Baisha Ancient Town

Historical Development

Baisha Ancient Town is the birthplace of the Mu Clan Tusi regime. Baisha is the ancient capital of the Naxi ethnic group and was once the center of politics, economy, commerce, and culture in Lijiang. As early as the Tang Dynasty, when King Nanzhao conferred the title of "Beiyue" on Yulong Snow Mountain, the ancestors of the Mu family (who were then the Prince of Lijiang) began building Baisha Street and Beiyue Temple here

Baisha is the ancient capital of the Naxi ethnic group, which was once the center of politics, economy, commerce, and culture in Lijiang during the Song and Yuan dynasties. It was not until the early Ming Dynasty in 1383 that the Mu family moved to the current location of Mu Fu in Dayan Town@Before the Ming Dynasty, the Mu clan chieftains lived in Yanjiao Village to the west of Baisha Ancient Town. Due to hundreds of years apart, their residence had already been destroyed. The central area of Baisha Ancient Town is Sifang Street and the surrounding temple buildings. There are Fuguo * (the mountain gate and main hall have been moved to Yuquan Park, also known as Heilongtan) in the Zhishan Jierui Forest on the west side of the ancient town, and religious buildings such as Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Palace, and Dading Pavilion in the temples on the northeast side of Sifang Street

Mushi started drawing spring water from Yulong Snow Mountain and passing through the center of the commercial square in Baisha Ancient Town. Later, at Dayan, she fully demonstrated the beauty of flowing water

Baisha Ancient Town has very developed commerce and handicrafts. Before the liberation, there were more than 150 workshops in Baisha that made copper. Copper utensils were mainly used for items needed by Tibetan areas and surrounding ethnic minorities, such as copper hot pot, copper pot, copper basin, copper ladle, oil lamp, etc. However, due to historical reasons after the liberation, there is only one shop on Baisha Street that still insists on handmade copper making

The textile and handmade embroidery in Baisha were also very developed. In history, Naxi embroidery mainly focused on the daily necessities, paintings, and Tibetan thangkas of local tribal chiefs and nobles. Folk embroidery mainly included "wearing stars and moon", waist, back, shoes, and insoles. Before the liberation, almost all Naxi and surrounding ethnic minority women in Baisha were skilled in embroidery. Due to the Cultural Revolution, mechanization, and other reasons after liberation, there are now very few good embroidery masters. The existing government supported Lijiang Jinxiu Vocational Training School - Baisha Jinxiu Art Institute is engaged in the excavation, organization, inheritance, training, and promotion of traditional handmade embroidery in Jinxiu

Chieftain Mu of the Ming Dynasty moved his residence to the ancient city of the Old Town of Lijiang, and his family temples and central manufacturing plants were mainly concentrated in Baisha. Chieftain Mu knew poetry and books, good etiquette, and highly praised Han culture, architecture, clothing, and embroidery. We have hired a large number of experts in mulberry planting, silk weaving, embroidery, wood carving, architecture, art, and other fields from Han Chinese areas to Lijiang

In history, the diligent and open-minded Naxi people were inclusive, gathering the strengths of hundreds of families to make Baisha a center of diverse cultural development. Baisha's architecture, copperware, embroidery, and murals are good examples

Practical information

• Best travel time
• October is the best, with charming scenery. From March to August, various flowers bloom in full bloom, especially this year when the flower sea near Baisha Ancient Town is breathtaking. In spring in Lijiang, the wind is strong and the climate is dry, so special attention should be paid to fire prevention, sun protection, and moisturizing. Summer is the hottest season and also the rainy season; In autumn, the temperature is suitable, with a clear and crisp sky, colorful trees, and flowers; The temperature in winter is relatively low, with mostly sunny days and warm sunshine during the day, while the lowest temperature at night can sometimes reach minus 5 ℃

