Lijiang Things to Do

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First built in the 2nd year of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1876), this pavilion was rebuilt following a fire in 1950. It is a triple-eaved building with a four meter high octagonal base and is some 20 meters high overall. Take time out and sit and just look out over the lake to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.

This pavilion was built in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573-1619) and then rebuilt in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It used to be the library of the former magistrate of the Lijiang prefecture. The weight of the double-eaved roof is borne by brackets. The partition doors and windows are carved with flowers, birds of the four seasons and the pattern of good luck.

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This used to be the former gateway of Fuguo Temple which is located 30km to the west. It was built in the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573-1619) and is a double-eaved building with five rooms in width and three rooms in depth.

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This corridor bridge was built in the 3rd year of Emperor Guangxu (1887). There are three cascades under the bridge with clean water rushing out towards the Old Town, thus the bridge is called Green Bridge.

This pavilion in the lake was built in the middle of the Qing Dynasty and was moved here from the Guangbi Pavilion of the Mu Mansion in the Old Town. Legend goes that the construction of the pavilion is attributed to a Naxi granny's collection of a donation. When she collected the donation, she took only one penny once which is how it was named.

This is the main entrance gate into the Black Dragon Pool Park. It was built in 1890 and was the former gateway of the Confucian temple. Screen walls stand on the two front sides with four stone lions of the Ming Dynasty facing ahead. Over the gateway are hung the three characters "Black Dragon Pool" written by Li Qunjie, the director of Yunnan Provincial Association of Calligraphists.

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This is an absolute most see thing to do whilst in Lijiang. If you walk north from the old town you'll come to this beautiful lake park with some lovely pavilions and bridges that shouts CHINA at you. I went on a lovely, clear, sunny day where I could see the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the distance and took some stunning photos of it and of the lake park which can be seen in my travelogues.

The lake park was built in 1737 and covers an area of 40 hectares (over 430,000 sqft). Because Emperor Qianlong bestowed it the name of Jade spring Dragon God, it used to be called The Temple of Jade - spring Dragon God. Afterwards, emperors Jiaqing and Guangxu gave it the title Dragon God and it was then renamed Black Dragon Pool. Every March, when the weather is delightful, the local community gathers at the Dragon God Temple to pray and seek blessing. The emerald spring waters are famous for their curative powers, whether for stomach troubles or to enhance your complexion.

Open: 8am-7pm. Admission: no entrance fee, but you have to show your receipt of the Old Town preservation, which costs Y80.

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This temple is one of the best preserved in the old town. It shows the unusual features of the religious buildings with the statue of Omni-virtue Bodhisattva being worshipped in the main hall facing the gate and an arch.