Lijiang (lì jiāng 丽江) is an ancient town at the foot of the Yulong Snow Mountain (yù lóng xuě shān 玉龙雪山)  in northwestern Yunnan (yún nán 云南). In 1997, it was put on the World Cultural Heritage List. Lijiang got its name from the Lishui (now Jinsha) River (lì shuǐ hé 丽水河), which flows through the town. All year round the snow-capped peaks are enticing people to come for a visit. The Lijing Ancient Town (lì jiāng gǔ chéng 丽江古城) is the center of Lijiang Naxi Ethnic Minority Autonomous County (lì jiāng nà xī zú zì zhì zhōu 丽江纳西族自治州).

It is situated in the Lijiang Basin surrounded by mountains. The Shizi (Lion) Mountain (shī zi shān 狮子山) helps block the icy wind from the northwest. At the Yuquan waterfall which feeds the Heilong (Black Dragon) Pool (hēi lóng tán 黑龙潭), separate streams meet and join together, carrying the melted snow into the town, flowing through the streets and lanes in all directions. Stone arched bridges span the rivers, and weeping willows sway gently in the breeze, Birds sing and flowers are fragrant. The whole town is shrouded in simplicity and elegance.

The Lijiang Ancient Town contains a group of well-preserved ancient buildings from the Ming (míng 明) and Qing (qīng 清) dynasties. The world-famous Sifang (square) Street (sì fāng jiē 四方街) is lined with little shops. Five major streets connect all the roads and lanes. Streets which run beside the streams are all paved with colorful cobbles. After rain, they look shining and neat. Naxi women, wearing their blue pleated skirts and sheepskin shawls decorated with seven stars and seven ribbons, add a lingering charm to the ancient town.

Most of the residents of the Lijiang Ancient Town are Naxi people. Their houses are traditional buildings with carved beams and painted rafters. Bridges, courtyards and springs are everywhere. Lijiang was first built in the 13th century, and is one of the few ancient towns that have no city walls in the world. The hereditar (master) of the Naxi minority all come from the Mu (wood, mù 木) family. In Chinese, 木 plus a frame becomes 困 ( kùn, surrounded), so they did not build city walls.
 
Admission Fee: RMB 80 (Protection Fare)
Recommended Time for a Visit: 40 minutes
Best time to go: Spring, Summer and Autumn
The yearly average temperature is from 54.68F to 67.82F in Lijiang City.The hottest temperature is from 64.588F to 78.26F and the coldest temperature is from 39.56F to 53.78F. The rainy season is from May to October. From November to May is a dry season with plenty of sunshine.
Travel Tips:
Be sure to respect local customs and traditions.
It is the paradise for hiking.
Only walking is allowed in old town of Lijiang.
Please take umbrella, sunbonnet, sunglass, and suntan oil in summer.

Tags: Travel in Yunnan  Travel in Beijing