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Dali and Lijiang are two hot destinations in Yunnan Province. Dali is a city in southwestern Yunnan of China, on the shores of Erhai Lake. Its history dates back to the Nanzhao Kingdom(8th century). The walled old city, from the Ming dynasty, contains traditional houses and towers from the Bai minority. Beyond the old city stand the Three Pagodas of Chong Sheng Temple, founded in the 9th century. Lijiang, a city in the northwest part of China’s Yunnan province, is inhabited by the Naxi and several other minority groups. Lijiang Ancient Town is compose of cobblestone streets, canals and Central Market Square with shops and restaurants. There are famous Black Dragon Pool and views of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.  

Travel to Lijiang from Dali by Train

In this part, how to get to Lijiang from Dali by train will be introduced. The transportation between Dali to Lijiang by train involves two railway stations, Dali Railway Station and Lijiang Railway Station. Taking train is more cost-effective than long-distance bus and other vehicles. There are two daily direct trains, but direct trains from Dali to Lijiang will stop at Heqing Station for 2-3 minutes. In 2-3 minutes, the train will continue to Lijiang. Heqing Station is just a intermediate station between two stations. The whole journey is about 2.5-3 hours, and the price ranges from 34-328.5 yuan. You can choose different classes according to your need, like hard seat, soft seat, soft sleeper and compartment.

Dali-Lijiang Train Schedule

Train Number Departs Arrives Stopover Time Price
K6121 17:15 20:06 3 minutes(in Heqing) Hard seat: 34 CNY/Soft sleeper: 105.5 CNY/Compartment: 328.5 CNY
K6123 19:05 21:33 2 minutes(In Heqing) Hard seat: 25.5 CNY/Soft seat: 49 CNY/Soft sleeper: 105.5 CNY

Lijiang Railway Station丽江火车站
Address: Shangji Road, Yulong County, Lijiang City丽江市玉龙县上吉路附近

1. You can take No.8 bus to Dali Railway Station from Dali Ancient Town.

2. When you arrive at Lijiang Railway Station, you can take No.4, No.18 and No.16 to Lijiang Ancient Town. 

3. If you want to book ticket or arrange a tour, you can contact us, Yunnan Exploration will provide attentive services. We have many tour packages related to Dali and Lijiang. Check more information about Dali tour and Lijiang tour. Email: contact@YunnanExploration.com; Tel: +86-871-63511469.

Transportation in Yunnan:

Yunnan Travel by Air

Rail Transport in Yunnan

Roads in Yunnan

Line 1

Xiaoximen Nanjiang Hotel (Xiyi Hotel) → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 20 minutes

1. From Kunming Changshui International Airport to the city centre:

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Xinyingxiaoqu (No. 409, East Renmin Road) → Xiongye Hotel, Kunming North Railway Station → Xiaoximen Nanjiang Hotel (south side of the crossroads between West Dongfeng Road and Kunshi Road)

Time: 7.00 am to 11.00 pm

2. From Xiaoximen Nanjiang Hotel → Xinyingxiaoqu (No. 409, East of Renmin Road) → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 5.00 am to 11.00 pm

Line 2 (Jinjiang Hotel)

Jinjiang Hotel → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 20 minutes

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Xinyingxiaoqu (No. 409 East Renmin Road) → Taili Hotel (No. 39 South Huancheng Road) → Kunming Railway Station, Jinjiang Hotel (No. 98, Beijing Road)

Time: 8.00 am to 3.00 am

Kunming Railway Station, Jinjiang Hotel (No. 98, Beijing Road) → Nanyao Hotel → Jialuda Hotel (No. 266, South Huancheng Road) → Xinyingxiaoqu (No. 409, East Renmin Road) → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 5.00 am to 11.00 pm

Line 2 (Wujiaba)

Kunming Wujiaba → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 30 minutes

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Zhongyu Hotel (No. 379, Guomao Road, Guandu District) → Kunming Wujiaba

Time: 8.00 am to 10.00 pm

Kunming Wujiaba → Zhongyu Hotel (No. 379, Guomao Road, Guandu District) → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 5.00 am to 11.00 pm (note: from 9.00 pm, 10.00 pm and 11.00 pm, interval time is every 60 minutes)

Line 3 (Linyu Road, Beishi District; Northern Bus Terminal)

Jinjiang Hotel, Kunming Railway Station → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 30 minutes

Kunming Changshui International Airport → EXPO Park (No. 10 Shibo Road) → Xindulongcheng, Beichen Caifuzhongxin → Linyu Road, Beishi District (No. 142, Linyu Road, Beishi District) → Shengshiqianhe Hotel → Northern Bus Terminal

Time: 8.00 am to 12.00 pm

Northern Bus Terminal → Shengshiqianhe Hotel → Linyu Road, Beishi District (No. 142, Linyu Road, Beishi District) → Xindulongcheng, Beichen Caifuzhongxin → EXPO Park (No. 10 Shibo Road) → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 8.00 am to 12.00 pm

Line 4 (South Bus Teminal; Chenggong Haosheng Hotel)

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Southern Bus Terminal  

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 30 minutes

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Empark Grand Hotel (No. Yingbin Road, Guandu District) → Southern Bus Terminal  → Haosheng Hotel, Chenggong New Disctrict

Time: 9.00 am to 10.00 pm (Note: from 9.00 pm, 10.00 pm and 11.00 pm, interval time is every 60 minutes)

