[2025 Lufeng Attraction] Travel Guide for Heijing Town (Updated Jun)

Tired of crowded tourist traps? Why not try reverse tourism? This time, I'm recommending a hidden gem of a city often overlooked amidst Yunnan's many scenic spots—Yuanmou. Many people's impression of Yuanmou only stays in the history textbooks as the "Yuanmou Man" site. They may pass by but never delve deeper, unaware of the stunning natural scenery and rich cultural heritage hidden here. Compared to popular tourist destinations like Dali and Lijiang, Yuanmou receives less publicity and few tourists, except for some people from other places who come for winter retreats. But once you visit, you'll be deeply impressed by its magnificent scenery, making it an ideal destination for avoiding crowds during holidays like the Lunar New Year. Here's a guide I've put together after spending a few days exploring. Don't forget to like and save it! 1. Transportation Guide Yuanmou has a high-speed rail station. It only takes 1.5 hours from Kunming. Enjoy a comfortable high-speed rail journey to this mysterious land. 2. Travel Itinerary - Day 1: Arrive in Yuanmou → Experience the charm of Leiding Village with its vibrant atmosphere and ancient trees → Admire the breathtaking spectacle of the Langbapu Earth Forest. - Day 2: Explore the Yuanmou Man Museum → Head to Jiangbian Township, stroll along the beach, and visit the Red Army Long March Memorial Hall → Optionally visit Bingnong Village. - Day 3: Visit Waipula Ancient Village to experience Yi ethnic customs → Pass through Yongren → Return to Yuanmou. - Day 4: Explore the ancient charm of the millennium-old salt capital, Heijing Ancient Town → Embark on your return journey. 3. Recommended Attractions - Langbapu Earth Forest: A natural wonder formed by hundreds of millions of years of wind and rain erosion, it is one of the largest earth forests in China. Of the two earth forest scenic areas in Yuanmou, Langbapu is larger and less crowded. The towering earth pillars are visually striking, and stepping into them feels like being on an alien planet. The lighting is fantastic in the afternoon. Tickets are only 50 yuan. - Yuanmou Man Museum: As the discovery site of Yuanmou Man, the museum displays thousands of ancient fossils, offering a great window into the origin and evolution of humankind. Admission is free. - Leiding Village: Hundreds of sturdy, centuries-old acacia trees grow in the village, including a 1,600-year-old acacia tree king. The ancient trees are tranquil and full of spiritual energy. The village is filled with a vibrant atmosphere. No tickets are required. - Jiangbian Township: A beautiful village located on the banks of the Jinsha River. Here, you can stroll along the beach, enjoy leisure time, and visit the Red Army Long March Memorial Hall to revisit that magnificent period of history. All free of charge. - Bingnong Village: Known as the "California of Yunnan," it boasts a unique Mars-like landscape. However, it's a bit far, about a 3-hour drive. You can choose to visit based on your time and energy. No tickets are required. - Waipula Ancient Village: An ancient Yi village hidden deep in the mountains. Although it belongs to Yongren, it's very close to Yuanmou. The entire village is arranged along the cliffs, with hundreds of houses scattered in an orderly fashion. The unique red earth exterior walls are full of rustic charm. No tickets are required. - Heijing Ancient Town: A salt-producing area with thousands of years of history, it belongs to Lufeng but is also very close to Yuanmou. The ancient town preserves a large number of Ming and Qing Dynasty houses, as well as dozens of cultural relics such as stone pagodas, inscriptions, ancient stages, and chastity archways. Temples like Feilai Temple, Dalong Temple, and the Confucian Temple are grand in scale, and the Wu Family Courtyard is not to be missed. All are free to visit. Yuanmou, a hidden gem, is truly worth a visit!

