Baisha Old Town - most original old town with the most featured Naxi legacy in Yunnan
Last Update: 19th October 2020
Situated around 10 kilometers north of Old Town of Lijiang, Baisha Old Town is the old capital of the Old Kingdom of Naxi. It is the hometown of Mu Tusi. Compared to Old Town of Lijiang and Shuhe Ancient Town, Baisha Old Town is the least touristy with the most authentic Naxi lifestyle. Naxi tie-dye process and embroidery crafts are well-preserved in the old town.
Baisha Old Town Fast Facts
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Interested in visiting Baisha Old Town on a Yunnan Tour?
Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Baisha Old Town, among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.
What to expect at Baisha Old Town
Baisha Old Town was the political, economic, business and cultural center of Lijiang. At the heart of the town is the building complex of palaces, halls and temples. You will find the ruins of Fuguo Temple, Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Hall and Dage Pavilion there.
Originally built in 1601, Fuguo Temple was the temple for Mu Family at the very first. Unfortunately, the temple was damaged during the period of the Great Cultural Revolution (1966 - 1976). Only gate houses of Wufeng Building and Jietuolin are preserved. The gate houses have been removed into Black Dragon Pool Park since 1979.
Originally built in 1582, Dabaoji Palace offers 12 murals with a total area of 61.48 square meters. The murals are a combination of Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism. Traditional techniques of Han, Tibetan, Naxi and Bai were applied in the murals.
Dading Pavilion stands in the northeast of Dabaoji Palace. The inner wall and the wall of the gallery are painted with murals. 17 murals have an area of 69.96 square meters. The inner wall is painted with Mandkesvara while the wall of the gallery is painted with Manjusri, Samantabhadra and Mahasthamaprapta. Flying Apsaras is painted on the upper right corner of the wall.
Walk around the old town and you will immerse yourself in the simple life there. You will see local elders selling vegetables they themselves grow. You may be attracted by the exquisite tie-dye products and embroidery products with local characters of Naxi culture. The owners of shops there are locals as well. If interested, they are happy to introduce Naxi culture and history to you in Chinese. Thangka is also an amazing article in the old town. Most of the houses across the town are old buildings with their original charm. On the doors of some houses, you will be shocked at couplets in hieroglyph of Naxi. If lucky enough, you could be invited into one old house by locals.
Originally built in 1601, Fuguo Temple was the temple for Mu Family at the very first. Unfortunately, the temple was damaged during the period of the Great Cultural Revolution (1966 - 1976). Only gate houses of Wufeng Building and Jietuolin are preserved. The gate houses have been removed into Black Dragon Pool Park since 1979.
Originally built in 1582, Dabaoji Palace offers 12 murals with a total area of 61.48 square meters. The murals are a combination of Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism. Traditional techniques of Han, Tibetan, Naxi and Bai were applied in the murals.
Dading Pavilion stands in the northeast of Dabaoji Palace. The inner wall and the wall of the gallery are painted with murals. 17 murals have an area of 69.96 square meters. The inner wall is painted with Mandkesvara while the wall of the gallery is painted with Manjusri, Samantabhadra and Mahasthamaprapta. Flying Apsaras is painted on the upper right corner of the wall.
Walk around the old town and you will immerse yourself in the simple life there. You will see local elders selling vegetables they themselves grow. You may be attracted by the exquisite tie-dye products and embroidery products with local characters of Naxi culture. The owners of shops there are locals as well. If interested, they are happy to introduce Naxi culture and history to you in Chinese. Thangka is also an amazing article in the old town. Most of the houses across the town are old buildings with their original charm. On the doors of some houses, you will be shocked at couplets in hieroglyph of Naxi. If lucky enough, you could be invited into one old house by locals.
Best time to visit Baisha Old Town
The best time to visit Mufu Palace is in the morning.
The best months to visit are from April to October.
The best months to visit are from April to October.
How to get to Baisha Old Town
You could take a direct bus – Bus 6 from the Old Town of Lijiang to Baisha Old Town or rent a vehicle to Baisha town directly.
Additional Baisha Old Town Travel Advice
- Opening hours: 24 hours
- The entrance pricing to the town is free.
- As at 19th October 2020, the entrance pricing to the murals in Dabaiji Palace is 30 CNY per person. For the latest pricing information, please contact us via email (info@wendyweitours.com)
- The pricing for goods in Baisha Old Town is much lower than that in the Old Town of Lijiang.
- Please wear the sunscreen cream and sunglasses with you.
Interested in visiting Baisha Old Town on a Tour?
Wendy Wei Tours offers a variety of different packaged tours as well as custom tours including Baisha Old Town, among other attractions and destinations. To find out more, please visit our Tours page or Contact Us directly to find out more.