Southern Bus Terminal → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 8.00 am, one bus per day

Line 5 (Dianchi Resort)

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Zhonglin Building Material Wholesales → Jinnanya Business Hotel → Dianchi Resort Area → Dianchi Hotel (No. 9 Yijing Road, Dianchi Resort Area, Xishan District)

Time: 9.30 am, 10.30 am, 5.00 pm, 5.30 pm

Dianchi Hotel (No. 9 Yijing Road, Dianchi Resort Area, Xishan District) → Dianchi Resort Area → Jinnanya Business Hotel → Zhonglin Building Material Wholesales → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 7.30 am, 8.30 am

Line 6 Kunming Railway Station

Kunming Railway Station → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 30 minutes

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Kunming Hotel (No. 52, East Dongfeng Road) → Xinyingxiaoqu (No. 409, East Renmin Road) → Kunming Railway Station

Time: 7.00 am to 10. 00 pm

Western Bus Terminal Line

Western Bus Terminall → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 25 yuan per person

Interval: every 30 minutes

Kunming Changshui International Airport → Hangkong Xiaoqu (No. 2280, Rixin Road) → Jinnanya Business Hotel (Next to the Wal-mart, Qianxing Road, Xishan District) → Western Bus Terminal (No. 18, Yining Road, Xishan District)

Time: 9.00 am to 7.00 pm

Western Bus Terminal (No. 18, Yining Road, Xishan District) → Xishan District Government Building → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Time: 7.00 am to 4.30 pm

Eastern Bus Terminal Line

Eastern Bus Terminal → Kunming Changshui International Airport

Fare: 10 yuan per person

Time: 7.00 am; 7.40 am; 8.20 am; 9.00 am; 9:40 am; 10.20 am; 11.00 am; 11.40 am;

Wooden Drum: A Magical Instrument to Connecting with God for Wa People

“Kong Lang… Kong Lang…”, at nightfall, bold drum is played in the area where Wa people live in. People at all ages, men and women, together around a flaming fire, jump and sing in the hair-swaying dance on the square. On May 2, a wooden dance performance was shown in the Ximeng Longtan Lake Scenic Area. Accompanied by the sound of drums, people felt the magic culture charm from Wa people.

 

Wa people believe that “everything is given by the god and everything is decided by the god. Shelter from the god can only be given to us if we serve the god.” Thus Wa people see the “sacrificial offering for connecting with the god” as a very important rite in their folk custom. Wooden drums are regarded as a sacrificial tool to connect with the god, thus it has an important position in the life of Wa people, and later it derives the “Wooden Drum Dance”.

You will see wooden drums in the life of Wa people in the region of Ximeng, Pu’er and Cangyuan, Lincang, Yunnan.

Wooden Drum is called “Kong Lang Kong” in the Wa language. According to the records in the creation epic “Si Gang Li” in Wa history, in the ancient times, the A’wa Mountain was suffered from a flood disaster, and the flood swallowed up all living creatures on the land, then the god of creation Shemuyiji threw a piece of wooden trough in the flood and saved the A’wa people. From then on, the ancient Wa people revered the wooden trough as the mother of them, and they put the soul of Shenmuyiji in a wooden-made container, which was the prototype of the wooden drums.

As the change of the eras, the wooden drum used in the ritual activities to pray for the peace of people and good harvest, has become one of the musical instruments of the Wa people in daily song and dance entertainment, leaving its primitive religious colour gradually faded out.

“Wooden Drum Dance”, being generally referred to as a joint name of a series of folk dances of the Wa people, is one of the dance performances in A’wa people’s daily life, mainly including Wooden Drum Dance, Sword Dance, Hair-Swaying Dance etc., and the wooden drum is the main accompaniment musical instrument for these dances. “Wooden Drum Dance” then accordingly became a part of the Wa culture.

 

Making of “Magical Instrument”

Wooden drum is the crystallization of the wisdom of the Wa ancients. According to introduction, a wooden drum is generally made from an entire section of bulky log, and hard wood trees such as Malaoying trees and red leave trees are preferred.

The maker will dig a narrow and long sound hole in the middle part of the log and then dig from both ends to the middle to form the drum belly deep in middle and shallow at both ends. The drum surface is made of cowhide, with 20 wooden handles under and surround the drum. Inside the drum are flat and long sound hole with drum tongue and drum teeth. At both ends there is a sound trough narrow in middle and wide at both ends and a square sound window. Two drum strikes (at the length between 0.4 m and 0.43 m) are used for beating the drum.

It is reported that wooden drums are divided into two categories: the male ones and the female ones. The former, with a low syllable and thick timbre, is made from Malaoying tree. The latter, with a high syllable and clear timbre, is made from red leave tree. The making processes of the male ones and the female ones are roughly the same, except the size of the female ones are a bit smaller than the male ones.

The wooden drum embodies the connotation of Wa culture, which is very important for the heritage and study of Wa people’s traditional culture. The area where Wa people live in will also strengthen the protection of wooden drums to inherit the Wa culture contained in the wooden drums.

Mango is no stranger to people, for it is a very popular tropical fruit. Mango, originating from Indian evergreen tree, contains high proportion of sugar, protein and crude fiber, plus carotenoid with large amount of vitamin A. Mango has long been known as the “king of tropical fruit”, and Mango in Jingdong, Pu’er has a different taste for its late-maturing.