👍Recommended reasons: It allows people to feel the tranquil and ancient atmosphere, understand the history and culture of salt production, enjoy unique cuisine, and it is not highly commercialized. 📍Location: Heijing Ancient Town 🚙Transportation: - Departing from Kunming, it takes about two hours by car, with a one-way toll of just over one hundred. - The first one and a half hours are on the highway, and the last half hour is on mountain roads, with some sections under construction. - There is a parking lot at the entrance of the ancient town, and you can also park along the main road, but the entrances and exits are easily congested. 🎠Must-visit attractions: - Wu Family Courtyard: A unique sloped courtyard with grand architecture and exquisite wood and stone carvings. - Confucian Temple: It has a wishing pool, a shrine for local sages, and a shrine for famous officials, and you can also see poems written by children. - Heijing Salt Well History Museum: Learn about the knowledge of salt. - Ancient Salt Workshop: Experience DIY salt making. - Dalongsi: A venue for major events. - Feilai Temple: Offers a panoramic view of the ancient town. ❤️Other tips: - Unique delicacies such as gray tofu and pine needle grilled tofu. - There is a lively market every Sunday.

Heijing Ancient Town is one of the four ancient towns in Yunnan. When you walk into the ancient town, you will find a serene and quaint atmosphere everywhere. There are no bustling crowds or dazzling goods on the streets, only a leisurely lifestyle. Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Lufeng County Travel options: 🚌or🚗 🚗 Self-drive for 2 hours, green train for 2 hours then transfer 🚌 Take the Yunnan Transport Sightseeing Bus from Kunming to Heijing (including round-trip air-conditioned bus fare, lunch fee, dinner buffet fee, insurance fee) 🗺️Play 1⃣️ Heijing Ancient Town: Known as the "Millennium Salt Capital." It has been famous for producing tribute salt since the Han and Tang dynasties. The ancient town still retains a large number of ancient buildings with earthen foundations. 2⃣️ Feilai Temple: Located halfway up the mountain, the terrain is steep. It is recommended to prepare food and water before climbing, and those with weak bodies should be cautious. 3⃣️ Wu Family Courtyard: Well-preserved Ming and Qing architecture, consisting of four courtyards, with 99 rooms and 108 doors. 4⃣️ Ancient Salt Workshop: An ancient workshop for salt-making in the ancient town. 5⃣️ Dalong Shrine: Inside the shrine hangs a plaque inscribed by Emperor Yongzheng with the words "Lingyuan Puze." 🍽️Eat Local snacks: Pine needle roasted gray tofu, fennel baba with thin bean powder, roasted beef jerky, pomegranate flowers, kapok flowers, pear vinegar (all highly recommended! Super delicious!!)

Spend a day and ¥100+ to visit Heijing Ancient Town. There is no commercialization here, and it is not as noisy as Dali and Lijiang. A small town that prospers because of salt, and is also one of the four ancient towns in Yunnan. Since ancient times, Heijing has been a place where tribute salt is produced, and is also known as the "Salt Capital". Heijing Ancient Town is a place with a very slow pace. If you go to a big city, you can use the impact of the prosperity to broaden your physical and mental horizons. Then coming to Heijing should be a relaxing and enjoyable journey away from the hustle and bustle. Attractions 🌟🌟🌟 1. Wu Family Courtyard: Ming and Qing Dynasty architecture. There are 99 houses and 108 doors. It is an architectural complex that combines Nanzhao culture with Han culture. In 1857, Emperor Xianfeng granted Wu Jizu the title of Jinshi in the imperial examination and inscribed a plaque with the words "Huadi Fanghui" to honor him. 2. Black Bull Square: According to the "Heiyanjing Chronicles", "A native named Li Azhao herded cattle in the mountains. He found a fat cow and lost it. He followed the trail and found that the cow licked the ground and came out. Salt. In order to commemorate the achievements of the black bull, this place was called "Black Bull Salt Well", and later "Black Well". 3. Ancient Salt Workshop: It was once the core location for Heijing salt production and the source of Heijing’s wealth. 4. Feilai Temple: Built during the Hongwu period of the early Ming Dynasty, it was originally named "Mita Temple". It has more than a thousand steps and overlooks the Longchuan River Gorge and the entire Heijing Ancient Town. It is simple and quiet. 5. Confucian Temple: covers an area of ​​10.3 acres, and the Confucian Temple has existing buildings. Food: Fried dried fish, grilled tofu, fennel cakes, grilled fish in the ancient town Taro, pomegranate flowers, braised chicken with salt, gray tofu, yellow bean rice noodles, and pear vinegar cold rolls.

