxun in the center, with two smaller pagodas flanking it to the north and south, majestic. The three pagodas show harmony amidst change and unity amidst opposition, supporting each other, seemingly natural. The picture is perfect: behind are the snow-capped Cangshan Mountains all year round; in front is the rippling Erhai Lake, blending with the “Jade Er and Silver Cang” into a natural, elegant oriental beauty. Chongsheng Temple Three Pagodas were first built during the reign of Nanzhao King Quanfengyou (824–859 AD). The main pagoda, Qianxun Pagoda, was built first, 69.13 meters high, a square, multi-eave brick pagoda with 16 levels. Later, the south and north pagodas were built, both 42.19 meters high, octagonal brick pagodas with 10 levels. Besides the Buddhist purpose of attaining Buddhahood, another important reason for building the three pagodas was that Dali was historically a “waterlogged region.” According to legend, the pagodas were built using a method of laying a layer of earth and then a layer of pagoda. After completion, the earth was gradually removed to reveal the pagoda, hence the “earth-stacking building” and “earth-revealing pagoda” methods. The bridges used during construction were as high as hills and over 10 li long. Only after the three pagodas were built was the grand Chongsheng Temple constructed. Chongsheng Temple was once famous for its five great treasures (the three pagodas, Nanzhao Jianshi Great Bell, Rain-Covered Bronze Guanyin Statue, Three Sages Gold Statues, and the “Buddha Realm” plaque). However, both Chongsheng Temple and the other four treasures were destroyed in successive wars and natural disasters. The current Chongsheng Temple was newly built in 2005, with a reconstruction project costing 182 million yuan completed entirely.

Not far from the pagodas by car is Xizhou Ancient Town. Entering the scenic area is free; it contains an elementary school and residential areas. It is an important Bai settlement, with the largest and best-preserved cluster of Bai residential buildings. In layout, they are typical Bai courtyard patterns of “three rooms and one screen” and “four courtyards and five patios.” These residences feature carved beams and painted rafters, overlapping brackets, upturned eaves, and colorful decorative art on gates, screen walls, and gable walls, fully demonstrating the Bai people’s architectural talent and artistic creativity. Entering through Zhengyi Gate, walk straight ahead, passing Shihuang Hall and the elementary school, then reach the Square, a small plaza surrounded by shops. Here stands a stone archway, built in recent years, called “Civilization Archway.” The original stone archway here was called “Tilum Archway,” built after several scholars passed the imperial examinations in the Ming dynasty. Those who achieved meritorious titles in the exams could have their names engraved. Xizhou was an administrative township seat, but historically it had the scale of a city. Even before Nanzhao moved to the Erhai area, this was a settlement of the Bai ancestors, the “Heman,” then called Dali City, with many residents. Legend says that a general named Shi Wansui under Emperor Wen of Sui stationed troops here, so it was also called Shi City, and the nearby flatland was called “Shidan” (dan having the same meaning as dian, a fertile land). During the time of Nanzhao Mou (?), a palace was built here. Clues to the city’s layout can be found in place names; surrounding areas have village names like Chengbei, Chengdong, Chengnan. In the past, archaeologists have excavated tile with characters from the Nanzhao period, coarse cloth-patterned thick tiles, and lotus-patterned roof tile ends. Next to it is the Yan Family Grand Courtyard, charging 18 yuan. Yan Family Residence is located in Xizhou Ancient Town, built by Mr. Yan Xuehou, the 20th generation descendant of the Yan family, the wealthiest of Xizhou’s “four great families.” The main structure consists of three courtyards. The compound centralizes typical Bai residential architectural forms such as “three rooms and one screen,” “four courtyards and five patios,” “one entrance and two courtyards,” and “running horse connecting corner towers.” The magnificent flying eaves, bracket sets, and painted gate decorated with three drops of water, the splendid three-story colored painting screen wall, and the exquisite three-layer openwork wooden lattice doors fully display Bai residential architecture art. The first courtyard has the “three rooms and one screen” pattern, with the gate inscribed “Hou Lu.” “Hou” is taken from the owner’s name character, and “Lu” implies “the thatched cottage of three visits,” inheriting the Yan family’s modesty and humility. The second courtyard is in the “four courtyards and five patios” pattern, called “Hou Min Residence,” taking one character from each spouse’s name, symbolizing that women hold up half the sky in the household. The back courtyard is named “Kai Li Yuan,” named after the children. The first two courtyards form a “one entrance, two courtyards” pattern akin to “six harmonies and spring,” connected above by the “running horse connecting corner towers.” The second floor of the back courtyard is named “Diejin Tower,” adopting the Bai “five phoenix towers” pattern. This building innovatively places the finest Bai courtyard design on the second floor, while the first floor serves as a dining area. Walking from the “running horse connecting corner towers” in the front courtyard to “Diejin Tower,” what one sees is not the upstairs scenery but an elegant and fresh Bai courtyard style. The Yan Family Residence’s wood carvings, stone carvings, and clay sculptures strive to maintain pure traditional methods meticulously. The screen wall centers on a marble landscape painting, surrounded by traditional folk tales like “Fisherman, Woodcutter, Farmer, Scholar,” showcasing the Bai people’s diligence and bravery—also character prototypes in Jin Yong’s novel “The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils.” On both sides of the screen wall, there are large clay sculpture patterns, “Red Plum Announces Spring” and “Pine and Crane for Longevity,” fully demonstrating the Bai folk’s superb sculptural art. In stone carvings, there are pure white marble gate carvings with auspicious animals like qilin, elephant, and human-faced beasts. The steps in both courtyards are entirely paved with marble. On the east and west main halls’ floors, there are line-carved marbles depicting the eight immortals’ tools, birds, beasts, flowers, and insects, all vivid. In wood carving, the Bai people’s exquisite craft is showcased. A total of 19 sets, 114 lattice doors, over 250 fully carved windows and some carved maid windows, and components like tenons, brackets, and beams use various carving methods—three-layer openwork, two-layer openwork, deep carving, flat carving—with few repeated patterns.

