Travelogue

| Gateway to the Silk Road | Guizhou Landscape |
| Dream away in Yangshuo | Where memories linger |
| Grand Canal at Hangzhou Ending | Curing Cuisines | Tea Tour |
| A Challenging Trip | Expedition to fairyland |
| Snacks at Kunming | Lijiang Impression |
| A Quiet Village Tour | Splash off Your Bad Luck |
| Summer Escape to a Holy Island | Suzhou’s History |
| In the Heart of a Miao Village | No-frills cruise along the Yangtze |

Lijiang Impression

Xie Fang
Two days after I came back from Lijiang, Yunnan, I read a story carried in a newspaper that criticized the city for being too commercial.Yes, Lijiang, if we talk about the most popular town Dayan, does seem as commercial as any other ancient area in China's scenic spots, such as Zhouzhuang. So many stores, restaurants and cafes, and so many visitors too. But compared with the old towns in East China, I think Lijiang is still special, and at least its "commercial" heart is unique and different.

There is a book named Lijiang's Tender Times, which is a perfect description because Lijiang is a place which keeps visitors coming back, and some even stay and live here.

A man-made heaven

Lijiang has many small home-style hotels which are clean and lovely. But this time we chose to stay in Banyan Tree Lijiang, a newly opened resort which is 15 minutes away from the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site historical town of Dayan. I should say it is the first hotel that made me want to stay there forever.

Compared with the busy town of Dayan,the Banyan Tree Resort is peaceful and quiet. All the houses, of local style, are oriented northeast, with breathtaking views of the legendary Yulong (Jade Dragon)Snow Mountain. Every morning when I woke up, the first thing I saw through the large glass doors was that beautiful snow mountain and the green bamboos. I am used to getting up late, but my bad habit was cured instantly here. Every morning, when I saw the sunshine on the mountain become bigger and brighter, I just could not feel sleepy anymore. Almost every minute, the color and the sunshine on the peak of the mountain kept changing until the whole view was bathed in a gorgeous golden light. Even if I never left my villa at the resort, I could enjoy the astonishing views and the lovely sunshine!

Inspired by local Naxi culture, pink stones, grey Naxi bricks and traditional red clay roof tiles were used for the construction here. All the villas bear signature Naxi style curved roofs. Each villa has a large courtyard and a quaint wooden gate. It reminded me of a scene in some traditional Chinese drama - a beautiful aristocratic girl waiting in the moonlight for her lover to knock at the door.

So what is luxury? Luxury does not mean advanced equipment or glittering jewellery. Maximilian Lennkh, area general manager of Banyan Tree China, gives a reasonable answer: "Luxury is space and Luxurious peace in Lijiang privacy." Yes, in a place far away from noisy Shanghai, you can find your own space, and never be disturbed.

The sunshine at 2,000 meters above sea level is strong and bright in the afternoon, so you can enjoy the jacuzzi outdoors in the winter. After your jacuzzi, you can just simply rest in the outdoor bed, listen to the gentle whisperings on the breeze, and gaze at the white peaks in the distance. The Yulong Snow Mountain is located in the northern part of Lijiang, 15 kilometres away from the town. The 13 peaks, with the main peak 5,596 meters high, are covered by snow the whole year round, and look like huge jades erected into the sky.

Good old days in Shuhe

After spending a peaceful morning at the resort, I felt I had already rid myself of the chaos of Shanghai. We went to Shuhe, an ancient town which is only 10 minutes walking distance from the resort.

Compared with the more famous Dayan town, Shuhe has kept its originality intact. Families open their gates here, and you can walk into the courtyards where dozens of colorful batik cloth in red or blue are hanging. Such strong colors billowing in the sunshine reminded me of a movie directed by Zhang Yimou.

We enjoyed a nice lunch in a cafe restaurant named Countryside Sky. Sitting under a big willow tree, we enjoyed a very delicious Naxi Style Fried Rice which is a little sour and very fresh, and some clean pea shoot soup. During our meal, several women wearing local traditional garments passed by. They wore a special tippet named "pi xing dai yue" (meaning dressed in stars and the moon). It is a sheepskin tippet with seven small wafers on the back which represent the stars in the sky.

The town looked more like a place of normal daily life instead of a scenic tourist spot. Soft water grass danced in the water channel which passes through the town like a blood vessel carrying the snow water from the high mountain. Local dogs follow the footsteps of visitors, full of curiosity. People shine corns in the passageways, small cafes are simply decorated and connected with family houses, and old grannies sit in the sunshine with h a n d s o m e young fellows by their
side...

Local nightlife

Driving southeast, we arrived at Dayan town, and though it is considered commercial, it is also a haven of drinking, dining and relaxation.

Almost every corner here has a story. For example, most old Chinese cities have walls to protect them from enemies, but Dayan has no such wall. The legend, which sounds believable, says that the administer of the city, surnamed Mu (wood), believed each other, attracting lots of visitors, and you can spend 5 yuan and buy a lotus lantern to put on the river and make a wish. No matter if my wish came true or not, looking at my lantern flowing merrily away on the water, the candle inside flickering over the silvery surface, I felt at peace in my heart. that if the city was surrounded by a wall, it would look like it had been framed around the Mu, which makes it into a Chinese character kun (meaning to become stranded),which is not an auspicious thing.

The heart of the town is Sifang Street where fairs can be held. Shuangshi Qiao is a place most people like to take a photo because of t he countless red lanterns hung there. Water from the snow mountain is divided into three branches here, all flowing into the town. The passageways in the town are as complicated as veins in the human body. It is better to have a local guide, otherwise you could easily get lost.

Compared with the daytime, I really enjoyed the town's nightlife. The evening here seems like one big party. Neon and lanterns make the sky not so black, waitress and waiters of the bars sing loudly to each other, attracting lots of visitors, and you can spend 5 yuan and buy a lotus lantern to put on the river and make a wish. No matter if my wish came true or not, looking at my lantern flowing merrily away on the water, the candle inside flickering over the silvery surface, I felt at peace in my heart.

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