Dacangzhen Town of Weishan County in Dali

Chinese Name:大理巍山县大仓镇
English Name: Dacang Town of Weishan County in Dali
The Villages of Dacangzhen

Nearly every traveler to southwest China’s picturesque Yunnan province passes through the town of Dali, with its postcard-ready slender pagodas and peaceful stone-paved streets. But few travelers, including the growing number of Chinese who visit the region, know an even more fascinating enclave lies just a 30 minute bus ride south of Dali, past pine forested hills in a place known as the Dacangzhen Valley. Dacangzhen is home to one of Yunnan’s oldest and most tenacious Muslim communities, who have steadfastly kept their traditions and faith alive in this corner of devoutly Buddhist Yunnan. Exploring the valley is a fascinating glimpse of what happens when the Far East meets the Middle East, a cultural mélange kept alive by locals who are more than happy to share their story with the few outsiders who make their way here.

Mamichang

Driving down into the Dacangzhen valley from Dali, you first pass the small town of Mamichang, with a striking reminder that this is not just another ordinary corner of China. A towering ceremonial stone gate stands at the start of an otherwise humble road leading up to the hillside town, carved with dramatic flourishes that would seem more at home in Baghdad than Beijing, and topped with a large crescent moon. The message “Mamichang welcomes you!” is written in large black brushstrokes – in both Chinese and Arabic.

Donglianhua

Donglianhua is a very rare kind of place: a tourist town without tourists.

Xiaoweigengcun

If you are searching for the historical roots of Dacangzhen, head to Xiaoweigengcun. It was one of the earliest settlements in the valley, a fortress for the Central Asian troops who first brought Islam here, as shown by the town’s name, which literally translates to “small walled mound.”

Yonghecun
If you’re visiting on the weekend, be sure to stop by Yonghecun, a small riverside town that hosts a bustling street market every Sunday. After a day spent on empty roads and quiet villages, the crowds that flock to the market are a welcome surprise. And while mosque gatherings are largely a male affair, the market is dominated by women. Muslim housewives in their multicolored and sequin-bedecked headscarves provide a stark contrast to the dour blue and grey outfits of the men.