Lingbaoshan National Forest Park

Lingbaoshan National Forest Park(灵宝山国家森林公园) is 56 km from the county seat of Nanjian(南涧). It belongs to the Wuliangshan Mountain and enjoys the altitude of 2528 meters. Climbing up the top of mountain, travelers can appreciate the snow of Cangshan Mountain in the north, Pinghu(平湖) in the south, Ailao Mountain in the east and the sunset in the west. Lingbaoshan is knowns as the unique shape, like a lying Buddha. Therefore, it was called the Lingbaoshan Mountain. 

Natural Resources

Lingbaoshan National Forest Park is part of the Nanjian Wuliangshan National Nature Reserve. It has a forest coverage of 96.2% and enjoys unique natural landscape and abundant wildlife resources. The vegetation is dominated by evergreen broad-leaved forests. There are colorful ornamental plants in different vegetation types, cherry blossoms, camellia, competing azaleas, and thousands of wild walnuts, eucalyptus, and fir etc.

What to See

Lingbaoshan Mountain Forest Park enjoys not only the charming landscape, but also the cultural sites and folk legends. Lingbaoshan was described a lot in the Battle Wizard(天龙八部). There are a lot of stone buildings of Dali Kingdom in Song Dynasty. The stone building groups are in diverse directions and different shapes, like Laojun Hall, Wuliang Hall and Lingbao Hall etc. In these old buildings, there are special and vivid Buddha statues, stone pillars and stone offerings etc. On 20^th of the 3^rd lunar month, the pilgrims will come here and celebrate the Linbaoshan Mountain Fair.

Useful Travel Tips

When the weather is fine in Dali, the sunshine is heated, and ultraviolet light is strong. People should avoid direct sunlight, and the sun hat preparation is required during outdoor activities, a pair of sunglasses will make you comfortable in the trip.

Nearby Atrraction

Cherry Blossoms Valley of Wuliangshan Mountain in Nanjian County, Dali

Weibao Mountain

Weibao Mountain (巍宝山), also known as Weishan Mountain, is one of the birthplaces of the Nanzhao. In the past, he local Yi people held a temple fair in Weibao Mountain, which is the ancestral holy land of the Yi people. Today, Weibao Mountain enjoys the flourishing vegetation, towering trees and booming flowers. It is one of the famous Taoist mountains of China. The history of Weishan’s rising is recorded in “Cause of Weishan” of Tang Dynasty and “Picture Biography of Nanzhao” (by words). And along the south and north side of its peak, there are over 20 palaces or temples, among which Qingwei Temple, Doulao Pavilion, Peihe Tower and Changchun Cave are the largest. A large temple named Xunshan Temple, where Xi nuluo, namely, the first was mainly offered, is different from other famous Taoist mountains.

Why is Weibao Mountain so special?

Weibao Mountain was the birthplace of Nanzhao State and well-known for its sacred Taoist site. And it is also one of the famous mountains in southwest China with a good reputation of “the quietest place being in Weibao in the world”. This is recorded in the historical books of different dynasties.

Where is Weibao Mountain?

Wibao Mountain is located in 10 km south from urban area of Weishan County. It is a famous Taoist mountain of China.

How to get to Weibao Mountain?

From Dali : take a bus from the southwest bus station in Xiaguan (下关).

There is a bus every 15 minutes and the journey lasts about 1 hour to Weishan.
From Weishan : there are no buses to Mount Weibao and you will have to hire one of the green mini-buses around the bus station. You probably want to negotiate the fare with the driver so as he waits for you. 

History of Weibao Mountain

Weibao Mountain was ever the farmland of the ancestor of Nanzhao, Xi Nuluo, who took refuge from Ailao Mountain to Mingshechuan and planted in Wei Mountain. According to the demise of King Zhangle Jinqiu of Jianning State, he founded Great Meng Kingdom and called himself King Qijia. Later, his descendants unified five Zhaos and established the brilliant government of Nanzhao in southwest China.

The history of Weishan’s rising is recorded in “Cause of Weishan” of Tang Dynasty and “Picture Biography of Nanzhao” (by words). And along the south and north side of its peak, there are over 20 palaces or temples, among which Qingwei Temple, Doulao Pavilion, Peihe Tower and Changchun Cave are the largest. A large temple named Xunshan Temple  , where Xi nuluo, namely, the first was mainly offered, is different from other famous Taoist mountains.

Chuxiong Railway Station introduces the location, profile, maps, travel tips, normal trains and high speed trains schedule, train tickets booking, transportation, layout, facilities and servive, travel guide of Chuxiong Railway Station.
Station: Chuxiong Railway Station
Station(CN): 楚雄站
Address: Dongping Community, Donggua Town, Chuxiong City, Yunnan
Address(CN): 云南省楚雄市东瓜镇车坪社区

Chuxiong Railway Station is located in Chuxiong City, Yunnan Province, China. It is a railway station on the Chengdu–Kunming Railway and the Dali–Lufeng Railway.

To find the latest train schedule and timetable for Chuxiong Railway Station, you can check the China Railway 12306 website or app. The website provides detailed information on train schedules, ticket prices, and travel times for various routes, including those from Kunming to Chuxiong Railway Station.

