Tuesday, December 16th, 2003 – Day 301 – Irish Guy’s Round the World Trips

Tuesday, December 16th, 2003 – Day 301

I was up at 8.30am and stuffed myself in the all you can eat breakfast buffet (although not as much as others). One guy must have had about 5 full breakfasts. I paid 30 Yuan per day in Old Dali Inn (Number Five Guest house). I thought I would be smart and take the 1 Yuan bus back to Xiaguan and get a bus from there. When I arrived at the bus station there, they said they had no buses to Lijiang. A few frustrating moments until an employee put me into a taxi (I hate taxis) and send off. I arrived at the right bus station (there are 4 in town) and paid the taxi 5 Yuan (.50 cent). I purchased a ticket to Lijiang. It cost 35.50 Yuan.

I was the only person on the mini bus and it took about 3.5 hours. We collected more people on the way. There are so many markets in this area. There are markets for everyday of the week. We passed about three on the way.

I arrived in Lijiang about 1.00pm. I walked to the old town. I did what you should not do. I booked into the first hotel I found. I went a bit upmarket for a room with shower. She wanted 80 Yuan but as soon as I mentioned 50, she said Yes. I should have said 40 Yuan, Ah well. The room has great views over the old town.

Lijiang is as lovely as it gets in China. Located in the northwest part of Yunnan Province, this capital of the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County (pop. 302,000) is home to the Naxi people (who constitute almost 60% of its population) and to a smaller number of Bai, Tibetan, Mosu, and Han peoples. Though its history dates to the Warring States (475-221 B.C.), its most influential period was when it was governed by Nxi chieftains during the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).

In February 1996, an earthquake hit Lijiang, killing over 300 people and destroying much of the city. Amazingly, many of the traditional Naxi houses held up quite well, leading the government in its reconstruction process to pour millions of yuan into replacing concrete buildings with traditional wooden Naxi architecture. The World Bank came up with rebuilding funds, and Lijiang was conferred with the ultimate imprimatur (some would say the kiss of death) as a UNESCO World Heritage town in 1999. All this attention plus the construction of a new airport and hotels has turned it into a major tourist destination. Lijiang’s old town, with its cobblestone streets, gurgling streams, and Naxi architecture, thankfully preserves a modicum of traditional ways, but as Han merchants move in to cater to hordes of stampeding tourists, many of the Naxi who still live there (about 6,000 households) are finding their old way of life being challenged.

Located on the road to Tibet in a region widely regarded as being one of the most beautiful in the world, Lijiang also offers a plethora of fascinating side trips that can easily take up to a week or more of your time. Lijiang (elev. 2,340m/7,800 ft.) has a pleasant climate year-round with average temperatures in the spring, summer, and fall ranging between 60F and 80F (16C and 27C). Spring and summer are the best times to visit, as the summer months are often crowded with Chinese tourists.

The Naxi–The majority of China’s Naxi population, numbering just under 290,000, lives in Yunnan, and of this group, more than half reside in the Ljiang Naxi Autonomous County; the rest reside in Zhongdin, Nnglng, Yongshng, and Dqn counties to the northwest. Though the Naxi’s exact origins are not known, they are thought to be descendants of the ancient nomadic Tibetan Qiang tribes of Qinghai. Driven south by northern invaders, the Naxi have been resident in the Lijiang area for around 1,400 years.

The Naxi believe in a polytheistic religion called dongba (meaning “wise man” or “scripture reader”), which is a blend of Tibetan lamaism, Daoism, and shamanistic beliefs in various gods and spirits in nature. Dongba are also Naxi shamans, the most revered figures because they not only act as mediators between the present and the spirit world but are the only ones who can read, write, and interpret the approximately 1,400 pictographic characters that comprise the Naxi script created over a thousand years ago.

The importance of the shaman notwithstanding, women play a dominant role in Naxi society, which is matrilineal in nature. Inheritance passes from the mother through the youngest daughter, and women control the purse strings, work the fields, and trade at markets. It is the men who traditionally function as child-raisers, gardeners, and musicians. The revival in recent years of traditional Naxi music has helped keep alive an ancient art form that the Naxi have been practicing since before the days of Kublai Khan’s invasion of Lijiang in the 13th century. Many of the songs, rarely heard anywhere else and some dating as far back as the Sing and Ting dynasties, are played on rare and unusual musical instruments several hundred years old. Dongba music and dance performances are held every evening in the old town, and feature prominently as well in Naxi festivals, including the traditional Sanduo Festival held on the eighth day of the second lunar month to honor the god Sanduo, believed to be the great protector of the Naxi against a whole horde of pestilence and disasters.

Its really nice town to walk around. The streets are closed to traffic (they are too small anyway). They Naxi shops, cobbled stones paths. Yopu get lost straight away. Lots of Chinese tourists but very few Westerners. I headed down to the Market where many Naxi were selling. Including Dog, Rabbit, Pigeon meat. There were two cages with 9 dogs next to the slaughter house. Ah well.

I spent the full day walking around. The weather is excellent during the day. You are likely to get sunburn but it gets very cold at night. All hostel beds and hotel beds come with an electric blanket and I used mine. I watched a terrible film with Chinese subtitles called Beyond the Peak.