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Today, Lijiang can be divided into two towns, separated
by Lion Hill. The New Town was established in the 1960s,
while the Ancient Town has been in existence for approximately
two millennia.
The Lijiang region in southwest China has been inhabited since
Palaeolithic times and became a county during the Western Han
Dynasty (206 BC - AD 220). The ancient town of Lijiang
(also known as Dayan), located in the southeast corner
of the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County, was originally built during
the end of the Southern Song Dynasty (AD 1127 - 1279) and
the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty (AD 1279 - 1368).
In AD 1256, Kublai Khan, grandson of the notorious Genghis
Kahn and founder of the Mongol dynasty, set out on an expedition
with his troops to conquer Yunnan. After crossing the Jinsha river
they came to what is now Lijiang, establishing an administrative
office and later the Lijiang Military and Civil Protectorate.
From then on the city became known as Lijiang.
The people who inhabit Lijiang have always been the Naxi
minority and from the time of its settlement, the hereditary rulers
of the town were all members of the Mu family. Lijiang is one
of the few ancient towns in the world not to be surrounded by
city walls, and common folklore has it that the Mu family name
might be the reason for this. To have Mu - a Chinese word
meaning wood - surrounded by a frame or wall would be Kun,
which in Chinese means predicament or siege; therefore, the town
was left without a protective wall.
Lijiang was an important trade route on the Silk Road,
primarily between Yunnan and Tibet, making it a centre of commercial
and cultural exchange. Many ethnic groups have contributed to
the town's prosperity, including the Tibetans, the Hans, the Bais
and the Naxis. The later Tea and Horse Roads, two other ancient
trade routes, converged in Lijiang's famous Sifang Street (sometimes
called Square Street). During the early years of the Yuan dynasty,
about 1000 families inhabited Lijiang Ancient Town. The town continued
to grow and reached its peak during the Ming (AD 1368-1644) and
Qing (AD 1644-1911) Dynasties.
Sifang Street lies at the core of Lijiang, with the entire city
spreading out in all directions from that point. Most of the dwellings
are structures made of brick and wood with carved doors and painted
windows. In order to conserve the structures and maintain the
integrity of the buildings, no motorized transport is allowed
inside the city and the only wheeled vehicles permitted within
the old town are bicycles and carts.
ARCHITECTURE
Lijiang is a picturesque town in China that has preserved many of
its ancient buildings whose construction began over 800 years ago.
The town is famous for its unique layout. At the heart of the town
lies Sifang Street, which is lined with small shops and residences.
From this street all other streets spiral outwards, and five major
ones connect all the road and lanes in the town. The town is also
criss-crossed by narrow canals and rivers. Architectural styles
are borrowed from the Han, Tibetan, and Bai people. The streets
and houses have been built in such a way as to follow the lay of
the land and flow of the rivers. Transportation is facilitated by
a series of tiny stone bridges - such a large number as to warrant
the name City of Bridges. Many of the bridges were
built during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The houses themselves display a blend of architectural styles
resulting in two unique structural styles known as one courtyard
with five skylights and three rooms with one screen wall.
The latter of these styles is more commonly used in Lijiang. The
principal room of the house, flanked by the left and right wing-rooms,
combines to form a three-sided courtyard with a screen wall positioned
opposite the principal room. The principal room often faces south
and is slightly higher than the others, as it is reserved for
senior members of the family. The east and west wing-rooms are
for junior members, and each room contains three partitions and
two stories.
The other style, known as one courtyard with five skylights
has the rooms arranged slightly differently so that the principal
room, the servants' room and the wing-rooms form a closed courtyard.
Besides the main skylight in the center, there were four smaller
ones positioned at the four corners. The courtyards were often
feats of artistic eloquence, decorated with flowers and miniature
trees and elegant pillars.
Besides the houses, Lijiang also boasts many religious buildings,
located eight kilometers north of the ancient city. These temples
are particularly remarkable for their murals, painted in the 13th
and 14th centuries, and discovered in thirteen of the temples,
including the Liuli Temple (the glazed tile temple). The
murals blend classical Tibetan Buddhist stories with Taoism, and
feature depictions of Central China, Tibet and Dongba.
CONSERVATION
Lijiang suffered serious damage in a 1996 earthquake, and restoration
efforts have begun. In 1997, UNESCO put Lijiang on a list of the
world's major cultural heritage sites. The most serious threat
to the site is tourism and the increased onslaught of tourists
each year.
LOCATION
Lijiang is situated on a plateau at an elevation about
2,600 metres above sea level, and covers an area of approximately
3.8 square kilometres. To the north of the city are the Xiangshan
and Jinhong mountains, and to the west is Mt. Shizi, giving the
city constant protection from winter winds and the elements. Croplands
extend for kilometres to the southeast of the city.
The Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County, where Lijiang is situated,
is located in the northeast corner of Yunnan province in southwest
China. The plains, where Lijiang lies, accounts for only five
per cent of the land area in the county, while the rest is covered
by mountains, most notable the famous Jade Dragon Mountain,
the highest mountain in Yunnan.
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