Here is a sample train schedule from Kunming to Chuxiong Railway Station as of March 2023:

• High-speed train G2881: Leaves Kunming South Railway Station at 07:00 and arrives at Chuxiong Railway Station at 08:23. Travel time: 1 hours 23 minutes.
• High-speed train G2883: Leaves Kunming South Railway Station at 09:00 and arrives at Chuxiong Railway Station at 10:23. Travel time: 1 hours 23 minutes.
• Express train K9612: Leaves Kunming Railway Station at 10:00 and arrives at Chuxiong Railway Station at 12:32. Travel time: 2 hours 32 minutes.
• Ordinary train T9021: Leaves Kunming Railway Station at 14:00 and arrives at Chuxiong Railway Station at 17:25. Travel time: 3 hours 25 minutes.

Please note that the train schedule and timetable may change from time to time, so it’s always a good idea to check the latest information on the China Railway 12306 website or app before traveling.

Chuxiong Transportation-By Train mainly introduces the latest trains to and fro Chuxiong and the information of the major railway stations in Chuxiong. In order to help visitors get to Chuxiong conveniently, Yunnan Exploration will provide the detailed information. If you have any problems, please contact us.

Main Railway Station in Chuxiong

Chuxiong Railway Station, formerly known as Chuxiong North Railway Station, Chuxiong High-speed Railway Station, is the largest passenger railway station. On July 1, 2018, the Kunming-Chuxiong Railway was officially put into use. The opening of Chuxiong Railway Station also marks Chuxiong officially “entering” the high-speed rail era, forming a one-hour transportation and life circle with Kunming and Dali. Therefore, it is very convenient to get to Chuxiong by train.

Traffic Transfer

For people who want to get to Chuxiong Railway Station, it is very convenient to get there by bus. No. K1, K2, K3, 9, 10, 18, 19 can be available to get there.

Note: K1, K2, and K3 are express buses, and the employee card, the old-age preferential card cannot be used. All buses are self-service ticketing and are installed coin machine, special scan code payment card machine. People can use bus card, student card, Alipay electronic bus card and other payment methods.

Chuxiong Trains

High Speed Train Schedule

Normal Speed Train Schedule

No.	From-To	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Duration	Fare(Yuan)
K9641	Chuxiong-Changchong	11:00	13:13	2h13m	19.5
K9619	Chuxiong-Dali	12:33	16:08	3h35m	36.5
K9604	Chuxiong-Kunming	06:03	09:18	3h15m	28.5

Note: If the data differs from the station or the data published by 12306, please refer to the data published by the station or 12306.

Transportation in Yunnan:

Yunnan Travel by Air

• Airlines in Yunnan
• Flights to Yunnan
• Airport Transfer
• International Flights to Yunnan
• Airports in Yunnan

Rail Transport in Yunnan

• High-speed Rail in Yunnan
• Railway Stations in Yunnan
• Railways in Yunnan
• Trains to Yunnan
• Trans Asia Railway
• Metro in Yunnan

Roads in Yunnan

• Bridges in Yunnan
• Freeways in Yunnan
• Highways in Yunnan
• Roads to Yunnan
• Trans-Asia Roads
• National Roads in Yunnan

Chuxiong Transportation-By Long-distance bus plays an important role in Chuxiong Transportation, which is the most convenient way to the nearby cities. Without an airport, visitors need to fly to Kunming Changshui Airport then transfer to Chuxiong. Compared with planes and trains, long-distance bus is more flexible than plane and less crowed than train. With the development of internet and information technology, it is very convenient to buy a ticket from the apps, such as Ctrip, Fliggy.

Main Bus Stations in Chuxiong

In Yunnan, long-distance buses are the main transportation method. Of course, the same applies to Chuxiong. There are four main bus stations, namely, Chuxiong Bus Station, Chuxiong North Bus Station, Chuxiong South Bus Station and Chuxiong East Bus Station. Therefore, it is very convenient to get to Chuxiong by long-distance bus. The specific information, such as address and telephone, is as follows.

• Chuxiong Bus Station(楚雄客运站)
  Add: No. 197 West Lucheng Road, Chuxiong City(楚雄市鹿城西路197号)
  Tel:0878-3139888
• Chuxiong North Bus Station(楚雄客运北站)
  Add: No. 130 North Lucheng Road, Chuxiong City(楚雄市鹿城北路130号)
  Tel:0871-67177644
• Chuxiong South Bus Station(楚雄客运南站)
  Add: No. 298 West Lucheng Road, Chuxiong City(楚雄市鹿城西路298号)
  Tel:0871-67177644
• Chuxiong East Bus Station(楚雄客运东站)
  Add: No. 352 Xiongbao Road, Chuxiong City(楚雄市雄宝路352号)
  Tel: 0878-3010681

Chuxiong Long-distance Bus Schedule

Chuxiong Bus Station

Departure Time	Destination	Duration(h)	Fare(Yuan)
07:15	Zhengyuan County	10.5	81
07:30, 08:00, 08:30, 09:00, 09:30, 10:00, 10:30, 11:20, 11:30	Yuanmou County,	2	34
07:40	Yongren County	2.5	62
08:00	Yuxi	2	81
08:00	Mojiang	/	77
08:00	Panzhihua	4	82
08:00, 10:30	Jingdong	10.5	101
08:00, 08:40, 09:30, 10:30, 12:20	Kunming	2	58
08:20, 09:00, 10:00, 11:20	Yongren County	2.5	62
08:30, 09:10	Xiangyun County	2.5	54
10:30, 12:00	Lijiang	4.5	145
10:30	Puer	9.5	210
10:40	Baoshan	4.5	143

