Old Town of Lijiang

The Old Town of Lijiang (Lijiang Ancient Town) is the historical center of Lijiang City, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It preserves the architecture and traditions that trace back to the city's beginning a thousand years ago as an important trading post on the Old Tea Horse Caravan Trail.

It is an ideal place to experience Naxi culture and cuisine. The historic main street of the Old Town today is lined with shops and restaurants. Its three ancient districts, with 800-year-old bridges and waterways, preserve the traditional way of life of the Naxi people as it has evolved over time with the cultural influence of Han Chinese traders who came during the time of the Ming Dynasty, and many of whom stayed and became a part of the cultural landscape.

The cultural cross-fertilization among Naxi and Han people and other ethnic groups leads to a unique and fascinating cultural fusion. For example, Lijiang Old Town is one of the best places to hear Chinese Classical music because the Naxi people learned it from Han traders at the time of the Ming Dynasty and continue to keep that style of music alive even as it has faded out in other parts of China.  

Nightlife in the Old Town is lively and colorful, with many theaters presenting music and dance performances, as well as lively restaurants and bars where you can really experience the living culture among the people in the streets and restaurants and shops of the city.