Romance in Lijiang

📍 Lijiang · 👁 5076 reads · ❤️ 25 likes

On the evening of December 10th, after savoring the Bai-style wedding banquet 'Eight Big Bowls' on Jinsuo Island, we headed straight for Jinyi Hotel in Eryuan. Eryuan is the source of the highland pearl Erhai Lake and the hometown of dancer Yang Liping—passing through, we couldn't miss it. I got up early on the morning of the 11th and jogged along Wenbi Road, Jiutai Road, and Xiao'er Line to Cibi Lake, listening to birds singing in the lake, admiring the night sky, and encountered the breathtaking beauty of a clear blue sky washed clean and a crescent moon shining in the west. On the morning of the 11th, we headed to Lijiang and visited Shuhe Ancient Town, Baisha Ancient Town, Dayan Town, and Yushui Village, exploring the cradle of the Naxi people, viewing Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and watching the live performances of 'Impressions Lijiang' and 'Mu's Residence Wind and Cloud'. The next part of our journey centered around Lijiang: we stored unnecessary luggage at Hongtai Hotel, spent the first two days in Shangri-La, the following two days at Lugu Lake, entering and leaving Lijiang three times.

Lijiang has three ancient towns: Baisha, Shuhe, and Dayan. Baisha is the ancient capital of the Naxi people and the origin of the Mu chieftain regime; Shuhe is one of the earliest settlements of Naxi ancestors in the Lijiang basin, a living fossil of their transition from an agricultural civilization to a commercial one; Dayan is today's Lijiang Ancient Town. All are important components of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town of Lijiang. I had visited Lijiang several times before; this was a nostalgic return.

After arriving at Shuhe Ancient Town from Eryuan, we spent almost the entire morning strolling around. In a few hours, we covered all the streets and lanes. Entering the town from the parking lot, not far in we came to Sifang Street. This small square has four roads radiating in all directions, surrounded by flowing water. It served as a marketplace at noon, with shops all around, and we walked on shiny dark bluestone pavement. Standing there, it felt familiar—the Sifang Street in Lijiang Old Town is modeled after it.

To the west of Shuhe, there is a mountain with nine peaks resembling nine tripods; below it lies Nine-Dragon Pool. The pool water flows past houses, vegetable gardens, and fields. Aquatic plants dance gracefully in the crystal-clear water, reflecting Jade Dragon Snow Mountain with noble poise and infinite charm. Above the pool stands a courtyard building called Sansheng Palace, where the eastern pavilion's base goes directly into the water, while the west, north, and south halls are dedicated to Guanyin, the Dragon King, and the ancestor of cobblers Sun Bin, respectively. All three sides have covered corridors; leaning on the railing, you can take in the full panorama of near and distant scenery. The clear spring, ancient trees, old temple, and sky blend together, making this a perfect feng shui treasure of the Shuhe Scenic Area.

Built by the Mu chieftain during the Wanli reign, Qinglong Bridge is entirely constructed of stone blocks and is the oldest and largest stone arch bridge in the Lijiang basin. Its gentle slope made it easy for horse caravans, earning it the name 'Misty Willow Flat Bridge.' After centuries of weathering, it looks mottled and aged but still retains its heroic aura and solemn weight. Standing on it, you might still hear the echoes of horses' hooves.

Residential houses are a vital part of Shuhe's architecture. The typical 'three sections and a screen wall' layout features small courtyards planted with flowers, larger ones with trees, and some channel water into the yard to form a pond, complemented by pavilions, creating an elegant scene. As a hub for visiting Lijiang Old Town, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Lugu Lake, and the Three Parallel Rivers Scenic Area, most of these old houses have been renovated into guesthouses, making tourists the floating residents.

After leaving Shuhe, our guide Agui handed over to Axiang, and we went directly to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Visitor Center. We had a buffet lunch, then moved to the open-air stage to watch 'Impressions Lijiang,' a grand live performance set against Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The actors were all local ethnic minorities, who, with raw vigor, natural postures, and simple songs, authentically expressed the indigenous people's feelings for heaven, earth, humans, and mountains—moving and soul-stirring. The huge theater was packed with visitors. After the show, we were told that strong winds on the mountain had closed the large cable car up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

This was my third trip with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; on previous occasions, I once saw it from a viewing platform, and another time rain prevented us from going up. This time Axiang had finally managed to buy tickets for the large cable car online. Unable to reach Glacier Park to experience the snow mountain and glacier up close, we switched to the small cable car and then took a battery car to Blue Moon Valley. So many people rushed to the small cable car that we wasted quite a bit of time queueing.

After getting off the battery car, we walked two or three kilometers to Yunshanping (Spruce Meadow). This is a high-altitude meadow surrounded by spruces, adorned with flowers—a place the Naxi call 'Wuluyoucuige,' meaning 'the place for love suicide.' It was the spiritual home where Naxi youth pursued perfect love in ancient times. The meadow covers about one square kilometer at an elevation of over 3,200 meters. To the west, the snow mountain towers high; all around are primeval forests, but the center has no trees, having become a pasture due to lush grass.

