Old Town of Lijiang

Old Town of Lijiang, also called Dayan Town, is located in southwest of China's Yunnan Province, Lijiang. It lies in the middle of the reservoir, and is known, together with Langzhong of Sichuan, Pingyao of Shanxi and Shexian of Anhui, as the second batch of national historical and cultural cities and "The four best preserved ancient cities". 

This old town has no walls round it. In the old town you can see the smooth clean flag stone roads, hand-making houses of civil structures and ubiquitous bridges and rivers. Dayan old town is a town full of cultural atmosphere. Elder Naxi people take a stroll in the bright sunshine, they’re wearing: clothes in indigo blue and octagonal caps, give it a historical feeling. They don’t care how people think of them.

The roads in the old town of Lijiang are built along the line of mountains and the flow of rivers, and are paved with red breccia which are neither muddy in the rainy season nor dusty in the dry season. The pattern on the stones is exquisite and goes well with the whole surroundings. The Square Street is the center of the old town. The big wheel, which lies at the junction of the old town and new town, is the iconic building of the old town. A large screen next to the big wheel broadcasts the most welcomed and featured songs in the old town. Naxi Jingdi is one of the most well known songs.
The world famous Old Town of Lijiang is located in Lijiang City. It is a UNESCO Heritage Site.

The town has a history going back more than 800 years and was once a confluence for trade along the old tea horse road. The Lijiang old town is famous for its orderly system of waterways and bridges. In its long history, the local residents have established their splendid Dongba Culture which has absorbed aspects of the culture of Tibet and the Central Plains along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. 

It is a landscape garden city noted for small bridges, creeks, and architectures. It is a cultural city with a long history. To date, it still holds residence for more than 6,200 native households, with a population of more than 25,000, of which Naxi people take up more than 70 percent. It is a peaceful and pristine old town.

The Old Town of Lijiang is a fairyland blessed with fresh air, clear streams, breathtaking snow mountains and an undisturbed landscape inhabited by a friendly group of people. It is great to enjoy a quiet and pleasant holiday here, where there are ancient buildings and the Naxi culture.

Honors gained:

Chinese state-list famous historical and culture cities (1986)
Cultural heritage of the world (1997)
UNESCO Asian-Pacific Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation (2007)
One of the Three Parallel Rivers of