Walk in Lijiang City – Yunnan, China
Lijiang (丽江), nestled in the highlands of Yunnan Province (云南省), China, is a city that feels like a storybook where snow-capped mountains meet ancient alleys, and where the traditions of the Naxi (纳西) people still echo through the streets.
Once a key stop on the Ancient Tea Horse Road (茶马古道), Lijiang has been a crossroads of cultures for centuries, and today it remains one of China’s most captivating travel destinations.
At the heart of Lijiang is the Old Town of Lijiang (丽江古城), a UNESCO World Heritage Site with stone-paved streets, flowing canals, and wooden houses with carved windows and sloping rooftops.
The old town is alive with color and sound, red lanterns swinging gently above alleyways, the soft splash of water wheels turning, and the distant melodies of traditional Naxi music.
Sifang Street (四方街), the main square, is where it all comes together a place to sip local rose tea, watch street performances, or simply get lost in the rhythm of this ancient place.
Towering in the distance is the majestic Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山), a glacier-capped peak rising 5,596 meters into the sky. Sacred to the Naxi people, the mountain is both a spiritual symbol and an unforgettable adventure.
Visitors can ride a cable car to over 4,500 meters, stand among the clouds, and gaze across jagged ice fields and alpine meadows.
At the base lies Blue Moon Valley (蓝月谷), a series of turquoise pools and waterfalls that reflect the mountain like a dream.
For a more peaceful experience, Shuhe Ancient Town (束河古镇) offers quiet charm just outside Lijiang.
Once a trade outpost on the Tea Horse Road, it remains beautifully preserved with stone bridges, slow-moving canals, and courtyards filled with flowers and sunlight.
Culture runs deep in Lijiang.
The Dongba script (东巴文) one of the world’s only living pictographic writing systems is still used by Naxi priests in ceremonies and carvings.
The Naxi Music Orchestra (纳西古乐团) performs ancient melodies each evening, using instruments rarely seen elsewhere, some dating back over a thousand years.
Video Source: Lijiang, Yunnan🇨🇳 Is This the Most Beautiful Ancient Town in the World? (4K UHD) from DuckTravel on Youtube
