Old Town of Lijiang

The Old Town of Lijiang is a historic Naxi town in northwestern Yunnan province, China, recognised for its traditional timber architecture, a planned street layout and an interconnected canal system. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1997 for its well-preserved urban fabric and the cultural traditions of the Naxi people.

The town’s core, Dayan, contains wooden houses, narrow alleys and stone bridges that cross a network of small canals, creating a compact, walkable historic quarter. Mufu Palace, the Mu family mansion, is a principal historic building in the town and served as the local administrative and residential complex for the ruling family.

Lijiang developed as a regional trading and cultural centre on routes linking Yunnan’s valleys and was long associated with Naxi music, crafts and the Tea Horse Road. The town suffered significant damage in a 1996 earthquake and underwent a programme of repair and reconstruction to stabilise and restore many historic structures.

The Old Town sits at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain massif in northwestern Yunnan and forms the historic centre of modern Lijiang city, with the surrounding landscape of mountains and terraces framing the settlement.

• UNESCO listing: Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997 for its well-preserved Naxi townscape and traditional water-supply system.
• Earthquake and restoration: Damaged by a major earthquake in 1996 and subsequently the subject of extensive restoration and reconstruction work to repair historic structures.

What to See #

• Dayan (Old Town): Dayan Ancient Town, the original core of Lijiang Old Town, characterised by wooden buildings, narrow alleys and a grid of canals and bridges.
• Mufu Palace: Mufu Palace, the historic Mu family mansion and administrative centre of the local chieftains, dating to the Ming and Qing periods and preserved as a major historic building.