Being called a "must-see tourist destination" is a double-edged
sword. While it helps fill locals' pockets, it can disturb a scenic
spot's tranquility. Lijiang is a good example of this.
There is no quiet season in Lijiang. On my first visit there about
a year ago, I was shocked by a bus driver's description of how
popular it is. He said tourists sometimes pay 50 yuan ($6.8) to
stay on a bus overnight, because there are no hotel rooms
available.
Many tourists don't know that Lijiang was included on the World
Heritage list for three sections - Dayan, Basha and Shuhe. Thus,
they spend their time in Dayan while ignoring the splendors of
Basha and Shuhe.
Shuhe is just 4 km from Dayan and is 1,000 years old. It has a
population of less than 4,000. It was once settled by ancestors of
the Naxi ethnic group and was a stop on an ancient trade route. It
can be seen in Zhang Yimou's touching movie Riding Alone for
Thousands of Miles (Qianli Zou Danji).
You can relax in Shuhe; there are none of the large crowds
crammed into narrow streets and bargaining for souvenirs that you
find in Dayan.
Shuhe has an "eight trigrams" (ba gua) layout with a square in
the center. Entering the town through its gateway, your first
impressions are of a small bridge, flowing river and serenity.
A waterway zigzags through the town and disappears in a cluster
of age-old buildings. There are reflections of houses and mountains
in the crystal clear water, while goldfish play hide-and-seek in
the weeds.
There are brooks and rivers running by every household and store.
The water is not only an essential part of the scenery but also a
natural refrigerator. It is common for people in bars, cafes and
restaurants to put beverages in a basket and dip them in the water.
So it is with vegetable and fruit stands.
Many of the two-story houses and courtyards have been converted
into hostels. You can easily find a guestroom with a large,
comfortable bed and good bathroom facilities at a reasonable price.
Some hostel rooms have skylights or French windows, which are great
for looking out over the town.
It is worth spending a few days in the town, taking it easy,
sipping pu'er tea at cafs and people-watching. You also could take
a horse ride, imagining yourself as part of a Tibetan caravan.
If you are in a rush and can only stay for a few hours, then you
must see Qinglong Bridge, which connects Sifangjie Square and Jubao
Street at the foot of Jubao Mountain. The mountain gets its name,
meaning "collecting treasures" in Chinese, because it is comprised
of several hills that look like gold ingots. The bridge is featured
in Zhang's film and spans the mighty Qinglong River.
A favorite spot for lovers is Chain Bridge. Unfortunately, visitors
here ruin the romantic atmosphere slightly by deliberately making
the ancient bridge wobble, as a form of amusement.
Shuhe's three-hole well combines three pools of water - a top
tank for drinking, a second for washing vegetables and a third for
washing clothes. Local women still do their laundry here by hitting
the clothes with wooden sticks.
As for souvenirs, they are much the same as Dayan and not much
cheaper. Highly recommended is embroidered batik cloth, which can
be used as a scarf, bedclothes or a TV set cover. Also, do remember
to buy some snow pears, if they are in season. They are cultivated
in melted snow and are really tasty.
(China Daily by Lin Qi November 27, 2007)