📍Chuxiong Yi Heijing Ancient Town 🍽️ Yijia Local Cuisine Restaurant 🍃Heijing Ancient Town is one of the four ancient towns in Yunnan. Walking into the ancient town, you will find that it is quiet and simple everywhere. There are no bustling crowds on the streets, no dazzling array of goods, but only a slow life. 🍃 Tour route 1️⃣ Wujia Courtyard It is the most complete and representative Ming and Qing architecture in Heijing. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

| The least commercialized ancient town. Heijing, also known as Yanxi, "in the morning, the smoke is moving and the sky is covered, and at night, the lights are gray and the banks are hazy." Heijing Ancient Town is known as the thousand-year-old salt capital. It was famous for producing tribute salt in the Han and Tang dynasties. It still retains brick and tile houses and earthen walls, and is not very commercialized. [Transportation🚊] You can drive or take the train. The train is recommended. The traditional green train has only one trip a day for the outbound and return trips. Outbound: No. 7466, Kunming-Heijing (6:25-8:48) You can always see different scenery when you get up early. Return: No. 7465, Heijing-Kunming (16:22-19:57) You don't get a seat when you buy a ticket for the return trip, but there are many empty seats, so don't worry. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

🌟Highlights: 1. Take the high-speed train from Kunming to Lufeng, then transfer to the direct bus from Lufeng to Tuguan. It's a 70-plus kilometer drive, taking about 1 hour and 30 minutes. 2. The peach blossoms are blooming, and you can take beautiful photos effortlessly. 3. Few people and beautiful scenery 4. Cultural landscapes of Lufeng: the hometown of dinosaurs—Dinosaur Valley, the Western Yunnan Highway, Jiuguan Shida Pu including the Lianxiang Pass, the salt capital, and the salt-producing area—Heijing Ancient Town (there are direct buses to each attraction) 5. The food is inexpensive (Lufeng rice is very tasty)

I discovered another super niche and low-key ancient town in Yunnan, the once prosperous but now forgotten 'Millennium Salt Capital'—Heijing Ancient Town. The ancient town and its surrounding natural scenery are all in earthy yellow, giving a sense of desolation and barrenness. Some remaining buildings and slogans make one feel as if they have traveled back to the 1960s and 1970s. The ancient town is quite small, and it takes only about two hours to stroll around. There's not much commercial activity, so it's recommended to return on the same day or to visit other places. 📌Heijing Town, Lufeng City, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. 🚃Take the green-skin train from Kunming to get there directly, about 2.5h. 🚗If driving by yourself, it takes about 2.5h from Kunming and about 1.5h from Chuxiong.