The Naxi Dongba classic 'Lubanlurao' depicts Yunshanping as an ideal paradise where white deer are farm oxen, red tigers serve as mounts, pheasants announce dawn, white clouds brew fine wine, trees yield golden fruit, and there is no filth or flies—this is the legendary 'Third Kingdom of Jade Dragon.' Here, the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is within arm's length, the millennia-old glacier is clearly visible, and the tragic story of Kamei and Yulepai, the pioneering love suicides of the Naxi, brings sorrow.

My wife had some altitude sickness, so the round trip to the alpine meadow took quite some time. By the time we returned to Blue Moon Valley from Yunshanping, the sun had set in the west. Blue Moon Valley, commonly known as White Water River, has formed four sizable water surfaces where the river flow is blocked by the mountain, named Jade Liquid Lake, Mirror Pool Lake, Blue Moon Lake, and Listening-to-Waves Lake. On the way to Yunshanping, we’d looked down and seen the lake bottom with white sand-like mud and blue jade-like water. When we reached the lakeside, the water had turned a pale milky hue. The lake water in Blue Moon Valley changes color depending on weather and light conditions.

On the morning of the 12th, Axiang led us to further explore the sacred site of Dongba religion—Yushui Village. The village is backed by Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and faces the Lijiang basin, a traditional feng shui treasure and the cradle of Naxi culture. Upon entering the scenic area, the first thing that caught our eyes was the crystal-clear, ethereal waterscape. A clear spring flows out from under two ancient trees, cascading down the mountainside in layers and terraces, forming the famous 'Dragon Emerging Waterfall,' 'Dragon Playing Waterfall,' and 'Dragon Farewell Waterfall,' collectively known as the 'Divine Dragon Three-Tier Water.' Walking upstream, we reached the Sacred Spring, where the mountain god of Jade Dragon is believed to enter and exit, and the life-giving spring of the Naxi people. Water spurts from cracks in the rock, emerald green and pure, clear and translucent.

Yushui Village is also a base for transmitting Dongba culture. Inside the area, there are Dongba mural galleries, the Dongba Ancestor Temple, traditional sacrificial grounds, ancient Naxi architecture, waterwheels, water-powered pestles, water mills, and displays of Baisha Fine Music and Dongba dance. The rustic, traditional Naxi style harmonizes beautifully with the splendid natural scenery. As we entered the village, a few young Naxi men and women were sitting together. Ancient music started playing, and they began dancing spontaneously. Our group members watched at first, then couldn’t resist joining in. Awkward at first but then more and more energetic as we danced.

The scenic area is not large; half a day is more than enough. While others danced, a Naxi elder in his 70s, vigorous and healthy, was brewing wine by the fire. I walked to the door of the brewing workshop, and he stood up to welcome me inside. This was an ancient folk brewing technique of the Naxi. The yeast is made from herbs and wheat bran; the raw materials are pure grains like barley, wheat, and corn. The grains are cooked, mixed with yeast, fermented for about a month, then put into a steamer; the distilled liquid becomes wine. As we chatted, he poured a glass of 48-proof aged liquor and invited me to taste it. It would have been impolite to refuse, so I took the glass, smelled first then sipped — it was fragrant and pleasant, with a lingering aftertaste. I bought a bottle on the spot to take on our journey.

Still in the festive mood from dancing, Axiang put on a straw rain cape, looking simple yet handsome. My wife took the lead, and the other group members eagerly took photos with him. This not only delighted Axiang but also instantly closed the distance between guide and tourists. Axiang said several times that he would upload the photos to their company's website, and as agreed, I later sent him the pictures I had taken. In this cheerful atmosphere, we bid farewell to the guide and our group, and after lunch boarded another bus with newly reassembled companions to begin our Shangri-La journey.

The last time we returned to Lijiang was on the evening of the 15th, a few days later. After cooking instant noodles in the hotel, it was nearly midnight. I got up a little after 4 a.m. on the 16th and jogged 10 kilometers along Minzhu Road, Kangzhong Road, Yuxue Road, and Shangri-La Road. At 9 a.m., we set off; a driver surnamed Li drove a small vehicle, accompanying us and a young couple from Fujian to visit the Dongba Secret Realm Scenic Area.

This is a landscape-scenic area created with the grand Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and deep gorges as backdrop, inspired by the drama 'Mu's Residence Wind and Cloud' and Lijiang culture. Dense vegetation and many flowers abound, with stones painted with various patterns dotting the area. These green plants and buildings in strong Naxi style set off the majestic grandeur of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain from different angles. We first walked through the highland meadow, then along the Ancient Tea Horse Road through the gorge, enjoying natural scenery of snow mountain and canyon while watching the immersive 'Mu's Residence Wind and Cloud' landscape show—it was quite spectacular.

