Lijiang Introduction

Lijiang, a magic, pretty and quiet place, has stunned the world with its unspoiled beauty. The unimaginable peace and harmony between nature and humans in the city has made it a Xanadu on the earth.

Lijiang is situated in the northwestern portion of the Yunnan Province, where the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau meets the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The city is in the cradle of a number of minority regions - the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in the north, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in the south, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in the west and Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province in the east. The city has a population of more than one million residents of many nationalities, including Naxi, Yi, Lisu, and Bai, among others.

Lijiang is the political, economic and cultural centre of the northwestern Yunnan Province. It once was an essential stop on the Southern Silk Road and Tea-Horse Road leading to Tibet, Sichuan, India and other southeastern Asian countries. The city contains the only Naxi Autonomous Prefecture in China and is the home to Naxi ethnic group, who created a unique system of Dongba Culture throughout history. Dongba language is known as the only complete living pictography in the world. The prolific religious Lijiang Murals , or that Baisha Murals, testifies to the mystery of this culture. Additionally, the melodious Naxi Ancient Music , called 'Living Fossil of Music', has stepped out of the stage of China and won the acclaim of the whole world.

Things to Do
Lijiang covers about 20,600 sq km. (5 million acres), and is filled with various types of landscape. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain has the highest peak in this region and offers a spectacular view of the Tibetan peaks, snow clad throughout the year. It also has an amazing glacier and various rare and valuable plants, herbs and wild animals, giving it a laudatory title 'Museum of the Glacier' and 'Treasure of Plants and Animals'. The grassland of Dry Sea, which lie at the foot of the mountain, are very enticing and also a good point from which one can appreciate the mountain scenery. Other nearby attractions are Spruce Plateau and Yufeng Temple. The headstream branch of the Yangtze River - Jinsha River runs violently across the city and has formed many wonders on the way. Tiger Leaping Gorge and  First Bend of Yangtze River & Stone Drum are two of the best spots for fearless adventurers and sightseers to brave the waters.

The famous Lijiang Old Town is situated in the northeast of Lijiang City. It boasts a long history of more than 800 years and has kept many historical and cultural relics in the city. Visitors going to the town cannot miss the Lijiang Murals and Naxi Ancient Music.The climate in the town is very mild throughout the year. It is a water township and called 'Suzhou of the Plateau' for the picturesque scenery and delicate architecture in the town. The town has been listed into the World Heritage.

Some of the other natural wonders in Lijiang include the celestial and elegant Jade Spring Park and the unpolluted deep plateau lake - Lugu Lake, which are both perfect places for relaxation. And in the Spruce Plateau, it is possible to feel the wilderness in the deep forest, as well as visit the Naxi people. In the Lamaism Yufeng Temple , you can find the so-called 'First Tree in the World', the camellia tree with its thousands of flowers.