Travel Notes | World Cultural Heritage Capital of the Naxi Ancient Kingdom

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Baisha Ancient Town is located 10 kilometers north of Lijiang City, bordering Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the north, Longquan in the south, and Zhishan Mountain in the west. It is the ancient capital of the Naxi people and a world-class "ancient Naxi Kingdom". It was once the political, economic, commercial and cultural center of Lijiang for the Naxi people. . As one of the important birthplaces of Naxi culture, the Mu family chieftain of the Naxi ethnic group has accumulated experience in town planning in Baisha.

The center of Baisha Ancient Town is called Sifang Street, which was once a prosperous trading center. Therefore, when the Naxi ancestors later established Shuhe Ancient Town and Lijiang Ancient Town, they also absorbed the planning model of Baisha Ancient Town and built the center of the ancient town into a center for commercial transactions. They named it Sifang Street, which means "extending in all directions, with warrants in all directions." Because Sifang Street in Baisha Ancient Town was established very early, it is not as comprehensive as Shuhe Ancient Town and Dayan Ancient Town in Lijiang.

On the south side of Baisha Sifang Street, there is a one- or two-story archway with a plaque on it "World Cultural Heritage Capital of the Naxi Ancient Kingdom - Baisha". Therefore, Sifang Street in Baisha Ancient Town is the prototype of Sifang Street in Shuhe Ancient Town and Lijiang Ancient Town, and has a history of more than a thousand years. It is one of the components of the world cultural heritage "Lijiang Ancient Town" and the origin of the Lijiang Chieftain "Mu Family" regime. It is the ancient town with the most Naxi heritage and the most original Naxi village.

When you come to Baisha Ancient Town, you will feel that the ancient town forms of Lijiang Ancient Town, Shuhe Ancient Town and Baisha Ancient Town are roughly the same. Except for Sifang Street, Mu's began to draw spring water from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain through the center of the commercial plaza in Baisha Ancient Town. Later, In Dayan, the beauty of running water is brought into full play.

In order of decreasing degree of commercialization, the three major ancient towns in Lijiang are Lijiang Ancient Town – Shuhe Ancient Town – Baisha Ancient Town.

Baisha Ancient Town is the smallest in area, with a radius of 1 kilometer to explore. So you can finish shopping in 1 hour. The second time I came, I walked around in less than half an hour. After walking, you will feel that the houses here are more primitive and primitive.