Main attractions

• Baisha Mural
• There is a very famous attraction in Baisha Ancient Town called "Baisha Mural". "Baisha Mural" is a product of the great opening up of Naxi society in the Ming Dynasty. Its painting lasted for more than 300 years from the early Ming Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty. The late Ming and early Qing dynasties were the prosperous period of Lijiang murals, with a history of five hundred years@There are currently 55 white sand murals in the town of 41#
• , mostly created during the Ming and Qing dynasties, blending the smooth and colorful styles of Tibetan painting. They are treasures of mural art and are now stored in the Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Palace, Dading Pavilion, and Dajue Palace. During the Ming Dynasty, the Mu clan chieftains in Lijiang were at their peak, with a stable political situation and a relatively prosperous economy, which highlighted their wealth. Therefore, they built a large number of large-scale architectural complexes in Daying Palace
• The Ming Dynasty murals of existing temples such as Baisha Liuli Hall, Dabaoji Palace, and Dading Pavilion are extremely precious cultural relics. The murals in Dabaoji Palace are the largest in scale among the murals in Lijiang. They were painted during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, with a total of 12 pieces depicting 167 character images. The content is about religious themes, but what's special is that within the same mural, there are not only Han Chinese and Taoist statues, but also Lamaist statues. This type of religious mural that combines the content of different sects is very rare
• Sifang Street
• Sifang Street of Baisha Ancient Town is the embryonic form of Shuhe Ancient Town and Sifang Street of the Old Town of Lijiang. Baisha Town is the earliest political, economic and cultural center of Lijiang with a history of more than 1000 years
• The center of Baisha Ancient Town is called Sifang Street, which used to be a bustling trading center. So later, when the Naxi ancestors established Shuhe Ancient Town and the Old Town of Lijiang, they also learned the planning model of Baisha Ancient Town, and built the ancient town center into the center of trade and trade, named Sifang Street, which means "extending in all directions, and the warrant is in all directions". Due to its early establishment, Sifang Street in Baisha Ancient Town is relatively less well-developed than Shuhe Ancient Town and Lijiang Dayan Ancient Town
• Now Sifang Street is the main place for local grandmothers to sell vegetables. The original small dishes and traditional Naxi costumes of grandmothers are a scenic spot on Sifang Street. In the past, the elderly in Baisha Ancient Town didn't like to take photos. Nowadays, there are too many people taking photos, so it's important to be mentally prepared before taking photos. If you take photos of them, the elderly will have to pay pocket money
• Archway
• On the south side of Sifang Street, there is a one or two story archway with a plaque reading "Baisha, the capital of the Nasi Kingdom, a world cultural heritage site". To the south of the archway is the peaceful and tranquil Naxi residence. For over 1000 years, Naxi people have been farming in spring, harvesting in autumn, and hiding in winter, living a peaceful life. Today, as you walk through the village, you will feel that time seems to have stopped flowing. The sky is so blue, the snow capped mountains are so majestic, and the dogs on the street are so lazy and comfortable. The entire ancient town is as simple and peaceful as Naxi elders
• Dashiqiao
• Walk about 200 meters towards the west alley of Sifang Street, and you will reach Dashiqiao in Baisha Ancient Town, which is also the oldest Dashiqiao in Lijiang. It is the predecessor of Qinglong Bridge in Shuhe Ancient Town and Dashiqiao in Dayan Ancient Town in Lijiang. Dashiqiao is a key road connecting Baisha Ancient Town and Yanjiao Village, and is also one of the necessary routes for the historical Tea Horse Ancient Road caravan
• Baisha Airport
• Baisha Airport The barren dam, 5 kilometers east of Baisha Ancient Town, was one of the airports of the Flying Tigers during World War II. In recent years, it was heavily damaged by local people's colored sand, but now it is protected by the Southwest China Forest Protection Aviation Station, which has a small helicopter airport built inside for helicopter sightseeing and aerial forest protection aircraft takeoff and landing. You can take a helicopter high-altitude tour of Lijiang, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Snow Mountain, etc. from the airport, but it seems that the cost is not cheap. Friends who have the conditions may want to go there
• Fuguo *
• Fuguo * is located on Zhishan Mountain to the west of Baisha. It is the ancestral temple of the Naxi Mu clan chieftain, which was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution and has now been partially restored and rebuilt

Main Handicraft

• Jishan Copper Art
• Jishan Copper Art. There is a coppersmith shop next to Sifang Street that has been passed down from generation to generation. It is a handicraft workshop for inheritors of intangible cultural heritage, with exquisite craftsmanship. However, due to its handmade nature, the price is slightly higher. Friends who like handmade copper art should not miss it
• Baisha Jinxiu Art Institute
• Baisha Jinxiu Art Institute, located between the parking lot and Sifang Street, is a typical Naxi quadrangle courtyard complex with four courtyards, antique and charming. The ground is decorated with auspicious patterns of traditional craft tiles and goose warm stones, and the doors and windows are old and antique, very tasteful
• Baisha Jinxiu Art Institute is a key demonstration base for ethnic embroidery and Dongba culture inheritance, promotion, and women's employment supported by the local government. Here, you can not only appreciate the beauty of Naxi traditional architectural courtyards, but also enjoy the feast of ethnic embroidery culture, which is very impressive
• Some people are creating embroidery on site, and there are also high, medium, and low-end works available for purchase in the exhibition hall. However, due to the handmade nature, there is still a price difference between cross stitch and machine embroidery. No tickets, worth visiting. However, photography is not allowed in the exhibition hall

Featured Snacks

• Chicken Bean Jelly
• Chicken Bean Jelly. There is also the most traditional chicken bean jelly on Baisha Street, which can be found at the entrance of Baisha Jinxiu Art Institute and on Sifang Street. A flat bottomed pan frying potatoes and chicken bean jelly at the same time, very tempting. It looks dark, but because it is made from a special type of primitive small beans, it is highly nutritious. There are two types: pan fried and cold, usually priced at 5 yuan per box. Fried potatoes are also very good
• Tofu
• Tofu, handmade tofu from Baisha is also unique, but only one family is selling it. It is located across from Baisha Time Restaurant on Sifang Street, and because locals buy it there, it is usually not available after 10:00 in the morning

