Lijiang Introduction

The old town of Lijiang China, which was a famous city in the past, is located Northwest of Yunnan Province, blessed with beautiful scenery. The old town has a long history, and a brilliant culture. It’s also an old city of national minorities rarely found in China, which has been preserved intact.

The Lijiang old town is a central town located in the Lijiang autonomous county of the Naxi ethnic minority in Yunnan province. Lijiang County is located in the northwest of Yunnan province, on the transitional tract from the southern tip of the Cross-Mountains on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the north of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.

Situated in a valley surrounded by high mountains, Lijiang enjoys a temperate climate year around despite its altitude (1,609 meters or 5,280 feet above sea level), with warm days and cool nights. Daytime temperatures average 15 ºC (59 ºF) in the winter and 3 ºC (37 ºF) at night. Summer temperatures can reach 30 ºC (80 ºF) during the day and drop to 15 ºC (59 ºF) at night. Summer months (June-September) bring daily rainstorms. The best seasons to visit Lijiang are spring and fall when the days are warm, there’s little rain and the local alpine wildflowers and grasses are at their best. Whatever time of year, Lijiang is said to experience “four seasons in one day”, so be sure to pack accordingly.

Within the county, there live more than 10 nationalities: Naxi, Bai，Yi，Tibetan，Miao，etc. Of them, the Naxi people account for about 66.7% of the entire population there.

Coordinates: 26°53′N 100°14′E

Lijiang was established in the early Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368 AD) after Kublai Khan conquered the nearby city of Dali. Soon thereafter it became an important stop along the southern Silk Road, connecting Kunming with Tibet and India and making Lijiang a central meeting point for traders and a distribution point for merchandise from all over China and beyond.

The Lijiang area has been home to the Naxi minority for over 1,400 years. The Naxi descend from the Tibetan Qiang people, who migrated down the Yangtze from Northern Tibet. Most of the 300,000-strong Naxi community lives in and around Lijiang, while smaller groups are scattered throughout southwestern Sichuan and southeastern Tibet.

Lijiang City comprises one district and four counties:

• Gucheng District
• Yongsheng County
• Huaping County
• Yulong Naxi Autonomous County
• Ninglang Yi Autonomous County