Introduction of Dali

Dali, a historically and culturally famous city of China, is renowned for her historical interest. During the Tang and Song Dynasties, it was the capital of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms, the political, economic and cultural centre of Yunnan, an important gateway of cultural exchange and trading with southeastern Asian countries, and an important pass of the ancient "Silk Route of the South". It has long enjoyed the reputation of "a land of letters".

Dali lies on the western edge of Erhai Lake at an altitude of 1900m, with the imposing Cangshan Mountain range (with an average height of 4000m) behind it. For much of the five centuries in which Yunnan governed its own affairs, Dali was the centre of operations, and the old city still retains a historical atmosphere that is hard to come by in other parts of China. Certainly the area has become a mecca for travellers, but it's easy enough to escape the crowds on the narrow backstreets lined with old stone houses.

The main inhabitants of the region are the Bai, who number about 1.5 million, according to a 1990 census. The Bai people have long-established roots in the Erhai Lake region, being thought to have settled the area some 3000 years ago. In the early 8th century they grouped together and succeeded in defeating the Tang imperial army, establishing the Nanzhao kingdom.

The kingdom exerted considerable influence throughout south-west China and even, to a lesser degree, South-East Asia, since the kingdom controlled upper Burma for much of the 9th century, which later established Dali as an end node on the famed Burma Road. In the mid- 13th century it fell before the invincible Mongol hordes of Kublai Khan. It was this event that brought Yunnan back into the imperial Chinese ambit. 

Dali is a perfect place to tune out for a while and forget about trains, planes and bone-jarring buses. The stunning mountain backdrop, Erhai Lake, the old city, cappuccinos, pizzas and the herbal alternative to cheap Chinese beer (you can pick it yourself) make it, along with Yangshuo, one of the few places in China where you can well and truly take a vacation from traveling.

Dali City stands against Cangshan Mountain in the west and adjoins Erhai Lake in the east, and is embraced by undulating hills around. The elevation of the city proper is 1,974 metres. Dali is a highland city in low latitudes and its climate is of subtropical highland monsoon type. The weather is temperate, the annual mean temperature being 15 C and rainfall 1,078 mm. The monsoon season falls on June through October, and there are no marked seasonal changes in a year. Abundant sunshine makes the weather warm, but the wind is very strong, so Xiaguan of Dali is known as "A City of Wind."

As "a land of letters", Dali was the cradle of the Bai culture. In the long history of the past, the ancestors of the Bais and the Yis had created the brilliant Erhai Culture and left numerous illuminating historical and cultural relics. Within the boundaries of Dali, there are many ancient pagodas, steles, places of historical interest and frescoes. The ancient Dali City is still standing there elegantly and toweringly. The most outstanding places of interest in Dali are: the ancient city proper of Dali, the Three Pagodas on the ruins of Chongshengsi Monastery, Nanzhao Stele, the Tablet Commemorating Kublai khan's Conquest of Yunnan, the remains of Taihe City, the Tomb of Du Wenxiu, the scroll of pictorial history of Nanzhao (Tang Dynasty), Pictures on Buddhist themes Painted by Zhang Shengwan of Dali (Song Dynasty), and the Frescoes in Xingjiaosi Temple of Shaxi (Ming Dynasty). All these are the witnesses of the brilliant history of this ancient city.

Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake are the best scenic spots in Dali, which are reputed as the "Snow-covered Cangshan Mountains and Jade-Green Erhai Lake". Cangshan Mountain stands erect like a huge screen. Its snowcapped pinnacles and the streams in between under fleecy clouds make a beautiful picture. The placid and crystal clear Erhai Lake comprises the following famous scenic spots: the Three Islets, the Four Sand Bars, the Five Miniature Lakes and the Nine Curvatures. The magnificent Three Pagodas, the Lofty Cangshan Mountain and the Colourful Butterfly Spring add lustre to what is already beautiful. The Wind, Flowers, Snows and the Moon make a perfect natural picture that renders this ancient city even more attractive. So, people adorn it as "A Corner of Mother Nature" and "Switzerland in the East."

The folk ways of the minority nationality are richly colourful. The architectural layout of "Sanfang Yizhaobi" (a courtyard with rooms on three sides and a screen wall on the remaining side) and "Sihe Wutiangjing" (one big courtyard with four smaller ones at the corners of the main one) of the Bai nationality is elegant yet unsophisticated. "Every household has a water well and every family owns a number of potted flowers" are the tradition and common practice of the Bais. The attire of the Bai girls are brilliant and graceful, simple yet harmonious. The national minorities in the Dali area have many traditional festivals and gatherings, namely: the Benzhu Festival (worshipping the guardian saint or the local god of a Bai community), the Flower Festival, the March Fair, Raosanling Festival, Torchlight Festival and Lake Tour Festival. Among them, the March Fair is the most magnificent of all.

Dali today is full of vitality and prosperity in both the urban and rural areas. With the development in machinery, electricity, textile, chemicals, papermaking, tea processing, marble products and so on, it has now become an industrial base in the west of Yunnan Province. The mainstay in the economy of the city is the production of cigarettes, tea, marble articles, clothing, cement and electric power. The Dali marble, Tuocha (white tea), furniture, tie-dyed cloth, straw woven hats, and plywood are well known both at home and abroad. In agriculture, Dali mainly produces rice, wheat, broad beans and maize. The species of rice "Dianyue No. 1" turns out 1,014 kilograms per mu (1/15 of a hectare) creating the highest record in China. And one crop of broad beans ranked the first in our country, yielding 514 kilograms per mu. In recent years, medicinal and perfuming crops are popularized. In sum, both in the city and around the countryside, Dali has become wealthy and prosperous, indeed a land of "fish and rice" in the west of Yunnan.

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Introduction of DaliAttractions and SightseeingsFood and Cuisine in DaliTransportation in DaliClimate in DaliHistory of DaliSuggested Itineraries

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