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Hujie town on Ancient Tea Horse Road in Dali

Source: InKunming | 2014-12-26

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

[InKunming--Gallery]  Hujie town, located in Nanjian County, Dali Prefecture, is more than 40 kilometers away from Nanjian county and about 15 kilometers away from cherry blossom valley. Hujie, the name of the town, originated from "Female Tiger Calendar Tablet", which was created by local Yi people and still stands in the town. The Female Tiger Calendar Tablet, is a kind of traditional calendar only used by Yi people, and mainly uses tiger image in the calendar to imply good weather for crops. The calendar was then given the name “Tiger Calendar Tablet” because of the tiger image modeled on tablets.

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

During period of Ancient Tea Horse Road, Hujie town was one of stops on the road. Caravans from Tibet that carried with tea or other important goods would pass by Hujie town. When tourists visiting the town now, sounds of horse bells and horseshoes knocking on stone streets that happened hundreds of years ago may still resound in their ears.

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

Apart from old stone streets and old houses, various styles of old wells are also well preserved in the town. Until now, villagers of the town still fetch water from those old wells. With the clear and fresh water, villagers in the town live a kind of simple and plain life.

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

(Photo/Lin Jian)

Another featured characteristic in the town is that all construction materials used for stone streets and houses along the street are made up of petrified trees. Layers of grains on these petrified trees can be clearly seen by tourists. The Hujie town owns a lot of petrified trees that are still not fully applied. The reason why the town owns such a large amount of petrified trees remains unsolved.

(Editors: Cathy Chen, Tracy)

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