It is known as the 'Hometown of Dinosaurs,' 'Lufengpithecus,' 'Yuanmou Man,' and features the Yuanmou Earth Forest, Lion Mountain Peony, Zixi Mountain Tea, and the Yi Solar Calendar. Come and experience the charm of the Yi people in China! In Chuxiong, you can see dinosaurs, wander through the Earth Forest, dress in Yi ethnic clothing to stroll through the ancient Yi capital, and deeply experience the slow-paced lifestyle. 🚗Transportation: You can fly directly to Kunming and then take a train or bus to Yuanmou County. 📍Train: There are several train routes from Kunming to Yuanmou. Trains starting with 'K' take about 4 hours, and a hard seat ticket costs around 40 yuan. 📍Bus: There are public buses from the Northwest Bus Station in Kunming directly to Yuanmou County, which takes about 3 hours to reach Yuanmou. ☀️Attractions: ✅Yuanmou Earth Forest: The Earth Forest is a group of columnar landforms shaped by soil deposits. Here you can see a variety of sand sculptures and mud carvings and a mysterious and bewildering geological landscape, making you feel as if you are in a magical palace of art. ✅Heijing Ancient Town: One of the four great ancient towns of Yunnan, it has been a place for tribute salt since ancient times. There are streets and alleys with Tang and Song Dynasty styles, residential buildings with Ming and Qing Dynasty styles, as well as steles, stone carvings, ancient pagodas, stone archways, ancient stages, and ancient temples, ancient salt wells, salt boiling households, etc., especially the well-preserved Ming and Qing architectural typical Wu family courtyard, all worth exploring slowly. 📍Famous attractions in Heijing Ancient Town include the Wu Family Courtyard, Longci, and Feilai Temple. ✅Zixi Mountain Scenic Area: The forest and exotic flowers and trees cover more than 96% of the area, with over 1500 species of plants and various natural landscapes, making it the largest forest park in Yunnan. 📍The camellias produced locally are a unique feature of Zixi Mountain. In the camellia garden near Ziding Temple, there is a camellia mother tree from the Yuan Dynasty, which is over 600 years old. ✅World Dinosaur Valley: This site has world-class dinosaur burial and excavation sites, which are the Jurassic late period dinosaur graveyards that shocked the world 180 million years ago. 📍There is also the world's number one mounted dinosaur fossil specimen and fossil boutique display. More than sixty Lufeng dinosaur fossil skeletons are mounted and displayed on the Santaplatz, with a majestic and truly shocking presence, setting a Guinness World Record!

Heijing Ancient Town 📍Detailed address: Heijing Ancient Town is located in Lufeng County, the "Hometown of Dinosaurs" in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province 🕙Opening hours: 24 hours 💰Ticket price: No ticket 🚗Transportation: ✅Railway: You can take the train from Kunming to Panzhihua at Kunming Railway Station in Kunming City, and get off at Heijing Station, (take the 6162 train to Panzhihua at 7:20 every morning, arrive at 10:16 in the morning; return at 19:05 in the afternoon by the 6161 train, arrive at Kunming at 21:55, the ticket is 22.5 yuan or take the K114 train at 8:57, the ticket is 28.5 yuan can reach). The station is 4 kilometers away from the town. After getting off the train, you can take a horse-drawn carriage or walk to Heijing Ancient Town. The horse-drawn carriage costs about two or three yuan per person. Because Heijing Railway Station is a small station, there are only ordinary passengers, and there are more stops along the way than the express, you need to be patient when taking the train, and when you arrive at Heijing, the parking time is short, and you need to get on and off quickly. ✅Highway: Heijing Ancient Town is 111 kilometers away from Lufeng County. Self-driving cars can go from Lufeng→Jiuzhuang→Guangtong→Tuoan→Heijing. The road from Guangtong to Heijing is narrow and has many bends, and the road conditions are very poor. You need to pay special attention to safety. It takes about 4 hours to arrive. There are buses to Chuxiong, Lufeng, and Guangtong. Self-driving tour: 1, Kunming-Lufeng-Yipinglang-Dajiuzhuang-Guangtong-Tuoan-Heijing, a total of 194 kilometers. 🌟Highlights: 1️⃣Heijing has a long history. From the unearthed stone, pottery, bronze, animal bones and other cultural relics, it can be proved that the ancestors of ethnic minorities lived on this ancient land as early as 3200 years ago in the late Neolithic Age. During the Qing Dynasty, Heijing's salt industry reached its peak, and salt tax accounted for 64% of Yunnan's salt tax. Before liberation, Heijing set up a field affairs office, but the "invasion" of sea salt caused the former rich salt capital to decline due to the loss of its pillar. 2️⃣There are many cultural relics and historic sites in Heijing, including the prehistoric Shiba Li Tian Neolithic cultural site, the Yuan Dynasty cliff on Wanchun Mountain, the ancient Salt City Bridge built in the Yuan Dynasty, the Ming and Qing city embankments, and the 788-meter-long Shunhe Bridge. 🌋Main attractions: The ancient town gate, Wu Family Courtyard, Dalong Temple, ancient salt workshop, Zhutian Temple, Shangwu Family Courtyard, Dezheng Room, Jie Xiao Zongfang, sun-dried salt, Hei Niu Salt Well, Confucian Temple, Qixing Terrace and other attractions are in the town, Feilai Temple, Wangjiang Pavilion, Xiangshan Temple, Wanshou Mountain Monk Tomb Group, Sanyuan Palace, Tiansheng Monument, Zhenjue Zen Temple, Zhenwu Guan, Tingtao Pavilion and other attractions are on the mountain. 🥣Food: Heijing used to have the "Eight Eight" banquet, now there is a unique Buddhist vegetarian banquet and the "Eight Bowls Four Dishes" home banquet; salt-braised chicken, gray tofu, barbecue, roast skin, thin bean powder cake, beef dry bar, pomegranate flower and other delicious dishes, indescribable. 🏠Accommodation: There are more inns and family-style hotels in Heijing Ancient Town. The best accommodation here is the Wu Family Courtyard, which has standard rooms and ordinary rooms, with good facilities and full of ancient charm. 📌Small Tips: 1️⃣Heijing Ancient Town Festival Activities: Lunar New Year's Day, Taiping Meeting, Torch Festival, Dongjing Meeting and other 8 traditional festivals. 2️⃣The slope of Heijing Feilai Temple is high and steep, the elderly and the weak should be cautious, it is a great challenge for adventure lovers. 3️⃣Heijing Ancient Town is surrounded by mountains and rivers, and the sound of the Longjing River is rushing. If there are insomniacs, it is best to choose the side of the mountain for accommodation. Heijing Ancient Town