Jingdong is in the southwest of Yunnan, with an annual average temperature at 18.3 ℃, an annual average relative humidity at 77%, and an annual average sunshine of 2131.6 hours. Its unique and advantageous climate and geography position is very suitable for the growth of mango.

Jingdong late-maturing mango has the merits both of the small mango and of the ivory mango, which means merits including the faint scent, long and dense crude fiber, non-blasting, non-fruit-falling from firm fruit stem like the former, and merits including big fruit, high fructifying rate, sweet fruit fresh, good taste like the latter. Jingdong late-maturing mango is transformed from the 1 to 2-year-old grafted and selected branches on general mango trees. After grafting transformation, the tree shape is short with high branching rate, strong insect resistance, and strong resistance. Through soil testing and formula fertilizer, bagging and other standardized management, it has features like high fructifying rate, big and smooth fruit and high quality. It will fructify from the third year after grafting transformation.

Now Jingdong mango has become a local specialty in Jingdong, and you must not miss to taste a different flavor mango if you come to Jingdong. With the increasing popularity of “later-maturing mango”, Jingdong mango has been spread to places all over the country.

Jingdong walnut has a long history. With the natural unique advantages of Wuliang Mountain and Ailao Mountain, the walnut grows big, making itself a quality one among Yunnan walnuts, and it is also one of the main economic crops in Jingdong County. “Scarlett” Natural Walnut Milk – a senior health drink made from high quality walnut kernel, along with ingredients as sucrose, honey, edible emulsifier etc., through high tech production technology. Rich in 18 kinds of amino acids, vegetable protein, vegetable fat, multiple vitamin and trace elements that are needed by human body. With good appearance, smell and taste, attractive white, sweet and crispy taste, quiet and tasteful fragrance, it is popular among consumers. “Scarlett” Natural Walnut Milk won the Golden Medal of 1993 China Spark Program Achievement, the Golden Medal of 1994 National Light of Science Achievement, the Golden Medal of 1995 China (Beijing) International Food Expo. It helps in clear vision and better intelligence, strong body and smart brain, energy and lung maintenance, black hair and fresh complexion, heart failure resistance. You can drink it either cold or hot. It is a senior health drink suitable for people at all ages. Jingdong Walnut is a geography sign certification mark.

Except Simao District, all of the other nine counties of Pu’er which is called home by 13 native minorities are autonomous counties named after at least one native minority.

The population of minorities accounts for 61% of the total population of Pu’er. Among the nine counties, Lancang is the only Lahu autonomous county in China, Mojiang is the unique Hani autonomous county in China, and Ximeng is one of the only two Wa autonomous counties in China.

The 13 minorities have up to one hundred branches in total, and each branch has its own festivals, style of singing and dancing, etc. You will be impressed by the Hair Swinging Dance of the Wa people during the Wooden Drum Festival, the Elephant-foot Drum Dance of the Dai people during the Water Splashing Festival, the Sheepskin Drum Dance of the Yi people during the Torch Festival, the Waggling Dance of the Lahu people during the Gourd Festival, and the Drum Dance of the Hani People during the Shiyue Festival (the New Year celebration of Hani ethinic minorty), etc.

The talented minorities’ hardwork on this fertile land have endowed Pu’er with romance and legends. Different branches of different minorities have their own history, epic poems, myths and tales.

The Wa people in Ximeng claim that they are the ancient nationality who came from caves. Before the People’s Republic of China was founded, they still lived in the primitive society. Due to the direct transition of the social formation, the Wa ethnic culture of Ximeng has exhibited high value for a deeper insight. Since the Wa people don’t have written language, they only rely on their words and deeds to create a cultural system that has recorded the Wa ethnic ancestors’ ancient rich knowledge of the nature and human race. Nowadays, more and more scholars and travellers spare no efforts in coming to Awa Mountain to study the Wa ethnic culture which has been highlighted by the animism, sacred wood drum, ox slaughtering ceremony, oxtail cutting ceremony and the seldom known Sigangli scriptures, etc.

As the only Hani autonomous county in China, Mojiang is home to nine branches of the Hani minority which are Baihong, Haoni, Kaduo, Biyue, Lami, Kabie, Qiedi, Ximoluo and Ahmu. For thousands of years, the Hani people have lived on the miraculous terraced fields, creating colourful ethnic culture. Therefore, Mojiang is an important area for researching the Hani ethnic culture. In addition, Lancang is an important area for researching the Lahu ethnic culture; Menglian, where Nayun is one of the top 10 Ancient Towns in Yunnan Province and the best reserved Dai ethnic ancient town in China, is the culture converging point of the four branches of the Dai and other ethinic minorty groups. 

It is never grandiloquent to say that Pu’er is the miniature of Yunnan Province’s ethnic culture. Although these 13 different minorities of Pu’er have different cultures,  they share similar qualities, such as: being indigenous, kind, enthusiastic, amicable, and respecting the nature.

The minorities such as the Hani, Yi and Dai have their own sacred forests for the purpose of protecting the water source. They call the sacred forest “Dragon Forest” for which each year sacrificial ceremonies must be held. So in the vicinity of a village of any of these minorities, one can find a verdant forest with centuries-old trees. No matter how many terraced fields or land are farmed nearby, the Dragon Forest has to be well protected.