Chuxiong North Bus Station

Departure Time	Destination	Price(Yuan)
06:30	Shilin Bus Station	90.00
06:30-19:15 Almost one shift every 15 minutes	Kunming	55.00
07:50, 08:15, 08:30, 08:45, 09:00, 09:15, 09:30, 09:45, 10:00, 10:07, 10:30, 11:00	Lufeng County	23.00
10:05, 13:10, 15:15	Mouding County	19.00

Chuxiong South Bus Station

Departure Time	Destination	Fare(Yuan)
07:00- 16:36 Almost one shift every twelve minutes	Dayao County	30.00
07:30, 08:30, 09:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, 13:30	Kunming	55.00
07:40-17:50 Almost one shift every twenty minutes	Yaoan County	22.00

Chuxiong East Bus Station

Departure Time	Destination	Duration(h)	Fare(Yuan)
07:10, 07:45, 08:00, 08:15, 08:45, 09:00, 09:20, 09:40, 10:20, 10:40, 11:15, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:00, 14:00, 14:30,16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30	Wuding County	5	41
07:30, 08:30, 15:15	Luquan County	5	55
09:00-16:00 One shift every hour	Heijing	2	18

Note: The above information is only for reference. The specific information is subject to the information released by the bus stations in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture.

Transportation in Yunnan:

Yunnan Travel by Air

• Airlines in Yunnan
• Flights to Yunnan
• Airport Transfer
• International Flights to Yunnan
• Airports in Yunnan

Rail Transport in Yunnan

• High-speed Rail in Yunnan
• Railway Stations in Yunnan
• Railways in Yunnan
• Trains to Yunnan
• Trans Asia Railway
• Metro in Yunnan

Roads in Yunnan

• Bridges in Yunnan
• Freeways in Yunnan
• Highways in Yunnan
• Roads to Yunnan
• Trans-Asia Roads
• National Roads in Yunnan

Introduction

Black Dragon Pool Park or known as Hei Long Tan Park, is located at the foot of Longquan Hill, about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of the center of Kunming. In this park, the most famous site is the Black Dragon Pool, which has an area of 600 square meters. The pool is divided into two parts by a bridge, and although the water is connected, the water at two sides has different colors and it is clear at one side but turbid at the other side. The fish in either side never swim to the opposite part of the pool. How strange! Moreover, for hundreds of years, this wondrous pool has never dried up, even in drought years.

Legend of Black Dragon Pool

An ancient legend lends the Black Dragon Pool its name; it is said that a long time ago there were ten wicked dragons that caused much destruction and did great harm to people. One day, one of the Eight Immortals of the Chinese legend ‘Lu Dongbin’ subdued nine of the dragons and jailed them in a tower. Only the youngest black dragon was left, charging with protecting and benefiting the people as the price of its freedom. This dragon is believed living in the pool till today. The pool is divided into two parts by a bridge, and although the water is connected, the two sides are different colors and the fish in either side never swim to the opposite part of the pool. Moreover, for hundreds of years, this wondrous pool has never dried up, even in drought years.

Attractions in Black Dragon Pool

1. Black Gragon Palace

Near the Black Dragon Pool is the Black Dragon Palace, which was built in 1394, in the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), and rebuilt in 1454, in the reign of Emperor Jingtai of the Ming Dynasty. The whole palace consists of three halls and two courtyards, and the main hall features a stone plaque written by the governor of Yunnan in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) to praise the views here. The Black Dragon Palace is also called the Lower Temple, because when you walk along the stone steps, you come directly to the Upper Temple – the Dragon Fountain Temple – which is hidden among ancient trees. This 570-year-old temple includes Thunder Deity Hall, North Pole Hall, Sanqing Hall, Jade Emperor Hall and some other halls in which the deities of Taoism are worshiped. The Dragon Fountain Temple is the largest Taoist temple in southern China.

2. Three Ancient Trees

In front of the temple there are three huge and ancient trees: the Tang Dynastic Plum, the Song Dynastic Cypress and the Ming Dynastic Camellia. The main branch of the plum has already died of old age, but the remaining branches growing out sideways are still full of vital force and vigor. The 25-meter-high (82 feet) cypress has a very thick trunk – so thick that it takes four or five adults with linked arms to encircle it. The camellia is a prodigious tree which blossoms every year and always precedes the other camellias.

3. Pavilion of Stele

The Pavilion of Stele keeps many rare steles, tablets and plaques. The most famous is a tablet engraved with four Chinese characters – ‘Wan Wu Zi Sheng’ – which means that all things in the world are propagating and developing, flourishing and animated. The inscription was written by a famous Taoist of the Ming Dynasty named Liu Yuanran whose handwriting is vigorous and lively. The four characters are written in one continuous stroke and look convex but feel concave to the touch, owing to the unusual way they reflect light.

4. Tombs of Local Patriots

The Ming Dynasty was overthrown by the Qing Dynasty in Chinese history, and the potentates of the Qing were all from a minority ethnic group called ‘Manchu’. When the Manchu marched into the Chinese mainland and became the rulers, many people killed themselves to show their loyalty to the Ming Dynasty, including a scholar named Xue Erwang and his whole family. They drowned themselves, and the tomb of these loyalists is located beside the Black Dragon Pool.

