Introducing Dali

Dali is situated in the southwest of Yunnan and at the intersection of the Yunnan-Burma Highway and Yunnan-Tibetan Highway. This historically and culturally famous city of China is renowned for her historical interest. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was the capital of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, the political, economic and cultural centre of Yunnan, an important gateway of cultural exchange and trading with south-eastern Asian countries, and an important pass of the ancient ‘Silk Route of the South’. It has long enjoyed the reputation of ‘‘A Land of Letters’’.

Attractions

 

The Erhai Lake – The Erhai Lake, also known as Xi'er River in old times is named after its shape and expanse. It is one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in China and the largest highland lake next to Dianchi Lake (in Kunming). So it was called "Plateau Pearl". The beautiful scenery and limpid waters of Erhai Lake are charming and attractive. On the boundless expanse of the lake there are steamers, sailing boats, flying birds, the Three Islets, the Four Sand Bars, the Five Miniature Lakes and the Nine Curvatures, with their reflections in the placid water. They are accompanied by Bai girls in bright-coloured costumes on the shore or in fishing boats singing the praises of their life. The picturesque scenery makes you feel relaxed and happy. The white snow covering the green Cangshan Mountain coupled with the limpid water of Erhai Lake have earned Dali the fame of ‘Jade Erhai and Silver Cangshan’. During a clear night, the moon is mirrored in the lake and people call it the ‘Erhai Moon’ which is one of the four best sights of Dali.

The Dali Ancient City – It lies 2 mile north from Xiaguan, the capital of Dali Prefecture. The circumference of Dali Ancient City was 4 miles long. The City Wall is 25 feet high and 23 feet thick. The interior of the wall was filled with rocks and the surface was bricked over smoothly. There are also 45 battlements and 1560 crenels on the walls. A defensive river was surrounding the city. The streets and avenues in the city now are crisscrossing each other, typical of chessboard pattern. The buildings are all covered with dark blue tiles and pebble-staked walls. All look very pristine and delicate. The famous Dali camellia, azalea and orchids are competing to show their beauty, blooming against snow on Cangshan Mountain. Red flowers and green grass are coming out from wall, making up flowers streets. Streams from Cangshan Mountain come into the city, going across the streets and visiting every family with their happy sound and sweet taste, running eastwards to Erhai Lake. The whole city looks fresh and wet, without any dust.

The Triple Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple – It is located at the foot of Yingle Peak of Cangshan Mountain at the northwest suburb of Dali Ancient City. In the time of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, Chongsheng Temple was the largest monastery in this area and the Triple Pagodas was only a part of it. Now, the monastery has long disappeared and only the Triple Pagodas remains. Between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake, the Triple Pagodas stands like the legs of a huge tripod. There are Buddhist sculpture on the east and west shrines. The other two shrines are the windows for the pagoda.

The Butterfly Spring – Fifteen miles north of Dali, at the foot of Yunlong Peak of Cangshan Mountain is the Butterfly Spring. Riding along Yunnan-Tibetan highway towards the northwest, you will see a stone statue of butterflies on the roadside denoting the site of the fountain. Turning westwards, you will find a huge marble arch with a horizontal inscription of three Chinese characters Hu Die Quan, meaning ‘Butterflies' Fountain’.

In late spring and early summer, when flowers of all kinds are blooming, the tree puts forth fragrant white and yellow flowers, attracting thousands of real butterflies to gather on its leaves. Some hundred species of butterflies, different in size and colour, flutter around. They are sometimes linked in the shape and colour of a rainbow; sometimes they fly in pairs or clusters. The most marvellous thing is that they would sometimes join together one after another and form a long coloured string hanging from the tree branches right over the surface of water. It is really a spectacle worth seeing.

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Our Tour Packages featuring Dali :

| China Ethnic Culture Tour | China Panorama |