Take the Hani minority for example, the Dragon Forest is culturally the adobe of the sacred protector of a village. In the mind of the Hani ethnic members, the Forest is something that determines the fate of the village. Villagers would never do any harm to the Forest and impurities are strictly kept away from it. Young people are not allowed to date inside the Forest.

The worship of the Dragon Forest is in fact the worship of the nature. For these minorities, the god is the Dragon Forest, and vice versa. Some villages don’t have a Dragon Forest but only a Dragon Tree. And the reason is that during those days when religious beliefs were forbidden, the Dragon Forest was chopped down. Therefore, when a village is left with only a sacred tree that symbolises the god, villagers would suffer the anguish from inside.

For the Wa, Lau and Bulang people, everything has a deity, including mountains, waters, and plants etc. So they wouldn’t randomly chop trees and pollute waters. In case of need, they have to hold sacrificial ceremonies to get the permission of the deities. The native minorities living in mountains understand that humans have to conform to nature and rely on nature so that they can gain survival and development.

An old native ethnic member once shared his opinion concerning the eco environment,“Everything is okey today, the only thing that is not okey is disbel[FS:Page]ieving in mountain deities”. The saying is very clear: the nature can’t go harmoniously with those who don’t have any religious beliefs, rules and orders. 

When you are travelling among the picturesque landscapes of Pu’er, please follow local rules and customs.

The 13 native minorities are Hani, Yi, Lahu, Wa, Dai, Bulang, Hui, Bai, Yao, Lisu, Miao, Mongolia, and Jingpo, most of whom have well inherited profound ethnic cultures. Stepping into Pu’er, you will find you are actually in a big ethnic customs garden where each village has stories to tell.

Brief Introduction 

Honghe University (HU) was established in 1978 and became a diverse, multi-cultural community of about 15,000 students and nearly 1,000 staff and faculty members, with a spacious campus of 200 acres. Over 700 academic staff teach courses in 63 undergraduate majors spread across thirteen Colleges — Humanities, Politics & International Relations, Science, Life Science & Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Business, Teachers Education, Foreign Languages, Music, Arts, Physical Education, and the International College. 

HU makes full use of its own geographical advantages, focusing on promoting the characteristics development strategy of “Internationalization of Education” and carries out a series of international education programs actively such as international student education, Chinese international promotion / Overseas Chinese education, overseas campus, educational joint program, cooperation of scientific research, academic exchanges, international conferences, cultural exchanges etc. HU has established the Confucius Institute with University of Colombo in Sri Lanka and also established cooperation partnership with 12 countries and more than 80 foreign universities、primary and secondary schools and educational institutions.

HU is committed to creating a university culture of multiculturalism with warmth and support to make it more than an educational institute, but an exceptionally welcoming community for a broad diversity of students and faculty. We invite you to join us at HU to explore this exciting life experience with all of us.

Location 

Located in Mengzi, the capital city of Honghe Prefecture of Yunnan Province, a central city of southern Yunnan Province, about 150 km north of the Vietnamese border. With a long history of 2100 years and a population of about 360,000, Mengzi is the capital of Honghe Prefecture. The land around Mengzi is an agricultural plateau surrounded by mountains. Mengzi offers a setting that has the peace and serenity of a rural farm town and yet enough of the urban conveniences, where people can go out to wander the hills and contemplate the beauty of the mountains, or go into town and sip a cup of coffee.

The Ancient Tea and Tea Horse Road in Puer City

Reflections of Yunnan: Magical, Beautiful, and Abundant

In the middle of the twentieth century, poet Xu Chi eloquently captured the essence of Yunnan with three evocative words: magical, beautiful, and ample. During this era, Yunnan’s landscape resonated with an authentic and ethereal allure, akin to the ripples spreading from the intense fragrance of the Five Golden Flowers. Against the backdrop of the enduring Love Song for Lusheng, caravans traversed the rugged terrain of Belling Mountains, their bells echoing through vast mountain ridges exposed to winds and rains.

Old Tea-Horse Road in Nakeli, Ninger County, Pu'er
Old Tea-Horse Road in Nakeli, Ninger County, Pu’er

Unveiling the Mysteries: The Ancient Tea-Horse Road

While many admired Yunnan’s colorful ethnic customs and legendary love stories, few pondered the origins of the echoing horse bells amid mountains or the rugged voices of horsemen. The term “Ancient Tea-Horse Road” only gained widespread recognition years later, shedding light on the arduous journey of tea from jungle depths, explaining why caravans continued their mountain songs.

Evolution of Pu’er Tea: From Wilderness to Cultivation

Pu’er Tea, born in Yunnan’s borderlands, emerged from wild ancient tea trees to transitional varieties, evolving into today’s cultivated tea gardens. This transformation, spanning millennia, intertwined with the region’s history and natural evolution.

Guardians of Time: Ancient Tea Trees of Qianjia Village and Kunlu Mountain

In Qianjia Village, Zhenyuan, Pu’er, Yunnan, ancient tea trees form the oldest and largest wild community spanning over 4,200 acres. The venerable No. 1 ancient tea tree in Shangbai, Qianjia Village, with an age of 2,700 years, stands alone in the Ailao Mountains, revered for its deep connection to heaven and earth and unwavering loyalty over millennia.

Kunlu Mountain Ancient Tea Garden, a sanctuary over 30 km from Ning’er County Town, boasts a collection of big-leaf, medium-leaf, and small-leaf ancient tea tree species. These trees, adorned with rain-soaked moss and wind-worn rust, are treasured as national heritage, blending seamlessly with the natural and cultural tapestry of Yunnan.

