Lushi Old Town in Fengqing County, Lincang

📍 Location & Best Season

Coordinates: Northeast of Fengqing County, Lincang City, Yunnan (云南省临沧市凤庆县东北部)
Altitude: ≈1,800 m | Established: 1598 (426 years old)
Climate: Avg. 15.1°C – year-round comfort
Best Time:
Oct-Dec: Golden rice terraces + sea of clouds 🌾
Lantern Festival (正月十五): Yi ethnic “Dage” dances & dragon parades 🐉
Mid-Apr: Taste “Fengshan Spring Tips” from century-old tea trees 🍵

Lushi Old Town in Fengqing County, Lincang

🚌 Getting There

From Route Duration Cost Tips
Kunming HSR → Yunxian Station → Carpool 3.5h HSR ¥145+
Carpool ¥60
Direct rides at Yunxian Station exit 🚐
Fengqing Town Self-drive (Fengxiao + Jieyang Rd) 2h20m Fuel ¥100 Paved but winding – drive slow! 🛣️
Fengqing Town Public Bus 2.5h ¥30 Hourly 7:30-16:30

Lushi Old Town in Fengqing County, Lincang

🌟 Town Layout & Highlights (2h Walking Tour)

1️⃣ “3 Streets, 7 Lanes, 1 Square”
– Central Sifang Square (四方街) with radiating bluestone paths
– 600-year-old horse hoof marks on main street

2️⃣ Architectural Fusion
Siheyuan (四合院): Luo Family Compound (Junchan Tea House旧址) – horse-riding corridors + frescoes
Sanheyuan (三合院): Jiangnan-style courtyards with Bai ethnic eaves 🏯

3️⃣ Historic Sites
Junchan Tea House: 1920s hub for Yunnan tea exports
Xu Xiake’s Stay (1693): Staircase St. No.37 – wall poem fragments 📜
– WWII Supply Route: Key Tea Horse Road section

4️⃣ Cultural Experiences
– Hand-pressed tea cakes: ¥50 at Housuo Village workshop
– Yi “Dage” circle dance: Free nightly at Sifang Square 🎭

⛰️ Extended Itineraries

Fengqing County Day Trip
AM: Fengqing Confucian Temple → Qinglong Ancient Rope Bridge
PM: Drive to Lushi → Overnight in courtyard guesthouse

2-Day Cultural Immersion
Day 1: Lushi exploration + tea pressing
Day 2: Drive 40min → Gumuo Village (China’s Summer Retreat Town) → 5km Tea Horse Trail hike

🍲 Stay & Souvenirs

  • Accommodation:
    Luo Family Inn: Antique carved beds (¥180-260) 🛏️
    Yunnan University Book Inn: Scholar-themed rooms (¥120)
  • Food:
    – Fermented tofu fish stew (¥30/cauldron)
    – Street rice cakes (¥5/bag from bamboo baskets)
  • Souvenirs: Hand-pressed tea cakes, Yi embroidered coastersLushi Old Town in Fengqing County, Lincang

❗ Essential Tips

  • Admission: Free (register for maintained courtyards)
  • Photography:
    – Bluestone lanes: Best light 7:00-8:30 AM
    – Drones require advance permit
  • Connectivity: 4G coverage; Wi-Fi at guesthouses
  • Eco-Rule: Carry trash out – no public bins! ♻️

✨ Why Visit?

Walk bluestone paths polished by centuries of horse caravans, touch fire-gable walls whispering Ming Dynasty secrets – where every stone echoes the Tea Horse Road’s legacy. Lushi isn’t just preserved history; it’s history that still breathes. 🪔