The black-headed gulls at Erhai Lake

Self-driving around Erhai takes about 5 hours. This time, Limengbo only chose a section. Going further from Xizhou leads to Shuanglang. Shuanglang Town is located in the northeast of Dali City, on the northeastern shore of Erhai Lake. It borders Binchuan Jizu Mountain to the east, Wase Town to the south, Erhai Lake to the west, Shangguan Town to the north, and connects to Heqing County’s Huangping Town in the northeast. Shuanglang is named after the two bends: Luoshi Qu in the north and Lianhua Qu in the south, with Jinsuo and Yuji islands nestled between the bends. Here, the water and sky merge, the layered green mountains and the vast lake reflect each other. The Jinsuo weaving brocade, the “double islands and double bends,” and the simple, elegant Bai town form a harmonious natural picture of humans and nature. It is the most livable town, with the saying “Dali’s scenery lies in Cangshan and Erhai; Cangshan and Erhai’s scenery lies in Shuanglang.” Shuanglang has always been a place where famous scholars lingered. In ancient times, there were Yang Sheng’an and Li Yuanyang. Today, there are dancer Yang Liping, writer Su Tong, and painter Zhao Qing. It is also a place where many folk architecture, sculpture, and painting artisans live in the Dali area. The architectural paintings and decorations of Jizu Mountain’s seventy-two temples and the Bai village in Yunnan Ethnic Village were mostly done by Shuanglang craftsmen. Shuanglang is a Bai settlement. The town’s tourism supporting facilities are continuously improving, with various inns. After close contact with black-headed gulls by Xiaoputuo, we realized it was getting dark. We drove back to the train station to catch the 20:00-something train to Kunming, fare 109 yuan. Arriving at Kunming Train Station, we took a DiDi to Jinxuan Hotel for 55 yuan. The room rate was 149 yuan, very close to Kunming North Bus Station.

Day 9-10

At 7:50 a.m., there was a bus to the Red Land. We rushed to the bus station early and bought a ticket for 43 yuan. However, the bus never came; we waited a full 30 minutes before it finally arrived, with only 5 or 6 passengers. After leaving the station, the bus drove a short distance, took two turns, and stopped by the roadside. Immediately, the bus was full. Another 3-hour drive brought us to Kunming Red Land Old Star Hotel, the home of the Red Land old grandpa that appears when you search “Red Land.” Accommodation cost 96 yuan, lunch 10 yuan. The host was very friendly, helping me carry my luggage and giving me plenty of food (more than I could eat). After a short rest at the hotel, I went out after 14:30. Chartered a car for 200 yuan (including tomorrow’s sunrise and today’s sunset). First visited Red Earth Image, Old Dragon Tree, and the viewing platforms at Jinxiuyuan and Luoxia Gully. Returned to Le’pu’ao and Wafang at 16:30 to photograph the sunset. On the mountain, there are large wind turbines, adding uniqueness to the landscape. Dinner cost 40 yuan. At night, only electric blankets were available; the water was very cold, so I dared not bathe for fear of catching a cold. I arranged with the driver to go to Damakan at 6:00 the next morning to photograph the sunrise. The sunrise was not ideal, and a viewing platform under construction obstructed the view. On the way back, we passed Qicai Slope, also beautiful, leaving good memories. At 8:30, from the hotel entrance, I flagged down a bus back to Kunming for 43 yuan (arranged the previous day with the boss to have the driver pick me up at the hotel). Arriving at Kunming North Bus Station, there was a subway station next to it. I took the subway directly to the airport for 6 yuan, caught the 19:45 flight back, with a stop at Bijie, ending this unforgettable trip.

[Image: Bus to Red Land]

[Image: Red Land after snow]

[Image: Dinner – the restaurant gave a huge portion, very grateful]

[Image: Back at North Bus Station]

[Image: Sunset at Kunming Airport]

[Image: Designated dining point – Yonghe King]