Nearby Atrractions

In fact, centered by the Black Dragon Pool, there are also many attractions in this park, including Longquan Upper Taoist Temple and Lower Taoist Temple, Plum Garden, Azalea Valley, Red Maple forest, etc.. The Black Dragon Pool is only one of highlights of the park. There is a very cool stream running throughout the park and you can follow it up through bonsai gardens, different plantations and different types of trees.

Dragon Fountain Temple

The Dragon Fountain Temple is the largest Taoist temple in southern China. This temple was originally built in 1394 during the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty and later rebuilt in 1454 during the reign of Emperor Jingtai of the Ming Dynasty, so it has a hundreds-years-old history. The whole palace consists of three halls and two courtyards, including Thunder Deity Hall, North Pole Hall, Sanqing Hall, Jade Emperor Hall and some other halls in which the Dragon King (the God of Rain in Chinese mythology) and other deities of Taoism are worshiped.

How to Get there?

By Subway

To get here, you can take the Subway Line No.2 in blue to the second last stop Longtou Street Stop and walk 20 minutes to get there.

By Bus

Take bus 9, 79, 128 or 249 and get off at Heilongtan (Black Dragon Pool) Station.

By Taxi

It takes tourists about 40 minutes to Black Dragon Pool from downtown of Kunming.

Travel Tips

1. Best time to visit: From December to next February is the best time to visit, when is the flower season of plum and you can admire plum flower.
2. Tickets Fee: Free for children under 1.1m (3.6ft).

Why is Luoguqing Valley Scenic Region So Special?

With total area of 100 square kilometers, Lanping Luoguqing Valley Scenic Region is composed of three parts: Luogu Qing, Jinding Cuiping Mountain, Fuhe Mountain. It is a meadow outspreading from south to east, with an altitude of 2,700 meters. You can not only see Yulong Snow Mountain, Haba Snow Mountain, Baimang Snow Mountain, Meili Snow Mountain and Snow Field in the East, but can also enjoy the beautiful sight of Laoqun Mountain, Xuebang Mountain in the southeast, which is the central area of Three Parallel Rivers. It is also the tie and bridge of other scenery areas in Three Parallel Rivers.

Where is Luoguqing Valley Scenic Region – Location

Luoguqing Valley Scenic Region is located at Tongdian Town of Lanping Bai & Pumi Autonomous County in Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture. It is 56 kilometers away from Lanping county, 200 kilometers away from Dali and Lijiang. 

Features

Luoguqing Valley Scenic Region is a mountain meadow with excellent primitive scenery, featuring the romance of Pumi ethnic people and the landscape of Danxia and stone forest landscape. It is deep and narrow, with extremely strong mysterious color. It consists of three parts: the Luogu Valley, Golden-Peak-Green-Screen Mountain(Jinding Cuiping Mountain)and the Fuhe Mountain. The main landscape includes highland pastures, valentine’s dam,” “mountain girl”, “mother tree”, Baizhang whispering gallery, the Grand River cuckoo screen, Shilin, Huashan, dripping rock, stone pot, etc. 

No one has ever fully gone through its gullies, or knows how many rocks or streams there are. People who walked into the land feel that they have entered unearthly paradise, surrounded by virgin forests, with feet on the thick moss-covered blanket, eyes filled with endless scenery, and ears full of birds and stream’s singing.

Main Attractions

Lovers Dam
The reason why Lovers Dam got its beautiful name is that when Dragon Boat Festival coming, the Pumis from all around would get together dancing and singing on the dam to celebrate their Valentines’ Day. 

Echoing Wall
Echoing Wall is located at the headstream of Luoguo Qing North Channel, with an altitude of 3,000 meters. A group of huge and thick sandstone forms a cliff over one hundred meters high. The wall is smooth and flattening. When shout towards the wall, the sound fly upwards and resounds for a long time. So it is called Echoing Wall.

Dayang Pasture
It is the junction of Lanping, Weixi and Lijiang. From south to north, Dayang river turns back to the green pastures, like a silver dragon living here. 

Danxia and Stone Forest Lanscape
The Danxia and stone scene here is unique. Because the river bed is covered with red Danxia stone, the crystal bottom of the water is like thick coffee. As the rocks on the mountain top become thinner and without soil covered, it forms a spectacular red Danxia stone peak, some like Buddha, some like people or animals.

How to Get there

By Bus
Tourists can take a shuttle bus to go to Tongdian Town directly.

By Car-rental
Yunnan Exploration Travel can provide the car-rental service for our clients with good vehicle and skilled driver. 

Best Season to Visit

Best season to visit Luoguqing Valley Scenic Region is Summer. When Dragon Boat Festival coming, the Pumis from all around would get together dancing and singing on the Lovers Dam to celebrate their Valentines’ Day.

Yunnanyi Ancient Town

Yunnanyi Ancient Town(云南驿)was Yunnan County in the Han Dynasty and Yunnan Prefecture in Weijin. It was named after the Yunnanyi of Yunnan, Ming and Qing dynasties. This is the administrative village of Yunnan. Yunnanyi has been a major town of the Ancient Tea and Horse Road and Shuyuan Road (蜀身毒道) on the South Silk Road. With a history of more than 2,100 years, Yunnan was an ancient station. The caravans rested here and gathered goods here, and it was prosperous and crowded. From Sichuan through Yunnan to Myanmar, India to West Asia, there is a trade route, which is the famous ancient Southern Silk Road. Through this ancient road, Chinese silk, tea, and porcelain are exported to Myanmar, India, the Roman Empire, and the Arab countries. The agate, ivory and jewellery in the above areas were trafficked to China. On this southern Silk Road, Yunnan is a important hub.

