Nestled at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha is a small village on the plain 10 km north of Lijiang in the vicinity of several old temples. Compared to the crowded and bustling Lijiang Dayan ancient town, the glamour of this small village lies in its tranquillity and original Naxi ethnic flavour.
The village was the cradle of the Naxi kingdom since the 12th century. The leader of the Naxi group built magnificent mansions inside the Dayan town and temples at Baisha town. Many of these ancient sites have disappeared in Dayan ancient town due to too much commercial tourism. However, in Baisha, things remain almost unchanged.
Baisha village is famous for its natural scenery (View of snow mountain from afar and river canals), handicraft and Naxi culture. We will begin our virtual tour from the center of the village, from where you can see a beautiful arch gate with the name of the village 'Baisha', which means 'village of white sands'. We can also enjoy the spectacular view of Jade Dragon mountain from here on a clear day.
Then we will explore a few traditional handcrafts workshops: Copperware making and Naxi Silk embroidery. And, also learn some Dongba pictographic: the writing system of Naxi people, also known as the last living pictograph in the world! We will also visit the local food shop to try the most famous snack in Lijiang; the bean jelly.
On occasions, we can listen to the famous Naxi orchestra presented by a group of Naxi senior people in Baisha village. They are amateur musicians and also listen to some of the stories about their music. Finally, we will visit the streets of Baisha and learn about the unique culture and the real-life of the Naxi people.