Old Tea-Horse Road in Nakeli, Ninger County, Pu'er
Old Tea-Horse Road in Nakeli, Ninger County, Pu’er

Trails of Legacy: Ancient Tea-Horse Roads Extending from Pu’er

The Ancient Tea-Horse Road, originating from Pu’er Tea, extends in all directions with Ning’er as its source and distribution center. These roads include:

  • Official Tea-Horse Road to the Capital: Known as the “Previous Road for Official Horses,” linking Ning’er to Kunming and onward to Beijing, while also connecting southwards to Burma and Southeast Asia.
  • Pu’er-Tibet Tea-Horse Road: Facilitating trade between Pu’er and Lhasa in Tibet, with branches extending to Burma and India through Baoshan.
  • Pu’er-Jiangcheng Tea-Horse Road: Vital for exporting Pu’er Tea abroad, passing through Simao to Ximeng or Menglian.
  • Pu’er-Lancang Tea-Horse Road: Also known as the “Dry-season Tea-Horse Road,” traversing from Ning’er to Jingmai Mountain Tea Garden and further south to Laos via Simao and Mengla.

These ancient routes, some dating back to the Qin and Han Dynasties, bridged cultural exchanges over vast distances, carrying the essence of Pu’er Tea and shaping its rich cultural heritage.

Enduring Legacy: Caravans of Hope and Heritage

For generations, caravans embarked on the ancient roads laden with Pu’er Tea, embodying hope and perseverance amidst sweat and toil. These wandering caravans, like clouds drifting through rain forests and canyons, traversed mountains towards the Himalayas and beyond, enriching global tea culture with the unique essence of Pu’er.

In summary, Yunnan’s Ancient Tea-Horse Road stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of exploration and trade, weaving together nature, culture, and history across millennia, and securing Pu’er Tea’s place as a globally cherished icon of heritage and charm.

The Tea Horse Ancient Road in Ning’er County

The Tea Horse Ancient Road in Ning’er County spans towns like Ning’er Town, Mohei Town, Dehua Township, and Tongxin Township within Ning’er Hani and Yi Autonomous County, Pu’er City. Named after the Tang and Song Dynasties’ “Tea Horse Trade,” this ancient transportation route originated from Puer Prefecture (now Ning’er County). It played a crucial role in transporting Pu’er tea domestically and internationally, evolving from the ancient “Southern Silk Road” through various historical periods.

Historical Significance and Development

Since its establishment during the Qing Dynasty in 1729 AD, Puer Prefecture has been pivotal in the development of the Tea Horse Ancient Road, boasting a history of 280 years. This route facilitated trade and cultural exchange across southern Yunnan and beyond, contributing significantly to regional unity and economic prosperity.

Preserved Sections of the Road

  1. Tea An Tang Tea Horse Ancient Road Site
    • Located approximately 12 kilometers long, paved with variously shaped mountain stones, and featuring visible horse hoof prints along its 2-meter-wide path.
  2. Kongqueping Tea Horse Ancient Road Site
    • Extending approximately 27 kilometers, paved with limestone, gravel, and other stones, showcasing the road-building techniques of ancient times.
  3. Nakeri Tea Horse Ancient Road Site
    • Approximately 30 kilometers in length, paved with stone slabs and gravel, 1.5-2 meters wide, and notable for its winding stone steps. It served as a crucial route for tea horse posts from southern Yunnan to northern regions.
  4. Gypsum Well Tea Horse Ancient Road Site
    • Spanning around 8 kilometers and paved with gravel, this section is approximately 2 meters wide.
  5. Shiya Po Tea Horse Ancient Road Site
    • Approximately 6.5 kilometers long, featuring a well-preserved stone-lined section of about 500 meters, with a width of approximately 2.6 meters. This segment is currently the widest discovered part of the Tea Horse Ancient Road.

Cultural and Economic Impact

Ning’er is celebrated globally as the origin and distribution center of “Pu’er Tea,” deeply intertwined with the historical legacy of the Tea Horse Ancient Road. This route served as a vital lifeline for southwestern China’s diverse ethnic groups, fostering economic prosperity, cultural exchange, and regional unity.

Research and Cultural Value

The Tea Horse Ancient Road holds immense historical and cultural significance, offering valuable insights into ancient trade routes, cultural exchanges, and the development of regional identities in China’s history.

The document from June 19, 2018, issued by the Yunnan Tourism Tourist Attraction Quality Grading Committee, officially approved “Deepure Biotea Valley” in Pu’er to be listed as a National 4A Tourist Attraction. This marks it as the fourth such attraction in Pu’er, alongside Mojiang Tropic of Cancer Park, Pu’er National Park, and Pu’er Ximeng Mengsuo Longtan Lake Scenic Area.

“Deepure Biotea Valley,” located about 10 km from downtown Pu’er at No. 1, Deepure Avenue, is a production industrial park constructed by Yunnan Tasly Deepure Biotea Group Co., Ltd., under the Tasly Holding Group. Spanning 792 acres in its first phase, it boasts a scenic natural environment near two other major attractions: the National Forest Park and the China Pu’er Tea Expo Garden. In 2017, it was recognized as one of China’s Top Ten Industrial Tourism Demonstration Bases.