Why is Yunnanyi Ancient Town so special?

It is a historical and cultural reserve and the third batch of historical and cultural villages and towns in Yunnan Province. It is also a scenic spot for the original ecological culture experience tourism.

Where is Yunnanyi Ancient Town?

Yunnanyi is an ancient town of Xiangyun County（祥云县）in the west-central part of Yunnan Province. It was the necessary pass of the South Silk Road in the ancient time.

How to get to Yunnanyi Ancient Town?

①By passenger train: Western passenger station in Kunming, Yunnan province→passenger station in Xiangyun County→Yunnanyi
②By cars: Expressway (from Chuxiong to Dali) in Kunming→320 national highway→Yunnanyi

Introduction

If you are looking for Yunnanyi on a map of China, it may not be easy to find. Geographically, Yunnanyi is an ancient town of Xiangyun County（祥云县）in the west-central part of Yunnan province(云南省). Yunnan province is interspersed with plateau and mountains. Having an area of 218.76 square kilometers, Yunnanyi has 108 natural villages with 17committees in the villages and 204 villager groups. With the highest altitude of 2658 meters and lowest altitude of 1758 meters, it belongs to temperate climate. The annual average temperature is 15.2℃and the annual rainfall is 705.6mm.

The name of Yunnanyi only designates a particular part of the Yunnan province. You may find that both Yunnanyi and Yunnan province have the same words—Yunnan. Xiangyun County—also called Ancient Yunnan（云南） or Little Yunnan-which is regarded as the source of Yunnan province. In Han Dynasty (in 122BC), the emperor Wu Di dreamed of the auspicious cloud – the symbol of peace and prosperity- and he ordered his men to find the auspicious cloud. Finally, the auspicious cloud was found in present-day Xiangyun County, so Xiangyun County got its original name “Yunnan County”. As a town in “Yunnan County”, Yunnanyi thus remains the words “Yunnan” as part of its name still today for 2112 years. And the word “Yunnan”means the auspicious cloud appears in the south. According to the records, the auspicious cloud has appeared for more than 10 times in Xiangyun County from 122BC until now, so Xiangyun County is known as the Home of Auspicious clouds.

History of Yunnanyi

In AD221-263(the Kingdom of Shu Han), Yunnanjun—which functioned as the administrative region- was in Yunnanyi.

In Tang Dynasty (In AD618-907), Yunnanyi was regarded as the key military frontier between Nanzhao Kingdom and Tang Dynasty and had the first Jiedushi—the commissioner of Nanzhao Kingdom.
In Song Dynasty (in AD960-1279), Yunnanyi was called Yunnandan（云南赕）, which means the minority nationality in the south of China. The law—called Shishu- was carried out here. Shishu was a kind of law which had the criminals exonerated with money.

In Yuan Dynasty (In1271-1368), Zhongshusheng—the executive branch of the government- was established. Thus, Yunnanzhou and Mazhan—a posthouse- had 50 post-horses that were set up in Yunnanyi.
In Ming Dynasty (in1368-1644), the present-day Xiangyun County became the center of the administrative region, which represented the end of the proud history of Yunnanyi as the administrative region for 1500 years. Yunanyi thereby remained as the posthouse and kept its name until today.

In Qing Dynasty (in1644 -1912), Yunnanyi was the distributing center of the Old Tea-Horse Caravan Road and received a lot of caravan groups. Lin Zexu—a government official-lived here in order to deal with the official affair.
In the modern times(especially in the period of World War Ⅱ), Yunnanyi functioned as the military center and the well-known Burma Road went through here. It was also considered as the vital air transfer settion of The Hump Route. At that time, the Kuomingtang Air Force had a station and an academy in Yunnanyi. Since some foreign volunteer groups gathered here, the restaurants like New York restaurant and Huamei restaurant, were built for people.

Main Attractions

Yunnanyi is the birthplace of the millennium caravan culture in western Yunnan and the earliest county. The ancient paths saw the Yunnanyi’s history and prosperity. Caravan groups left their trail on the paths; the horse bells played pieces of melodious music; the culture was spread. Posthouses were constructed for the Silk Road in the southwest of ancient China; military airports were built for the War of resistance and more. Now, this town, full of a sense of history, has new vigor and vitality.

Yunnan Horse Caravan Museum

Given the history, caravan transport played a significant role in Yunnan province. In 1980s, the caravan transport was still the major transportation in Yunnan province. Since it preserved the complete post roads, the ancient Chinese posthouse and the inn with the stable left the history of the Yunnan caravan culture and some relative materials to the people, Yunanyi has gained greater attention from the various circles of society and the world.
This museum is the first museum of caravan culture in China, as well as the most preserved inn in size and integrity with the stable. Facing the site of posthouse and China-India-Myanmar memorial hall of transportation in the World War Ⅱ, this museum is situated in the core area of Yunnanyi’s historically cultural district. Covering an area of 724square meters, this museum has the double-roofed quadrangles with the civil structure in Qing Dynasty. It has the open display for tourists, and some remains, such as the stable, the accountant’s office and the shrine, which are renovated to be displayed in the museum. In this way, tourists can have the vivid and better understanding of the caravan culture.

