Lijiang Ancient Town, even more commercialized than the ancient city of Dali~

Lijiang Ancient Town was founded at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, situated on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It is one of the two ancient cities in China that have been successfully inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage site as a whole (guess where the other one is?). Lijiang Ancient Town is the only ancient city in China without city walls. Legend has it that this is because the hereditary rulers of Lijiang had the surname 'Mu', and building city walls would add a frame to the character 'Mu', turning it into 'Kun' which means 'trapped' and is considered inauspicious. The architecture of the ancient town is mostly civil residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties, incorporating features of the Han, Bai, Yi, Tibetan, and Naxi ethnic groups. Common structures include 'Sanfang Yizhaobi' (three rooms and a screen wall), 'Sihewutianjing' (courtyards with four sides and five skylights), and 'Yijin Liangyuan' (one entrance and two courtyards), among others. However, it is precisely because of such building structures and density that issues such as low fire resistance and large areas affected by fire arise. The great earthquake of '96 and the fire of '13 both caused serious damage to the ancient town. The rebuilt houses are much newer, and the degree of commercialization is even higher than that of Dali Ancient City. The core scenic area of Lijiang Ancient Town is the Mu Mansion, officially known as the Mu Family Tusi's Official Residence. The Mu Mansion was severely damaged in the 1996 earthquake and was rebuilt in 1998. It retains the style and characteristics of Ming Dynasty architecture from the Central Plains and incorporates the craftsmanship of the Naxi and Bai ethnic groups, making it a grand and imposing building complex in the style of the Forbidden City. The buildings of Mu Mansion are arranged in a straight line from east to west along the central axis, mainly consisting of the main gate, the council hall, the Wanjuan Tower, the Yuyin Building, and the Sanqing Hall, etc.: the council hall, as the name suggests, is where the Tusi conducted official business; the Wanjuan Tower is a library; and the Yuyin Building is where the emperor's sacred seat was enshrined and where imperial edicts or inscriptions given to the Tusi were kept. 🌸Mu Mansion Address: No. 49, Guanyuan Lane, Guangyi Street, Dayan Ancient Town, Old Town District Opening hours: 9:00-18:00 Ticket price: 40 yuan/adult If you have enough time, the Zhongyi Market in Lijiang Ancient Town is worth a visit. It is a large local agricultural market with cheap and delicious local snacks and fresh ingredients. 🌸Lijiang Ancient Town Address: Old Town District, Lijiang City Opening hours: All day Ticket price: Free Traffic jams are severe near Lijiang Ancient Town, and there are many small parking lots around. Therefore, if you are driving, be sure to remember where the parking lot is located near which gate and what its name is, otherwise, it is really hard to find.