Accommodation Information

Baisha Ancient Town is the oldest and most primitive among the three ancient towns in Lijiang. Even the inns and hotels are relatively hidden. As of now, there are about forty inns in the town, ranging from ordinary inns to high-end vacation clubs, with room prices ranging from tens of yuan to thousands of yuan per night

traffic information

• bus
• from Xiangshan Market (to ease the traffic pressure, bus No. 6 will not start in the Old Town of Lijiang from the end of 2019), Shuhe North Gate, take bus No. 6 and get off at "Baisha", but there will be no buses after 7:00 p.m
• the Old Town of Lijiang Kou 6 Scenic Line 10 yuan/person can go to Baisha Ancient Town
• Cycling
• Cycling from Dayan Ancient City to Baisha Ancient Town, the scenery is beautiful all the way, and the journey is about 12 kilometers. You can also ride three kilometers north from the north gate of Shuhe Ancient Town, or hike along the beautiful snow capped mountains, countryside, and villages
• Didi Chuxing
• It's also very cost-effective to take a Didi taxi to Baisha Ancient Town, but most taxis have empty fares, so it's not very cost-effective

Festivals

• Bang Bang Hui
• Bang Bang Hui can also be said to be the Baisha Agricultural Tool Trading Fair, held on the same day as the God Worship Ceremony, five days later than Dayan's Bang Bang Hui. In Naxi language, it is called Baisha Dangmei Kongpu, which means "Baisha Dabaoji Palace opens its doors"
• This is a traditional festival that has been passed down since the Ming Dynasty, featuring the Baisha Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Hall, Dading Pavilion, and other temples that open once a year for people to burn incense and worship. Later, it evolved into a traditional festival mainly focused on trading agricultural tools@At the 156#
• exchange meeting, not only were there a complete range of agricultural tools, but also children's toys and daily necessities available. Therefore, as the saying goes, "anything can be bought except for chicken and deer heads." In addition to agricultural tool trading, a Naxi style jumping competition and cultural performance were also held at Baisha Square.
• Torch Festival
• Lunar June 24-26 is the Naxi Torch Festival, where people light bonfires in their yards for three nights. Each village in Baisha Town will light torches at their designated activity venue and sing and dance together to celebrate.

Famous Figures

Apusandao: Riding a white horse and wearing white armor, guarding the Naxi people without any resistance.

Mailiang: Leading his tribe to the Fengke Ferry on the Jinsha River to welcome the Mongol army, writing the legend of the Yuan Dynasty crossing the Genang Ferry.

Mu De: In his sixties, he fearlessly traveled thousands of miles to Nanjing to pay tribute and was granted the surname Mu by Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty

Six Dukes of the Mu Family: Riding a horse can lead to battles, killing enemies, defending the country, and establishing immortal achievements; When dismounting, poetry, calligraphy, ritual, and music are displayed, showcasing the elegance of Confucian scholars. They ponder and sing elegantly in Baisha

Mu Zhili: He raised his arms and shouted loudly, advocating for the abolition of the chieftain system and requesting the court to send exiled officials

He Yaozeng: A first-class general of the Qing Dynasty who built his power and saved the people from fire and water. He swore to avenge his family and the country, organized local militias to suppress the Hui uprising, and ultimately returned triumphantly with his bandit head. Despite wearing a yellow coat, he still cared about the country and the people, did not accumulate wealth or own private property, and used his own salary to help poor students

Mu Zhengyuan: As an official and a model for learning from the world, he recited the twelve scenic poems of the Jade Dragon that have been passed down through the ages, and adhered to the way of a gentleman in his life

Duan Wenkui: A major general of the Republic of China, he formed a golden alliance with Zhu De and participated in the Northern Expedition to protect the country and the law. All four brothers served in the National Revolution but were unable to lead troops to resist the Japanese invasion and held grudges along the Qiantang River

Mu Renlin: Planned and strategized before the Anti Japanese Expeditionary Force, promoted to Major General in the Army, but returned poor and sick

He Ling: An expert in potato cultivation, he went to the United States to pursue excellence in his studies. He Huizhen, a native of Baisha, made a name for himself in America. Willing to be lonely, I have been studying technology for decades and have cultivated high-quality potato varieties

He Zhigang: Despite his physical disability, he remained steadfast and wrote a legendary calligraphy masterpiece

He Shixiu: 200 meters north of Sifang Street, there is another Snow Mountain Herbal Hall on the left side. The director inside is the world-renowned Naxi shaman He Shixiu. The old man has good English and is said to have cured many terminally ill patients from all over the world with herbs from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Therefore, many foreign friends came here because of this, and now the elderly are over ninety years old, in good spirits, and very talkative