Sights in Northwest Yúnnán
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Old Market Sq
Old Market Sq is the focual point of Old Town. Once the haunt of Naxi traders, they've long since made way for tacky souvenir stalls. However, the view up the hill and the surrounding lanes are still extraordinary, just be prepared to share the experience with hundreds if not thousands of other people.
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Black Dragon Pool Park
On the northern edge of town is the Black Dragon Pool Park; its view of Yùlóng Xuěshān (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) is the most obligatory photo shoot in southwestern China. The Dōngbā Research Institute is part of a renovated complex on the hillside here. You can see Naxi cultural artefacts and scrolls featuring a unique pictograph script.
Trails lead up Xiàng Shān (Elephant Hill) to a dilapidated gazebo and then across a spiny ridge past a communications centre and back down the other side, making a nice morning hike, but note the warning on.
The Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture is at the park's northern entrance and is a decent introduction to traditional Naxi lifest…
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Ganden Sumtseling Gompa
About an hour's walk north of town is this 300-year-old Tibetan monastery complex with around 600 monks. Extensive rebuilding (and a 150% jump in the ticket price in the last two years alone) has robbed the monastery of some of its charm, but it remains the most important in southwest China and is definitely worth the visit. Bus 3 runs here from anywhere along Changzheng Lu (Y1). You can sometimes avoid paying by coming after 5pm.
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Báimǎ Lóngtán
Báimǎ Lóngtán is a famous example of one of the pools that formed part of the web of arterylike canals that once brought the city's drinking water from Yuquan Spring (now called Black Dragon Pool Park). Where there are three pools, these were designated into pools for drinking, washing clothes and washing vegetables. Sadly, the days - not too long ago - when you would see locals washing their veggies in the streams after heading home from the market are a bit unthinkable now.
The town once had several water wheels, though the only one left now is Yulong Bridge Waterwheel, a reconstructed model at the north edge of the old town. The nearby monument celebrates Lìjiāng's…
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Mu Family Mansion
The former home of a Naxi chieftain, the Mu Family Mansion was heavily renovated (more like built from scratch) after the devasting earthquake that struck Lìjiāng in 1996. Mediocre captions do a poor job of introducing the Mu family but many travellers find the beautiful grounds reason enough to visit.
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Looking at the Past Pavilion
The Looking at the Past Pavilion was raised for tourists at a cost of over one million yuán. It's famed for a unique design using dozens of four-storey pillars - unfortunately these were culled from northern Yúnnán old-growth forests. A path (with English signs) leads from Old Market Sq. It acts as a sentinel of sorts for the town. Sit on the slope in the early morning and watch the mist clearing as the old town comes to life.
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Five Phoenix Hall
Five Phoenix Hall is a striking Ming dynasty, Naxi 20m-high edifice dating from 1601 but only moved to its current location in 1979. Its three roofs with eight eaves each are supposedly in the shape of phoenixes. It's located at the far side of the Black Dragon Pool near an art exhibition building and a pavilion with its own bridge across the water.
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Tiny Temple
Further south of Shangri-la, just outside of and overlooking the old town from an eyrie, is another tiny temple presided over by two exceedingly friendly monks. Walk south to the end of Changzheng Lu. Bear left, then an immediate right. Paths run up across gardens and along a hill, bypassing a pavilion.
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Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture
The Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture houses displays on Naxi dress and culture, Dōngbā script, Lìjiāng's old town and the dubious claim that the region is the 'real' Shangri-la. It is at the Black Drangon Pool Park's northern entrance, and is worth a visit if you have the time.
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Xiàng Shān
Xiàng Shān is west of Old Town. You can follow one of the many rails that lead straight up to a dilapidated gazebo and then across a spiny ridge past a communications centre and back down the other side, making a nice morning hike.
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Dongba Research Institute
The Dongba Research Institute is part of a renovated complex on the hillside north of Old Town. Here you can see Naxi cultural artefacts and scrolls featuring a unique pictograph script.
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Scripture Chamber
Hidden within the old town is the Scripture Chamber , formerly a memorial hall to the Red Army's Long March. Definitely not much to see here but its one room is worth a poke around.
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Kegong Archway
The Kegong Archway is the scene of celebrations marking the birthday of the local god Sanduo on the eighth day of the second lunar month (March).
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Chörten
Further north of Shangri-la, atop a hill to the west of Changzheng Lu is a chörten with good views of the town.
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Guishan Park
Guishan Park is nearby and has a temple at the top with commanding views of the area.
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Zhāměi Temple
On the outskirts of Yǒngníng, this is a Tibetan monastery with at least 20 lamas in residence. Admission is free, but a donation is expected. A private minivan costs Y10 per person for the half-hour ride, or you could opt to walk the 20km or so through pleasant scenery.
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Old Town
After checking out the monastery, everyone just wanders about the old town, specifically Square Street (Sifang Jie); from this branches a spider web of cobbled lanes and renovated buildings (some say tacky, others say cool). You'll also see white stupas everywhere. Hidden within the old town is the Scripture Chamber (古城藏经堂; Gǔchéng Cángjīng Táng), a reconstructed temple that was previously used as a memorial to the Red Army. Guīshān Park (Guīshān Gōngyuán) is also nearby and has a temple at the top with some commanding views of the area.
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Old Town
If a waterside location indeed engenders good fortune, then Lìjiāng is lucky, lucky, lucky. The old town is dissected by a web of arterylike canals that once brought the city's drinking water from Yuquan Spring, in what is now Black Dragon Pool Park. Several wells and pools are still in use around town (but hard to find). Where there are three pools, these were designated into pools for drinking, washing clothes and washing vegetables. A famous example of these is the White Horse Dragon Pool in the deep south of the old town, where you can still see the odd local washing their veggies after buying them in the market.
The focus of the old town is the busy Old Market Squar…
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Mosu Folk Custom Museum
This museum in Luòshuǐ is set within the traditional home of a wealthy Mosu family, and the obligatory guide will show you around and explain how the matriarchal society functions. There is also an interesting collection of photos taken by Joseph Rock in the 1920s.
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Bǎijī Sì
For even better views, head to this delightfully named and little-visited temple. To get there, walk along Dawa Lu past Kevin's Trekker Inn and turn left at the big white stupa.
Just south of town and also overlooking the old town district is another monastery.
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