Bridges and creeks

Lijiang, known as the "Venice of the Orient", is endowed with amazing mountains and creeks. Tributaries of the Jade River flow through the old town, with creeks spreading almost everywhere. There are 354 bridges crossing the creeks, making the Old Town of Lijiang the place with the most bridges in the world.

Sifang Street

Sifang Street in the old town was a trading hub in ancient times. Lijiang lies on the intersection of the Ancient Tea Horse Road and the Silk Road, so many merchants from different ethnic groups brought tea, salt, medicine and silk here. The word sifang means "all directions" in Chinese.

Three wells built at different heights

Ancestors of the Naxi ethnic group invented a method to access spring water by building three wells at different terrain heights. The water in the upper well is for drinking, the water in the middle is for washing vegetables, and the water in lower well is for washing clothes. The water in the lower wells flows directly into the drains.

Inns

Lijiang's inns are famous for special furniture and decorations. They are perfect spots for tourists to spend a lazy afternoon or share an interesting story.

Hand-made bronzeware and Naxi embroidery

Lijiang bronzeware earned its reputation in ancient times, and every household is proud of owning one piece of Lijiang bronzeware. Hand-made bronzeware has no welded joints and is more durable than ones made on a production line. Hand-made bronzeware is a kind of art. Every single piece has its own characteristics and is different from others.

In 1381, Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, sent an army from Jiangsu and Zhejiang to Yunnan, where the soldiers stayed after battle. The parents, wives and children of the soldiers also came to Yunnan, bringing their embroidery styles. From then on, Naxi embroidery absorbed the exquisite style of Jiangsu embroidery, forming an integrated style with unique characteristics.

Bars

Various bars serve as cultural attractions in Lijiang. They mainly fall into two different categories. The first includes bars with ethnic song and dance performances along Xinhua Street. The other includes bars with singers or band performances, mainly located on Wuyi Street.

Edited by Li Yang and Michael Thai