Yunnanyi Airports

There had been two airports—Yunnanyi airport and Beitun airport near Kunwan Road,also called Stilwell Road-in Xiachuanba of Yunnanyi town in Xiangyun County. In the Anti-Fascist War of the last century, the two airports had great performance and had been passed into history. For 50 years, three different Air Force Units were stationed here. In September, 1929, the Kuomintang governors in Yunnan raised funds to construct the Yunnanyi military airfield. For one year, the military was established and took an area about 173,200 square meters. During the period of 16 years, the government extended the airport for three times and over 800 workers died for the protection of the airport in the Anti-Fascist War. In the War of Resistance against Japan, this airport earned its everlasting merit and witnessed the perfect cooperation between the Chinese people and the American Volunteer Group. Although it had fallen into disuse, the parking apron, the airstrip, and the buried airplane are still available for tourists. Some other sites-like the Mass Grave and the First Lieutenant—Mr. Moni monument, deserved to be visited.

Accommodation at Yunnanyi

Around the 320 national highway, numerous eateries, restaurants, small and inexpensive hotels are provided for accommodation.

Recommended Tour

1 Day Kunming to Dali Tour with Chuxiong Museum and Yunnanyi Old Town

Best Time to Visit

March is the best month to visit Yunnanyi, with the temperature climate and booming camellia. If you visit in Summer, you need to take the sunscreen and umbrella.

Useful Travel Tips

1.Best Time to Visit
Travleres can enjoy the tempreture climate of Xiangyun and appreciate the camellia in March.

2.What to Pack
Dali belongs to the low altitude plateau monsoon climate and ultraviolet ray is strong. Travelers should bring usual clothes and necessities as well as sunscreen cream and sunglasses to protect yourselves.

3.Tickets
The ticket price: 40-150 Yuan for each person (for your reference only)

Why is Shiyang Ancient Town So Special

Shiyang Ancient Town, also known as “Baijing(白井)”, called as“Yanfeng County(盐丰县)”in ancient times. It is located 35 kilometers northwest of Dayao County, Yunnan Province. There are many cultural relics and historic sites, and there are 1 provincial key cultural relics protection unit and 9 county-level key cultural relics protection units, which are national AAA tourist areas. It is one of the first three historical and cultural towns, 60 tourist towns and one of the four characteristic tourist towns in Chuxiong Prefecture. It is the famous “Salt Capital of Dian Country (滇国盐都), Holy Place to worship Confucius.” Confucian Culture, Salt Culture, Historical Culture, Yi Culture and Buddhist Culture constitute the characteristic tourism culture of Shiyang Ancient Town. The ancient town is located between Chuxiong, Dali and Panzhihua, within the medium-distance travel distance between Kunming and Dali. The Confucius Temple in the ancient town now has the best preserved and largest bronze statue of Confucius.

Shiyang Ancient Town has become the holy place where students in and around Chuxiong Prefecture show their respect to Confucius and offer sacrifices to him. Every year, a great memorial ceremony for Confucius holds at the ed of Septemer.

History and Salt Culture

Shiyang, one of the earliest historical and cultural towns of Yunnan Province, is 35 kilometers northwest of Dayao County, Chuxiong Prefecture. It is known for its “salt culture” and Confucian culture.

The salt production can date back to the West Han Dynasty (202 B.C-9 A.D), and it was most booming in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties when the salt output could meet the demand of over one million residents of the counties of Yao’an, Yongren, Huaping and Xiangyun etc. 

Lots of traders and horse caravans came to Shiyang in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), making it an important stop on the South Silk Road. The Confucian Temple of Shiyang, located at the foot of Xingling Mountain, was first built in Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty. Enshrined in the temple is a 2.3-metre-tall copper statue of Mr Confucius, weighing of 2,500 kg.  

Where is Shiyang Ancient Town

It is located in the 35 kilometers northwest of Dayao County Town, Yunnan Province.

How to Get There

After arriving at Dayao County, takes a mini-car to Shiyang Ancient Town, which is 35 kilometers away, takes 8 yuan per ticket and about 40 minutes.

Best Time to Go

It is appropriate to visit Shiyang Ancient Town at any time. Come here, and experience the magnificent buildings.

Nearby Attractions

Shiyang Confucius Temple
Shiyang Confucius Temple is located at the foothill of Xianglingshan Mountain(象岭山), built in the first year of Hongwu (洪武)(1368 AD) and rebuilt in the 37th year of Wanli (万历) of the Ming Dynasty. The Confucius Temple covers an area of 6,584 square meters. Its architectural style is laid out in the form of a courtyard of the ancient Chinese palace. It pays attention to the vertical and horizontal axis and the main building, that is, the main building is arranged on the central axis, and the ancillary buildings are placed on both sides to form the building groups with huge scale.

Dayao White Pagoda
It is known that Dayao White Pagoda is the only one Tibetan style Lamaist Pagoda in Yunnan. It has an important position in the history of Yunnan ancient pagodas. After more than a thousand years of wind and rain, the Pagoda still stands. In 2006, the White Pagoda was announced as the sixth batch of key cultural relics protection units in the country.