Spend a day and ￥100+ to visit Heijing Ancient Town. There is no commercialization here, and it doesn’t have the hustle and bustle of Dali and Lijiang. A small town that prospers because of salt, and is also one of the four ancient towns in Yunnan. Since ancient times, Heijing has been a place where tribute salt is produced, and is also known as the "Salt Capital". Heijing Ancient Town is a place with a very slow pace. If you go to a big city, you can use the impact of the prosperity to broaden your physical and mental horizons. Then coming to Heijing should be a relaxing and enjoyable journey away from the hustle and bustle.

Depart from Kunming! 22 minutes to reach a quiet town with a history of thousands of years!! Heijing Ancient Town There is a train departing from Kunming in the morning, and there is also a return train in the evening. The drive takes about 2 hours and the road condition is good. There are many cars near the ancient town during holidays, so it will be a bit congested Where to go in Kunming during the National Day? Travel to Chuxiong Yunnan niche travel

🍀The town is located in Lufeng City, the 'Hometown of Dinosaurs' in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and has been a place for tribute salt production since ancient times. It is nestled against the mountains and the river, and is a town that has been sealed in the Longchuan River Valley for almost a century. It is one of the four ancient towns in Yunnan. Location: Heijing Ancient Town, east side of Dalong Temple, Heijing Town, Lufeng City 🚗Transportation 1. Kunming Station - Heijing Station Time: There is only one trip in the morning and evening each day Morning 6:30 - 8:48 Afternoon: 16:24 - 19:53 ✨There will be horse-drawn carriages and minibuses at the exit of Heijing Railway Station, 5r/person, about 3km from Heijing Ancient Town 2. Self-driving Not recommended, the mountain road behind is not easy to walk 📷Travel Guide 1. Walk around the entire ancient town on foot, on the opposite side of the river, very few people, quiet and comfortable, there are bookstores, cafes or drinking houses by the river 2. Wu Family Mansion The mansion of the large salt merchant Wu family is built against the mountain, with 99 rooms and 108 doors, a rare group of ancient residential buildings in Yunnan 3. Heijing Museum Free, tells the history of Heijing Ancient Town and the glorious years of the salt merchants 4. Baishi Spring Well The entire valley is full of white salt crystals, which need to be climbed on foot 5. Feilai Temple A long-standing temple, you need to climb the mountain, you can overlook the panoramic view of Heijing Ancient Town

