The Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County is located in the south of Dali Bai Autonomous Region in the west of Yunnan Province and is well-known for its old town-Weishan old town.

Weishan Old Town is located in Weishan county seat in the south of Dali Prefecture. It’s about 50 kilometers away from Xiaguan (capital city of Dali Prefecture). The name “Weishan” is derived from "Weibaoshan Mountain” in the east.

Referred to as “Xielong” and “Menghua” in ancient times, Weishan is one of the earliest places in Yunnan to be set as counties. Weishan Old Town is claimed to be “the old capital of Nanzhao Kingdom” and is in fact the cradle of Nanzhao Culture. In 737, Pi Luoge-the chieftain of Nanzhao Tribe-was supported by the Tang Court to unify other 5 tribes around Er’hai Lake Area and establish the Nanzhao Kingdom (738-937) (“Nanzhao” means “the south tribe”. It is actually Mengshe Tribe that was situated in the south of Er’hai Lake Area).

Weishan Old Town is not only a state-level historical and cultural town, but also one of the “4 famous cultural towns” (Wen Xian Ming Bang) in Yunnan Province (the other 3 ones are Kunming, Jianshui and Dali). The extant old town of Weishan was originally constructed in the Yuan Dynasty and underwent enlargement in the 23rd year of Hongwu Period (1390) of the Ming Dynasty. Major scenic spots there include: Gongchen Pavilion, Weibao Mountain, Yuanjue Temple, and Longyutu Mountain etc.

The ethnic culture of Weishan is also seductive. You can enjoy the Dage (sining and dancing) of the Yi people and Dongjing Music. Weishan is also a producer of bandhnu (tie-dying) products that sell well both at home and abroad.

The Weishan old town, with an history of more than 600 years, possesses numerous cultural relics and scenic beauties. According to historical records, Weishan had become the political, economic and cultural center of west Yunnan Province as early as the Tang Dynasty. It is not just the birthplace of Nan-chao Kingdom, but an important hub of the ancient Tea Horse Road.

In 1994, it was listed as one of the historical and cultural cities of China.

Time goes by, narrow streets and alleys, wooden houses with grass growing on the roof, gate towers, memorial archways, temples, ancestral halls here are all well-preserved.

Enjoy leisure time in the ancient town

A trip to the town offers the chance to take a step back in time. Guests can enjoy a different world by wandering through the narrow streets filled with tea houses and shops selling handicrafts, snacks, antiques, grass-made stools. Unlike old town in Dali and Lijiang, Weishan old town provides not only primitive scenic spots, but also cheaper commodities.

Festivals and snacks

Moreover, different festivals and folk performances, such as folk dance of Yi people, lion dance, are available for tourists in the old town all year around.

A 7-day snack festival is held here in the 8th day of the second month in the Chinese calendar every year, offering people with famous Weishan snacks, indlucing stewed fruits, bean-made cake, and noodles.

Regrets and opportunities:

However, it has gone through a tortuous journey in the development of tourism over the past years.

As the tourism investment of Dali and Lijiang has been increasing in recent years, the majority of tourists would like to travel to these places. While Weishan has been gradually neglected by people due to the traffic inconvenience and water shortage, introduced Mr. Fan, former director of Bureau of Culture and Sports of Weishan County.

Lack of funds is also a big problem for the development of Weishan old town.

Even though the sceneries here are not as beautiful as those in Dali and Lijiang, the town still keeps the most original houses and lifestyle.

For most ancient towns, it's a dilemma to develop tourism and keep everything the way it was at the same time. Weishan old town is trying its best now.

Beyond usual commercialization, the old town begins to mold it into an old city which features the most primitive buildings and lifestyle.

Local authorities has been making great efforts to protect the old character of the town and to help develop its tourism industry. So far, a secondary road connecting Dali and Weishan has been put into use since 2010. Tourists who plan to visit here need to reserve room ahead of time now.