The news was updated on August 1, 2019.

The 2019 Kunming Zhenghe Cultural Tourism Festival opened in Jinning District, Yunnan province on July 11.

In the world history of navigation, there is a shining star, and he is Zheng He. Zheng is a Muslim navigator born in Jinning, central Yunnan. In 1405, a large fleet commanded by Zheng He left Taicang, east China’s Jiangsu province, kicking off the first of Zheng’s seven voyages to the Western Ocean. This happened 92 years earlier than Da Gamma’s journey around the Cape of Good Hope, and 114 years earlier than the inception of the around-the-world odyssey by Magellan in 1519.

Life story

In history of the Ming Dynasty of China, Zheng He’s life story is summed up in just 30 plus Chinese characters. It was not until 1918 when the tomb of Zheng He’s father, Ma Hazhi, was discovered in Kunyang County (today’s Jinning County), that the mystery of Zheng He’s life was revealed.

Zheng He, originally named Ma He or Ma Sanbao, was born in 1371 near the south shore of the Dianchi Lake, Yunnan. After Zhu Di took the throne in 1402 as the Yongle emperor, Ma He was conferred the surname Zheng as a reward and he was promoted to a fourth-class post official in charge of the eunuch affairs. In the 28 years from 1405 to 1433, Zheng He commanded over 20,000 men on seven voyages, visiting more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa. The mileage of his voyages exceeded 150,000 km, and Chinese trade with local peoples was thus initiated.

Navigation 

At the beginning of this century, Zhu Jianwen, a Chinese researcher in ocean surveying and mapping, studied historical records and discovered that Zheng He’s fleet was equipped with nautical knowledge and reliable instruments. It was found that the timing for setting sails and returning home was sensibly arranges according to the seasonal variation of ocean currents, and they know how to use the compass and the stars to identify location or direction.

On the basis of maritime practices, the Zheng He Nautical Chart was later compiled and mapped, which is 20.3 cm high and 560 cm long. More than 530 places were marked on it, involving 30 plus countries and regions along the Asian-African coasts. More than 50 round-trip routes were mapped out, with rich navigational information attached. This is the earliest surviving nautical atlas in the world.

In 1985, an ancient-modern version of the navigation chart was worked out to mark the 580th anniversary of Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Ocean. The chart was a joint effort by maritime surveying and mapping experts at Dalian Maritime University. For the first time, shipping routes by Zheng He was put on a modern-day map in terms of navigational technology.

Treasure ship

In the legends of Zheng He, the treasure ship is almost as appealing as his life story. The treasure ship is the largest kind in the Zheng fleet, equivalent to an aircraft carrier or a battleship in the modern navy.

In the past decade, scholars have been working hard and the treasure ships have “surfaced.”

Chen Yanhang, a professor and expert in ancient shipping at Jimei University in east China’s Xiamen, tried to solve this mystery by referring to “Zhifang Waiji (Chronicle of foreign lands)” by the Italian Jesuit Giulio Aleni (1582–1649) and similar historical materials written by other foreign missionaries in the Tianqi Period of the Ming Dynasty.

Giulio Aleni detailed panorama of the large treasure ship, an 8-storey structure. To stabilize the treasure ship, sandstones are placed on the bottom. The second and third floors form two large storages for cargos and food, and both are 80 meters long, 36 meters wide and 2 meters high. The storages serve as the “supply hub” for the entire voyage.

The fourth floor takes the deck as its ceiling, with 20 emplacements on the ship sides. The 3,280-square-meter rooms in the middle are where 826 soldiers and junior officials live. The deck is divided into two parts, and 108 sailors live and work in the fore cabin.

The “rudder” offices on the ship stern are “brain” of the entire fleet. The rudder building has 4 floors. The first floor is where the helmsmen and medical officer work. The second floor is called the official hall. It is a place where Zheng He and other senior officials, as well as envoys from varous countries, live and work. The third floor is a shrine for the gods of Mazu. At the top of the rudder building lie venues for commands, meteorological observation, contact signals and others. On the deck between the fore cabin and rudder building, there lie artilleries and sail winches, as well as an exercise area which is equivalent to the size of two basketball courts. According to professor Chen, the entire ship carries over 1,000 men of varied posts and ranks.

On September 24, 2006, a modeled treasure ship of Zheng He was inaugurated in Nanjing. The model was designed in accordance with the size of the medium-sized treasure ship in Zhenghe’s fleet. The ship has a length of 63.25 meters and a width of13.8 meters, equipped with six masts and eight sails. The displacement was around 1,300 tons. This model ship vividly presents the world shipbuilding technologies in ancient China.

Legacy

Zheng He commanded seven voyages to the Western Ocean, leaving behind him different kinds of stories and legends in the countries he visited. In Southeast Asia and South Asia, a great many places are relevant to Zheng He: Sam Po Kong port in Thailand, Bukit China in Malaysia, Zamboanga port in the Philippines, and Semarang city in Indonesia.

In Champa (Vietnam), Zheng He told locals how to harvest rice three times in a year, and Champa has since gained fame for producing rice. He also let locals in Siam (Thailand) know about wood chopping, pottery making, and obtaining salt by evaporating brine. On the island of Cochin, India, a fishing method called “Zheng He lifting the fishnet” is still in use.

As the Indonesian scholar Usman Effendi said: “In Southeast Asia, Zheng He is respected by people like God. His name will be remembered for generations to come.”