Fast-forwarding dramas at 1.5x speed Running all the way during the morning rush hour The daily chicken soup is very bland ... If you are in the above situation It's time to slow down Go to an ancient town that was born for slowness and prospered because of salt Eat salty, watch bland Rediscover the rhythm of life~ 🟢 2 days & 300 yuan budget The green-skin train starts a leisurely journey Heijing is one of the four major ancient towns in Yunnan, with only one green-skin train direct every day, it is unpopular and niche. The Longchuan River meanders along the way, the rapeseed flowers are just blooming, and every frame of scenery can be seen clearly. The 2-hour journey is also enough to open a good book that has been put aside. 🟢 Ordinary lanes and worldly fireworks It seems to see grandma's expectation The neighborhoods of Heijing are known as living fossils of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In addition to houses and ancient buildings, every door, window, and shop front is also a feature. As time goes by, the shop front has become a flower stand. Every household has couplets and flowers everywhere, and the smell of worldly fireworks flows through the lanes. On the way to Qing'an Embankment, I met an old man sunbathing, hunched over, old and kind. Perhaps when longing turns into expectation, time is dried by the wind and only the sun is accompanied, the only wish is for children and grandchildren to come home and have a hot meal together. 🟢 Watch the rise and fall of history and the ups and downs of the ancient town A moment in life is the best script right now The once wealthy wealth mystery area has also left many famous historical sites. It's just that the hustle and bustle of the martial arts courtyard, now only a few lively firecracker flowers are left to spit out the remaining flames. The ancient salt workshop was once prosperous, but it has also declined into a small handmade experience workshop... When you plug in the 'Heijing' this pair of historical headphones, the cosmic radio is also quietly transmitting energy. Look, every script has an ending. - Go to Feilai Temple and climb three thousand steps to sweat a little Go to the Confucian Temple to pick up a breeze in the shade of the green trees Go to Qing'an Embankment to pick up a slightly yellowed leaf Slow down After all The best plot is right now - 💌Tips： ▪️Transportation: Train 7466/5, return journey can be transferred from Guangtong North, G2839 can seamlessly connect at the platform ▪️Must-visit attractions: Wu Family Courtyard, Confucian Temple, Profit Workshop, Five Horse Bridge, Festival Filial Piety General Workshop, Dragon Temple, Black Bull Salt Well, Feilai Temple, Ancient Salt Workshop ▪️The attractions are relatively concentrated, the ancient salt workshop is a bit far away, if you don't want to experience the manual work, you can ignore it ▪️Must-try food: Salt-braised chicken or salt-braised three-piece, gray tofu, bean yellow rice noodles, pear soup ▪️Recommended restaurants: Huiyoutang, Longchuan Halal Restaurant, Douhuang Rice Noodles ▪️Recommended hotel: Yueheng Hotel, next to Wu Family Courtyard, 200+/night ▪️You can't get a Didi in the town, you can leave a driver's phone number, 5/person from the train station to the ancient town, 15-20/trip for the return journey ▪️Don't take the horse-drawn carriage as soon as you get off the train, it's slow and bumpy. If you want to experience it, you can take it from the vegetable market to the ancient salt workshop ▪️It is recommended to arrange 2 days and 1 night, don't rush, the slower the rhythm, the more flavorful ▪️There will be a market on Sundays, which will be more lively ▪️It's very cold in the morning in winter, so wear more