Shaxi Ancient Town
沙溪古镇 · Shaxi Town, Jianchuan County, Dali, Yunnan, China
One of the most intact caravan market towns on the Ancient Tea Horse Road, with the Sideng Street market, its old opera stage and Xingjiao Temple well preserved; the Friday market is still the day locals buy and sell mountain produce and daily goods.
Know before you go
- Crowding around stalls at the market
- bargaining and then walking away without buying
- scratching or carving on old buildings and flagstones
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
A resting town for caravans
From the Tang dynasty onwards Shaxi was a place for trading tea and horses, where caravans on the old routes towards Burma and Tibet stopped to rest and trade. It was most prosperous in the Ming and Qing dynasties, and it is considered probably the most intact caravan town on the route.
Source: Wikipedia: Shaxi, Yunnan
History
From the endangered list to restoration
In 2001 the World Monuments Fund placed Sideng Street on that year's list of the 100 most endangered sites. Since then the Jianchuan County government and ETH Zurich in Switzerland have worked together to protect and restore the old market.
Source: Wikipedia: Shaxi, Yunnan; Chinese Wikipedia: Shaxi Town (Jianchuan County)
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Shaxi lies in Jianchuan County of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, roughly halfway between Dali and Lijiang; most residents are Bai, with some Yi. Sideng Street is described as the only surviving ancient market on the Tea Horse Road, and around the market stand the old opera stage, Xingjiao Temple and old shopfronts; Xingjiao Temple is a Ming-dynasty Bai Buddhist temple listed as a major national heritage site. Yujin Bridge outside the town is another favourite photo spot. Nearby Shibao Mountain has Buddhist rock carvings and temples more than 1300 years old, including images of Guanyin; the Shizhongshan Grottoes there were carved in the Nanzhao and Dali Kingdom periods.
Local customs
Wander Sideng Street and the old stage in the early morning, catch the Friday market if you can, go up Shibao Mountain to see its grottoes and temples, spend an afternoon in an old-town teahouse, and take an evening stroll through the fields outside town.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Crowding around stalls at the market
- bargaining and then walking away without buying
- scratching or carving on old buildings and flagstones
Locals appreciate DO
- Greet people before entering Bai homes or temples
- ask the owner before taking photos
- take care of the old stage and the flagstone streets
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- The town is small and can be walked in half a day, but staying a night lets you enjoy the quiet of early morning and night. The flagstone streets are uneven, so wear flat shoes. Lodging and food are mainly local inns and small restaurants, with prices set by each establishment.
- Travel from Dali or Lijiang to Jianchuan town and change there for Shaxi, about two hours in all
- the core streets are explored on foot. Spring and autumn have the best weather, the hills look fresh after summer rain and winter is sunny
- Friday is market day, so consider planning around it.
Photos
Photos
Rod Waddington · CC BY-SA 2.0
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Anders Johnson · CC BY 3.0
Sources & verification notes
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