I have a date with Lijiang
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail
CRI, November 4, 2010
Baisha Frescoes
Nestled at the foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Baisha is a small village on the plain 10km north of Lijiang in the vicinity of several old temples. Because of the white sand on the ground, the town was named "Baisha", which means "white sand". The biggest Lama temple – Fuguo Temple in Lijiang used to be in the town of Baisha. In the ancient buildings, there are many unique frescos with high artistic value. At present there are 55 frescos. The most famous frescos are known as Baisha Mural of the Dabaoji (Great Treasure) Palace and the Colored Glaze Temple (Liuli Dian).
The Lijiang Mural was created at the early days of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), over the course of about 300 hundred years.The originality and figures of the mural paintings reflect the different religious cultures and artistic forms of Buddhism, Lamaism, Daoism and the Naxi Dongba religion. Therefore, Lijiang Mural is quite different from other frescos. Each painting includes at least one hundred portraits, but perspective is used very well, and the close, middle and establishing images are clear.The various lifelike portraits are not only Buddhas but also ordinary people such as bureaucrats, criminals, tourists and executioners. Now Baisha Frescos have become precious data for the study of China's history of arts and religions.
How to get there
You can take taxi at Lijiang City. It takes about RMB 40 yuan for a round trip. You can also take Bus No. 6, and get off at the crossing of Baisha. It takes RMB 2 yuan for bus ticket. Or taking the bus No. 7 to the intersection of Minzu Lu and Fuhui Lu (3 RMB).
Naxi Ancient Music
When walking on the ancient streets of Lijiang Old Town, you will undoubtedly hear the wonderful Naxi (also spelt Nakhi and Nahi) Ancient Music, the traditional Naxi classical music that is regarded as a 'living fossil of Chinese music.'
Naxi people must enjoy special favor in the eyes of the divinity, for they seem to be born with artistic qualities and poetic minds. Great talents in the areas of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music have all come from this rich and captivating culture.
A crystallization of Taoist rite, Confucian ceremony, and the literary lyrics, poetic topics and musical tones of the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, Naxi Ancient Music has developed its own unique style and traits - the result of 500 hundred years of evolution. It originally included three parts -'Baisha Fine Music' (Baisha Xiyue), 'Dongjing Music' (Dongjing Yinyue), and 'Huangjing Music' (Huangjing Yinyue), the last of which has long been lost in the river of time. Played on venerable Chinese musical instruments such as flute, shawm, Chinese lute, plectrum, and zither, Naxi Music has the power to cleanse the heart and relax the mind.
Baisha Fine Music: It is said that Baisha Fine Music was an honoraria from the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty-Kublai Khan. When this brave conqueror was on his expedition to Dali, which is not far from Lijiang, he met danger while crossing the Golden Sand River and received help from Mailiang, the leader of the Naxi people. To show his pure-hearted appreciation, Kublai Khan left half of his band and many musical scores as a gift before leaving. Baisha Fine Music is one of ancient China's few large-scale, classical orchestral forms of music and has 24 'qupai' (tunes) which are archaic, simple and elegant in style, and exquisite, euphonious and energetic in character.
Dongjing Music: This is a type of Taoist music which was introduced to Yunnan from the central Plains during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Deeply rooted and widely spread among the Naxi people, Dongjing Music became the most well-preserved musical form in all of China. Besides its intrinsic stateliness, purity and elegance, Dongjing Music incorporated the local musical elements, styles and the skills used
in performances of the Naxi ethnic group-creating a feeling of transcendental artistic conception and charming folk flavor which can be easily appreciated. It was originally an enjoyment reserved for the noble class, but these shackles were eventually broken because of the Naxi people's passion for music.
At least four unabridged orchestras exist in and around Lijiang, and these characteristic bands are famous for their 'three-olds': first, old men (most of the players are over 70 years old); second, old musical instruments (many are antiques dating back more than 100 years, some of which can not be seen in other places); third, old songs (all are antiquated classical music). Members of the bands are drawn from all kinds of occupations including teachers, artisans, farmers, butchers, clerks, etc. Naxi Ancient Music Bands have been invited to perform in Hong Kong, Great Britain, America, Holland, Belgium and Norway, exercising great influence and gaining attention from all over the world.
Generations of national musicians devote themselves to Naxi Ancient Music and make it a part of Naxi culture. Music can represent a nation's spirit and offer a better way to know the people who play and enjoy it, so take the opportunity to hear Naxi Ancient Music; it is guaranteed to be an unforgettable life experience.
|
Admission Fee |
CNY 140 (A Ticket) |
|
Recommended Time for a Visit |
Two hours |
Local Delicacies
Most of the good restaurants in Lijiang are located in the old town, and many have very high standards of cooking, producing a wealth of tasty local specialties.
As the tourist industry develops, more and more restaurants have begun serving western food, and their cooking standards are fairly good. Among these places, the Bridge Cafe serves good western food and the best coffee, and the Old Market Cafe is popular with foreign travelers and is the best place to get access to travel information.
Lijiang delicacies are characterized by refreshing tasting dishes and mellow soups. The biggest restaurant in the old town, the Gucheng Restaurant serves up authentic Lijiang cuisine and the Qinyun Naxi Specialty Restaurant is the best place to sample authentic Naxi specialties such as eggplant good with peanuts and Naxi fried rice.
Shopping
For hundreds of years, Old Market Square (Sifang Jie) has been the center of Old Town's busy market life. Today, Sifang Jie is the best place for buying local goods like the area's renowned bronze ware and woodcarvings, though its previous vitality as a center of the Naxi community has been altered, as local officials mandated removal of a number of Naxi produce and butcher shops to make more room for souvenir and arts & crafts boutiques.
The square's buildings are beautifully restored and it remains a lovely place for browsing and souvenir shopping, despite the somewhat sanitized and controlled feel. Prices are also higher here than in outlying areas. Most of the handicrafts are authentic, though in many cases non-Naxi shopkeepers are selling Naxi goods rather than the Naxi themselves. Nearly anything emblazoned with pictographs (try Grass Root House for pictograph t-shirts).
Naxi women's knitted shawls and capes are popular with women, and anyone can appreciate a good bell-Bunang bells come from horse bells used during the days of trade caravans through Lijiang, Jixiang bells, or 'lucky bells' derive from traditional Naxi religious practice.
Off the square, the small streets of Old Town are cluttered with additional souvenir shops and boutiques. If you're planning on visiting outlying Naxi villages or have time to explore town, hold off on purchases to give yourself time to compare, shop and bargain.
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)