During the performance at the Mu's Gold Mine, the young couple from Fujian were selected as extras. After playing the role of gold mine thieves, they were given a pair of 'gold ingots,' which they exchanged for two bowls of rice noodles at the food street at the end of the gorge. They waited for us by the roadside and insisted we share. Their persistence put us in a difficult position; their courteous invitation touched us. We entered a restaurant and sat around a small square table, looking like a family in others' eyes.

After lunch, the second leg of the trip ended. We walked into the ancient town, followed the crowd, and wandered aimlessly to the Lion Hill Viewing Platform, where we sat down in a coffee shop. This was a space built on the top floor of a house, open on three sides but shaded, offering a bird's-eye view of the entire old town. The open sides were filled with young people: some sipped juice and stared blankly into the distance, some admired the view and took perfect selfies, some pulled down their hat brims to bask in the sun—they shared the time without disturbing each other.

Time slipped by as we idled. Around 4 p.m., I suddenly remembered Mu's Residence and rushed to visit. Just before closing, we joined the last few groups to tour the Mu chieftain's government office. This is the heart of the 800-year-old Dayan Ancient Town. The entire complex sits west facing east, with Lion Hill at its back. Along the central axis stand the Council Hall, Ten-Thousand-Volume Tower, Dharma Protector Hall, and other major halls; flanked by rows of buildings, countless towers, pavilions, gardens, and corridors, all uniquely stylish. Inside, jade-like canals crisscross, with flowing water everywhere. The architecture is magnificent, the halls splendid, the components exquisite, the paintings dazzling—truly beautiful and matchless.

Originally, the Naxi people had no surnames. After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, the Naxi chieftain Ajia Ade wisely submitted to his rule and gained great favor. Zhu Yuanzhang removed a stroke and a horizontal line from his own surname 朱 (Zhu) and bestowed the surname 木 (Mu), because adding a person character to 木 makes 朱, indicating that Ajia Ade was part of the Zhu family. From then on, the traditional Naxi father-son linked name system was changed to Chinese-style surnames. The ancient town had no city wall because if the Mu chieftain lived inside a walled town, adding an enclosure to the character 木 would turn it into 困 (meaning trapped), which would be like confining the Mu.

The Mu family believed that the surname Mu was bestowed by the emperor and should be reserved exclusively for the Mu aristocracy. For commoners, the Mu followed Zhu Yuanzhang's example and granted them the surname 和 (He). To the indigenous people of Lijiang, the meaning of 和 is: adding a stroke to 木 represents wearing a hat of the Mu family, and adding a mouth (口) beside it means carrying a basket for the Mu family, implying that those with the surname He were servants of the Mu. Outsiders who came to Lijiang during the Ming Dynasty all had to change their surname to He. For them, the meaning was slightly different: the stroke on 木 represents giving you a piece of sky under the Mu family, and the mouth beside it represents the Mu family giving you food to eat, welcoming you to become commoners under the Mu. This is what historical records mean by 'officials surnamed Mu, commoners surnamed He.' The rule that outsiders had to change their surname to He persisted until the Qing Dynasty's 'gaitu guiliu' (replacing local chieftains with imperial officials) reform.

Next to Mu's Residence, there is a wooden memorial arch inscribed with four characters: '天雨流芳' (Tian Yu Liu Fang). In Chinese, it means 'heavenly rain flows sweetly,' implying that heaven's rain nourishes all things. In fact, it's a phonetic transliteration of the Naxi phrase meaning 'go read a book.' The Naxi and Chinese meanings overlap, creating a pun that reflects the Naxi people's wisdom in advocating knowledge. Indeed, reading a good book nourishes the mind just as heavenly rain matures grain, letting our souls bathe in the vast fragrance of wisdom, feeling incredibly happy and serene. The trip to Lijiang was unforgettable—from the Naxi driver-guides, the ancient towns, Yunshanping, the cradle of Naxi culture, to Naxi civilization; from Mu's Residence and the live 'Mu's Residence Wind and Cloud' performance to Naxi anecdotes and trivia; from our step-by-step itinerary to strolling and breeze-catching in the old town, we encountered the most beautiful scenery. (Winter Yunnan Travel Diary 11, visited Nov 28 – Dec 23, 2020, written on Jan 13 in Zhuhai)

(Magnificent Mu's Residence)

(Splendid Palace)

(Mu's Government Office)

(Exquisite Carvings)

(Mu's Residence Corridor)

('Go Read Books' Memorial Arch)

(Impressions Lijiang Performance Photo)

(Shuhe Ancient Town Entrance)

(Naxi Script)

(Shuhe Primary School)

(Newlyweds on the Ancient Path)

(Shuhe Sifang City)