The attraction is organized into seven key industrial tourism modules:

  1. Industrial Tourism: Includes tours that explain Pu’er tea development, history of Deepure, and the tea processing procedures.
  2. Culinary Experience: Offers meals featuring Pu’er tea, local tea dishes, Yunnan flower feasts, vegetarian options, and unique hand pilaf.
  3. Tea-making Experience: Visitors can participate in traditional tea picking, processing, and tasting.
  4. Tea Culture Learning: Provides multimedia and immersive experiences in traditional tea culture and ceremonies.
  5. Activities: Includes parent-child activities, summer camps, weddings, sports events, BBQs, and custom parties.
  6. Custom Travel Services: Offers private travel arrangements, vehicle leasing, tea breaks, and conference room rentals.
  7. Happy Farm: A vibrant farm with a sea of flowers where visitors can enjoy recreational activities.

Pu’er City has been actively implementing the “global tourism” strategy, promoting integrated tourism development under the “one mobile phone guiding your tour in Yunnan” initiative. From January to May 2018, the city recorded significant growth in tourism, with 46,600 overseas visitors (a 20.5% increase year-on-year) and 14.1593 million domestic visitors (a 23.8% increase year-on-year). The total tourism income for this period reached 13.101 billion yuan, marking a year-on-year growth of 21.45%.

Recently, the virgin forest leisure experience project “Jungle Flight” invested heavily and constructed by Pu’er Sun-River National Forest Park (“National Park”) was officially opened, which is also the first large jungle adventure project in Pu’er.

Jungle Flight is an outdoor experience project in virgin forest, integrating entertainment, adventure and challenge, which connects trees into a route to set up many super-exciting obstacles at different levels of difficulty. The participants have to pass over all the obstacles to reach the goal by sliding, crawling, flying and climbing. The whole process fully reflects the participants’ psychological rule of “experiencing, understanding, controlling and transcending” and provides them with sensory stimulation and pleasant sensation of high-altitude falling, jungle climbing and free gliding. There are 4 Jungle Flight lines in Pu’er Sun-River National Forest Park at different length and difficulty for different healthy people to choose. Among them, the total length of the longest route is 450 meters with 26 obstacle projects. The longest zip line is 70 meters with an experience time of about 120 minutes.

It is understood that Jungle Flight is one of the many forest experience projects invested and constructed by the National Park, and in the next three to five years, the park will become the first one-stop forest tourism destination in the country integrating lots of latest and most popular forest experience, leisure and entertainment. Last November, the park established the “Forest Experience Center” which mainly provided visitors with forest experience advisor and travel customizer. Most of the experiencers were lodgers of Red Panda Manor. Now there are various animal interaction experience, health-related experience like forest yoga, mindfulness meditation and health class, education-related experience like microlandscape fabrication and natural sketching, and sports-related experience like Fun Run in Sun-River Park, which meet the needs of different people.

About Longquan Temple

Longquan temple（龙泉寺）also known as Sam Sing Kung Chinese Temple（三圣宫）which was built in Ming dynasty and rebuilt in 1983, is located in Shuhe Ancient Town, 7 km northwest of Lijiang Ancient Town. Longquan temple gets its name from Longquan Lake near the temple, and the temple is built along the lake. Overlooking the lake from the second floor of Dajue Palace（大觉宫）, tourists appreciate the pleasant view. Longquan Lake more clear than that in Lijiang Ancient Town runs along the river through the ancient streets to directly serve as the villagers’ drinking water. Longquan Temple is a good place for the Naxi （纳西）family to have delicious dinner and spring outing because of its quiet environment.

The temple is a quadrangle courtyard while the north sits the main hall, enshrining the God of Rain（龙王） in Chinese Mythology inside. The west hall is consecrate the Goddess of Mercy（观音）, the south tower is dedicated to the father cobbler, Sun Bin, and the east building blocks straight into the water. With the corridors all the three sides of the temple, visitors to overlook the charming view around the temple. In ancient times, some scholars often visited to enjoy the glorious full moon in the moonlit night here, and hence came the “Longmen full moon”（龙门望月）.

 The temple is painted with Ming dynasty murals with the content of Buddhism. The picture is different from Baisha Frescos（白沙壁画） in Dabaoji Palace（大宝积宫）， Baisha Ancient Town. It is one of the treasures of the Ming dynasty Lijiang fresco because of its unique features.

Structure of Longquan Temple

The construction structure with the four upturning eaves up is symmetrical and harmonious using a wooden brackets structure. The forehead pillar is decorated with all kinds of lively birds and animals. Shuhe Ancient Town is very similar to Lijiang Ancient Town, which is centered on a quadrate square in the whole layout. The water originates from of Longquan Lake going through the streets.

What to See in Longquan Temple

In the village, flows the clear water from several springs all year round, across the village. The willows on both side of the river droop down and touch the water surface gently. The black tiles and white walls are covered with green shade, showing visitors beautiful scenery. Walking from the stone bridge in the west of the village the stream of the spring, along strange stone was made, visitors and see a fantastic rock peak and a clear spring behind the rock.

Near the pond there situates a pavilion whose name is actually Longquan Temple. The structure is exquisite and unique with the upturning eaves and the beautiful and generous ornamentation sculpture. There full of wide variety of flowers and trees in the courtyard with pleasant fragrant. Every spring, various kinds of flowers blossom continually. That’s really wonderful scene. Traveling here, tourists can view the whole building, and the scenery of Longquan Lake, which gives people a comfortable and happy feeling.