Now in his hometown Jinning, the Zheng He elements are quite visible: the Zhenghe Culture Square, the Yongle Street, the Zhenghe Park, and the Yangcheng Inn, a Zhenghe-themed hotel.

Since 2006, a cultural tourism festival has been held annually in Jinning on July 11 in honor of Zhenghe, signature of the town and in whom the Jinning folks take pride.

Source from Yunnan Gateway

Chinese Name:麻栗寨梯田
English Name: Malizhai Rice Terraces in Yuanyang County, Honghe
Keywords: Custom and Culture of Hani People, Natural Landscape
Location: 15 kilometers far from the east of Xinjie town of Yuanyang county, Honghe
Rice Terraces Area: about 582 hectare
Admission Fee:￥100

‣ About Malizhai Rice Terraces Scenic Area

Malizhai Rice Terraces Scenic Area(麻栗寨景区梯田) mainly consists of Quanfuzhuang Rice Terraces, Bada Rice Terraces, Malizhai Rice Terraces, Shangmadian Rice Terraces and Mali Village. There are 17 natural villages, 1910 households and 10244 people in the whole scenic area. Visitors can appreciate rice terraces, sea of clouds and buildings of Hani people here because Malizhai Rice Terraces Scenic Area is the central area to comprehend, study and experience Hani’s culture.

Mali Village（麻栗寨）is famous for the colorful terrace in such a high altitude. Visitors can stand on the high position to take a bird-eye view of the large scale of the terrace field. The terrace is like mirrors on the mountain when reflecting the sunshine. Especially after 4 o’ clock in the afternoon, with the sunset dipping below the horizon, the surfaces of the terrace turn into pink, red and again pink, finally white.

It is situated on the plateau of an altitude of 1, 600m; the cloud twines among the mountains for over 200 days in a year. The Mali Village is absolutely the holy land to the shutterbug. In the morning and afternoon, sometimes there will even be three layers of cloud.

Plan your Yunnan Ethnic Villages Tour to Nujiang? Visit Laomudeng Village in Fugong County, Nujiang which is one of the most fascinating ethnic villages in Nujiang. Explore the local folk ethnic culture including History, Food and Dining, Clothing, Customs and Traditions, Architecture, Festivals, Crafts, Religion,Language of local ethnic people in Laomudeng Village in Fugong County, Nujiang (怒江州贡山县老姆登村).

Why is Laomudeng Village So Special?

Laomudeng boasts green mountains, clear rivers and picturesque landscapes. Against the backdrop of fast-growing modern economy and society, it still maintains Nu people’s unique architectures, featuring stilt, wooden tile, bamboo fence and wood floor.  “Laomudeng” is the transliteration of the Nu language, meaning “the place that people like to come”. It was selected as the most beautiful village in China in 2014 and 2017. The environment in the village is really good. Laomudeng is the best location for photographing the sceneries of Nujiang Grand Canyon, Gaoligong mountain, Huangguan mountain and the customs of the Nu Minority.

Where is Laomudeng Village – Location

The village of Laomudeng(老姆登村) is 2,000 meters above sea level. It is a condescending place. Located on a slope belt in the eastern bank of the Nujiang River, Laomudeng stands between Biluo Snow Mountains and Gaoligong Mountains in eastwest, with the Nujiang River flowing southwards across them. It’s under jurisdiction of Pihe Nu Township of Fugong County, about 13 kilometers away from the county seat, adjacent to Lanping village in the east, Zhiziluo village in the south, Miangu in the west and Shawa village in the north.

Culture

Laomudeng village in Fugong in home to 180 families. Difference ethnic minority groups inhabiting this prefecture include the Lisu, Nu and Dulong, Tibetan , Bai peoples. Most of them believe in Christian, only a small group people kept the original belief, such as the Lisu Dongba religion and Tibetan Buddhism. 

As the land is fertile and moist, with fresh air and  Biluo mountain spring as water source, the tea planting don’t need any artificial fertilizer. There is no pollution within several tens of kilometers around, and the tea factory is built on the edge of the tea garden, so the green tea produced in this village is favored by tea drinkers. 

Main Attractions

Laomudeng Church
Laomudeng Church in Fugong County is the biggest Christian Church in Nujiang Grand Canyon in Northwest Yunnan. It is a best Nujiang tourist site, where you can experience christian church integrated with local Nu ethnic culture. The words “God loves the world” in the Laomudeng Church are very touching. It is also the largest Christ church in the Nu River basin.

Huangguan Mountain
The most famous “landscape” of Laomudeng is the Crown Mountain(皇冠山) opposite the mountain of Gaoligongshan Mountain (高黎贡山), because it resembles the crown. Its unique shape is quite conspicuous in the continuous peaks.

Nujiang Grand Canyon
The Nujiang Grand Canyon, which is more than 800 meters above sea level, stretches for 300 miles and can’t see the end at a glance. In the morning of the Nujiang Grand Canyon, the clouds are raging, and you can imagine looking at the Laomudeng in the low places, just like sitting on the clouds. From the viewing platform, we can see the Grand Canyon of Nu River (怒江大峡谷) is sandwiched between the mountains, looks very magnificent.

Useful Travel Tips

· There are quartet chants in Laomudeng church on Wednesdays and Saturdays which you can’t miss.
· Respect the local folk customs.