[Travel] Lijiang : Baisha Village

We go back to Old Town Lijiang (丽江古城) from watching the Impression of Lijiang (印象丽江) and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山). From there, we take the bus #6 (2 CYN) to Baisha (白沙) Village. We only found out we can rent a bike to go there because it’s close.

Baisha (白沙) Village

Baisha (白沙) Village is the oldest settlement for Naxi (纳西族) minority ethnic group and the origin of the Mu Family (木氏家族). It’s also a touristy area but less crowded than it’s counterpart. Baisha (白沙) means White Sand. Together with Old Town Lijiang (丽江古城) and Shuhe Ancient Town (束河古镇), are listed as world heritage by UNESCO.

Naxi (纳西族) established the village with proper structure including the fresco paintings, murals and architecture of the Han (汉族) people.

The village is famous for the murals/fresco carved in the Ming Dynasty painting from Taosim, Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.

Already spring here

Wenchang Palace (文昌宫)

Wenchang Palace (文昌宫) was built in Qing dynasty. The area covered 432 square meters.

Tamarix chinensis or fern leaf hedge willow. The tree is 500 years old and the eldest willow in china with 8 meters high and leans to north and south.

Dabaoji palace (大宝积) entrance fee is 30 CYN (15 CYN for Student)

The temple’s beautiful fresco.

Naxi (纳西族) embroidery and tie-die and antique shops

Food storage

Local people playing Mahjong

We’re quire hungry so we find a nearby restaurant for lunch

A bowl of vegetables (30 CYN) and Naxi (纳西族) baba bread (丽江巴巴) (10 CYN) and a glass of homemade crabapple juice 10 CYN.

After lunch, we look around for the Baisha Naxi Embroidery Institute and found it a little bit hidden. Baisha (白沙) Village is also part of the village in Yunnan for the Silk Road and Chamada (茶马道, Tea and Horse), the ancient international trade roads.

The Southern Silk Road started from Myanmar to Lijiang, Shangri-la, Lhasa India, Iran, Israel and Mediterranean sea until the trade caravan reach Europe and African countries. The Southern Silk Road is formed 4 century BC, 400 years earlier than the Northern Silk Road. Tea, Silk and embroidery, marble, meat and horses, spice, precious stones etc are the goods exchange between the merchants spanning half the globe.

Naxi embroidery rich color and character in its folk culture style reached its height during the Ming Dynasty. The institute was closed during the Culture revolution and reopen in 2011 to preserve the Naxi embroidery tradition.

The class is currently not on session and the Mistress , Mrs. Ma, is on holiday. One of the attendant and also a student in the craft explains Mrs. Ma’s current project, which is a beautiful embroidery of the goddess of Tangka, a Buddhist Deity.