How to Get to Longquan Temple

  1. Take the 11 bus to Shuhe Ancient Town and walk 100 meters northward to the temple.
  2. Take a taxi from Dayan Ancient Town for 20Yuan.
  3. Take the shuttle bus from Lijiang Ancient Town to Shuhe Ancient Town for 2 Yuan.　

Best Time to Visit

The peak period for visiting Shuhe Ancient Town is from May to October. Actually, Shuhe is worth visiting during any season, so if you do not want to experience a crowded scene, avoiding that period might be a good option.

Recommended Tour with

1 Day Lijiang Cycling Tour from Lijiang Old Town to Shuhe, Baisha and Yuhu Village

Shuhe Ancient Town Accommodation

Shuhe Ancient Town is an important constituent part of Lijiang Ancient City, a world cultural heritage site in China. There are many high-quality hotels in the old town although the quantity is not as good as that of Lijiang Old Town. Shuhe old town is much more tranquil than Lijiang Old Town, less crowded and less noisy, and the air is very good at the foot of the mountain. Follow Yunnan Exploration to discover the best hotels in Shuhe Old Town such as Banyan Tree Lijiang.

1.Lijiang Conifer Lishui Yangguang Hotel(康年丽水阳光酒店)

At Lijiang Conifer Lishui Yangguang Hotel, the excellent service and superior facilities make for an unforgettable stay. The hotel offers access to a vast array of services, including 24-hour room service, casino, facilities for disabled guests, Wi-Fi in public areas, car park.

Add: Entrance of Shu He Ancient Town, Suburbs, Lijiang, China

2. Lijiang E-Outfitting Boutique Hotel(丽江首译精品客栈)

Lijiang E-Outfitting Boutique Hotel also offers many facilities to enrich your stay in Lijiang. While lodging at this wonderful property, guests can enjoy 24-hour room service, free Wi-Fi in all rooms, 24-hour front desk, express check-in/check-out, luggage storage.

Add: No.35 Qingyun Village, Shuhe Old Town, Lijiang, China

3.Banyan Tree Lijiang(丽江悦榕庄)

Located in Shuhe Old Town, Lijiang, Banyan Tree offers a relaxing retreat away from the city. Surrounded by fresh mountain air and green landscapes, the property features luxurious accommodations with traditional Naxi-style décor and free Wi-Fi in all areas.

Add: No.1, Yuerong Road, Shuhe Old Town, Lijiang, China

4.The Bivou Lijiang(佖屋酒店)

Only a short 1-minute stroll from Shuhe Ancient Town, The Bivou features accommodations in local and modern styles combined together. Blending in by making use of the barbecue facilities, lazing in soothing massage, going horse riding or enjoying a fun time with your children at kids’ club seems like a nice getaway. Free Wi-Fi is available in all areas.

Add: 16 Zhonghe Cun, Shuhe Old Town, Lijiang, China

5.K2 International Youth Hostel(束河K2国际青年旅舍)

K2 International Youth Hostel Lijiang offers a comfortable setting while in Lijiang. It also provides luggage storage, a 24-hour reception and wireless internet. Lijiang Sanyi Airport is a 55-minute drive from K2 International Youth Hostel Lijiang. Black Dragon Pool and the Dongba Culture Museum are just a short drive from the hostel.

Add: No. 1 Guailiu Lane Kangpu Road, Shuhe Old Town, Lijiang, China

Longquan Temple Travel Tips

Altitude Sickness

The altitude is about 2,400 meters or about 7,800 feet. Some people may get some altitude sickness. So take it easy the first day or two.

What to Pack

Travel light when strolling in the old town. Bring a camera with you that you can take photos along the way. Sunlight is very strong in Lijiang, wear sun protection such as hats, sunglasses and use sun block, etc.

Entertainment

Do not miss the bars in Lijang. They are a part of life. The bars in Shuhe Old Town is more quieter than Lijiang old town. 

Dining

In Shuhe Old Town, some small restaurants are also surprising. The famous local dishes includes Chickpeas Bean Jelly, Lijiang Salted Pork Ribs, Naxi barbecue and other Lijiang delicacies.

Hotels

Just like Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe Old Town has many high-qualify hotels or hostels for you to choose from. The recommended hotels are Banyan Tree Lijiang, Lijiang Conifer Lishui Yangguang Hotel, etc.

Other Tips

1. If you plan to travel to Lijiang during the peak tourist season (Spring Festival, May Day, Summer holiday, and National Day holiday), be sure to reserve a room in advance.

2. There used to have carriages getting in and out of this town, so be careful.

3. It is best to wear cloth shoes or sneakers when walking in the old town, because they are all slabstone path, it is easy to twist your feet with high heels.

4.Take rain gear when you visit in the rainy season, and the slabstone path are slippery after the rain. Pay attention to that.

Google Map

Day 1 Kunming→Mojiang→Ninger→Pu’er

Pu’er City is located in the southwest of Yunnan Province, about 413 kilometers from Kunming. It takes about 5 hours to drive. You can take a flight from Kunming to Pu’er, about 50 minutes, or take a long-distance bus at the South Bus Terminal.

Pu’er City was once an important courier station along the Ancient Tea Horse Road. It is one of the important producing areas for the renown Pu’er tea and one of the largest tea producing areas in China.

