|
The ancient town of Lijiang
 The ancient town of Lijiang was built in the middle of
a flatland at the foot of the Yulong Snow Mountain. It got its name
"Dayan Zheng" (the Town of Big Ink Slab)because the town is surrounded
by tree-covered mountains on all sides with crystal clear water
running in the middle of it. It has the appearance of a big jade ink
slab. The town covers an area of 3.8 square kilometers at an elevation
of 2400 meters. It has a population of 25,379, among whom there are
16,999 Naxi people.
The town was huilt in the late song dynasty and the early Yuan
dynasty. Since then, it has been the political, cultural, and
educational center in this area. For a time, it had been an important
trading center for business between Yunnan Tibet, China and India. The
town is full of shops with a superb collection of handicrafts made of
brass, fur, leather and textile, most of which are run by shrewd Naxi
women. The Naxi houses have been built in close order. From time to
time, one can see Naxi old men walking leisurely under the eaves and
in the narrow lanes. The town embodies rich traditional Naxi culture
and fully reflects the prosperity and progress of the Naxi ethnic
group. The buildings in the town have incorporated the best Han,
Tibet, and Bai styles into the unique Naxi style so it is one of the
rarest and be st preserved ancient towns of the minority ethnic people
in China. The geographical features and the Helongtan (Black Dragon
Pool) river system were taken into account by the builders while
selecting the site and planning the layout of the town. Houses have
been built on the mountain slopes tier upon tier. "The city depends on
water for existence and water comes along with the city" has become
one of the main features of the old town.
The roads in the old town radiate from Sifang Street (Square Street)
to form a network connecting every cornet of the city. Small squares
are scattered along appropriate sections of the main streets. All the
streets and l anes of the town are paved with red breccia, which is
neither muddy in the rainy season nor dusty in the dry season. These
fine-grained stones cohere perfectly with the entire environment of
the town. |
|
|
