Sightseeing in Dali

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I.  Dali Old Town  : The Ancient Town of Dali, nestled in the arms of the enormous Cangshan Mountain, and surrounded by a wall eight meters high and 3.5 kilometers in circumference, the 600-year-old city of Dali was first built in 1683, in the 15th year of the Hongwu reign during the Ming Dynasty. Featuring stone walls, grey-tiled roofs, doors and windows carved with dragon and phoenix patterns, and gardens of varying sizes, the dwellings of Dali have an air of classic sanctity. The entire city is covered by a maze of streams, fed by runoffs from the Cangshan Mountain. Hence the saying, " The gurgling of water can be heard in every house, and flowers are planted everywhere". It is also the staring point of the Mild Seven Outdoor Quest, which has been held here in both 1998 and 1999. There are daily tourist buses leaving from Kunming to Dali sometime around 8 to 9 am. The bus takes about 7 hours each way and costs CNY 100. Train and flights are also available.

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II. Three Pagodas(santa) : The Three Pagodas of Chongshen Monastery, at the foot of the Zhonghe Peak which is part of Cangshan Mountain, are just one kilometre to the northwest of the ancient city of Dali. Here stand three beautiful pagodas, which are an emblem of the city's long and celebrated history. The tallest of the trio, which is 69.13 meters tall, was built in 836 AD, while the two smaller ones were built during a later period. No visit to Dali is complete without a visit to see the three pagodas.

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III. Butterfly Spring : Situated at the foot of Yunlong Peak in the Cangshan Mountains, the Butterfly Spring is actually a pool four meters deep and 20 meters wide. The gnarled boughs of an ancient silk tree stretch over its surface. In the fourth lunar month every year, the tree puts out butterfly-shaped flowers, and swarms of butterflies belonging to twenty or so breeds descend on the tree, linking themselves together into multicolored strings, which keep dangling over the pool. Because of these annual butterfly conventions, the silk tree and the Butterfly Spring have become the major tourist attractions of the Cangshan Mountain.

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IV. Cangshan Mountain : Also called " Diancang", the Cangshan Mountain juts up like a huge screen wall in the western part of Dali. Malong, the main peak, soars 4,122 meters into the sky capped with a snowy summit that never thaws. Over the vales, many streams flow with a rich babbling sound; upward on the slopes, the blue sky is obscured by the dense foliage of the groves of ancient trees; atop the peaks, lakes sparkle like rippling mirrors. With its vast collection of plants and trees, the Cangshan Mountain is also a veritable botanical garden.

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V. Erhai Lake : In the shape of an "er", meaning ear in Chinese, Erhai Lake, in the east of Dali, covers 250 square kilometres at an elevation of 1,980 meters with water a storage capacity of 300,000 cubic meters. This vast body of water shines under the sun like a sheet of vivid green while the snowy peaks of the Cangshan Mountain are reflected in its quivering surface. These sights combine to form a breathtaking sight known poetically as "Silver Cangshan and Jade-like Erhar ". Erhai Park is also known as Tuanshan Mountain and covers an area of more than 15,000 mu. The Mountain slopes are covered with luxuriant pines, Cypresses and grass, and embroidered with clusters of Camellias, Azaleas, Primrose, and exotic trees and flowers, which can be found only in and around Dali. The pavilions, chambers and corridors atop Tuanshan Mountain provide a panoramic view of Cangshan Mountain. Shimmering on the horizon like an immense screen is Erhai Lake, its vast expanse of liquid silver rising up like a white sail and alive with darting gulls and swallow. It is situated next to the ancient city of Dali and its trio of pagodas, which are faintly visible in the distance. It is, indeed, an ideal place to marvel at the famous scene titled "Silvery Cangshan Mountain and jade-like Erhai Lake ".

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VI. The Jizu Hills of Binchuan : Located 36 kilometers from Binchuan County, the Jizu Hills derive their name from the chinese word for chicken foot, which locals claim it resembles. The hills are not only a famous Buddhist sanctuary, but also a beautiful tourist resort. From the second floor of the Lengyan Tower on the top of the nearby hills, the Cangshan Mountains, Three Pagodas and Erhai Lake can all be seen standing face to face in the west. Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain covered with silver snow can be seen to the north.                               Lengyan Tower The principle surviving buildings of Jizu Hills are Lingshanyihui Archgate, Zhusheng Temple, Lengyan Tower, Jinding Temple, Copper Buddha Hall, Jiaye Hall, Huideng Convent and Taizi (prince) Pavilion. Binchuan is 393 kilometers from Kunming. Buses are available at any bus station in Kumning.

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VII. The Shibao ( Stone Treasure ) Hills of Jianchuan : Located 25 km southwest of Jianchuan County, the Shibao (Stone Treasure) Hills are also called the Shizhong (Stone Bell) Hills. Built during the Tang and Song Dynasties, it is considered an offical historical site. The Shibao Hills scenic region is consists of the Shizhong Temple, the Baoxiang Temple and Haiyunju County. One hundred and thirty-nine statues of Buddha in 16 grottoes are scattered throughout Shizhong Temple, and Shiziguan and Shadengqing of the Shizhong Temple section. The Baoxiang Temple section is the most scenic attraction of Shibao Hills. The Baoxiang Temple has a reputation as the "Suspended Temple ". Thousands of stone steps ascend to the Cascade, Stone Tower, Sky Ladder, and Ancient Bridge, halls and pavilions. The gate of the Shibao Hills is in the Haiyunju section. The optimal season to visit the Shibao Hills is the end of the 7th month and the beginning of the 8th month of the lunar calendar. There is a traditional singing and dancing jamboree held each year, which never fails to enchant visitors. Jianchuan is 524 km from Kunming. Bus tickets can be purchased from any bus station in Kunming to Jianchuan via Dali .