Mengwofo Temple Twin Tower, commonly known as “tree in tower” and “tower in tree”. Located in Dazhai Village, Weiyuan Township, Jinggu County, Pu’er City, it is the former official Buddhist temple, which includes mountain gates, side gates, twin towers, ordination halls, audience hall and boudoirs, covering a total area of 3.335 hectares. The twin towers juxtapose on both sides of the audience hall in the north and south.

Day 2 Puer City -Tea Horse Road Scenic Area

The Ancient Tea Horse Road refers to the private international trade channel that exists in the southwestern part of China and uses the caravan as the main means of transportation. It is the corridor for the economic and cultural exchanges for the southwestern Chinese nations and the oldest foreign trade and economic trade road in Chinese history.

The Ancient Tea Horse Road Site in the scenic area is an important section of the Ancient Tea Horse Road in the north-south direction. It is the starting point for the tribute tea to enter Beijing and also the section with the most complete preservation, the longest mileage, the strongest culture and the best ecology along the road.

The implied meaning in the name of the Sun River National Forest Park is to make a never-setting sun rise in the heart of Pu’er people, and the Mother Earth nourishes us forever.

With rich heat, humid climate, dense forest, abundant food, and natural salt ponds distributed on both sides of the Sun River, the park provides a very favorable environmental condition for the living and reproduction of wild animals. It is also the only “Bos Javanicus Habitat” in China and is known as the “Hometown of Bos Javanicus”.

Day 3 Pu’er→Ximeng

Ximeng Yi Autonomous County is affiliated to Pu’er City, Yunnan Province, located in the Awa Mountain area in the west of Pu’er City, 293 kilometers from Pu’er City.

Sigangli Wa Ethnic Village in Ximeng County, Puer

Muyiji Holy Valley is the god of the Va people. The Va people believe in the primitive religion of the trinity of nature worship, god worship and ancestor worship. Every year, the Yi people worship pilgrimage and pray for his blessing on peace and good fortune. Its main landscapes include eucalyptus, Muyiji stone statue, human head pile, and holy pond.

Mengsuo Longtan Lake is a natural tropical rainforest freshwater lake located in the middle of the Mengsuo Longtan Lake Nature Reserve, at the south side of Ximeng County. The scenery of emerald mountains around Longtan Lake, along with the harmonious integration of the sparkling lake water and the clear blue sky, is very charming. The Longmoye Holy Land in the Longtan Lake Scenic Area is the place where the Va people worship the gods, contribute sacrifices to their ancestors, and pray for peace.

Day 4 Ximeng→Menglian

Menglian is an important gateway to Southeast Asian countries such as Myanmar and Thailand. It is a provincial-level open port and has the reputation of “Emerald in the Border” and “Hometown of Dragon Blood Trees”. It is 230 km away from Pu’er.

Fahanshan Mountain in Menglian County, Puer

Menglian Gold Tower is located on the bank of the charming Nanlei River. It consists of 8 small towers surrounding a main tower. The main tower is 31.68 meters high. Each small tower is hung with wind chimes. When the wind blows, the wind chimes emit crisp clinks. People will feel the special meanings of the Buddha, and the Dai people believe it is “the Sanskrit from heaven.”

Menglian Xuanfu Chieftain Office is located in Nayun Ancient Town of Menglian Dai Lahu and Yi Autonomous County in Yunnan Province. This ancient building complex is well preserved, blending the features of Dai style and Han style architecture. The rule of the Dai hereditary chieftain had lasted for more than 500 years since the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Day 5 Menglian→Jingmai Mountain

Jingmai Mountain, located in Lancang Lahu Autonomous County of Pu’er City, is the oldest major Pu’er tea producing ar[FS:Page]ea in China. It is the last oasis in the Northern Tropic belt. It has a history of 1,800 years of tea planting and is the birthplace of the world tea tree.

Jingmai Ancient Tea Mountain in Lancang County, Puer

Ten-thousand Acres of Ancient Tea Garden, Nuogan Village (Dai), Wengji Village (Blang) and other attractions. The Ten-thousand Acres of Ancient Tea Garden in Jingmai Mangjing Scenic Area is the world’s best preserved, oldest and largest cultivated ancient tea garden. It has been praised as the “Natural Museum of Tea Trees” by experts and scholars at home and abroad, and is the root and origin of the world tea culture.

Brilliant Pu’er Tea Fazenda is a traditional while look-ahead modern fazenda that integrates Pu’er tea planting, processing, warehousing, tourism and culture as a whole. It is located at the foot of Jingmai Mountain at an altitude of about 1,400 meters.

Day 6 Jingmai Mountain→Kunming
Transfer back to Kunming.

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Welcome to Yunnan Exploration Travel. As one of the most professional travel agencies established in Yunnan for 15 years, Yunnan Exploration Travel(YET)is the leading online travel service platform affiliated with Trans Asia Discovery International Travel Service Co.Ltd,(云南亚索国际旅行社有限公司/亚索旅业 in Chinese) which is headquartered in Kunming, Yunnan, China. We are concentrated on organizing private tour, holiday package, and tailor-make theme trips like trekking, photography, and golf tours. In addition, Our business has expanded to Southeast Asian countries including Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. With the abundant and high-end tourist resources and impressive services, YET could be your first choice for starting your trip in Yunnan.

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