Attracions of Lijiang: Baisha Old Town 白沙古城

Baisha, one of the settlements built by ancestors of Naxi minority, is considered the birthplace of Naxi culture. It is also one of the oldest towns of Lijiang. Here you will find many ancient buildings from the Ming Dynasty such as the Dabaoji Palace, Liuli Temple, and Wenchang Palace. In Dabaoji Palace, there are Murals here dating back over 500 years ago that represent local culture with is derived from a combination of Han and Tibetan cultures.
The town was named Baisha ("white sand" in English) after the white sand in the town. In the Naxi language, it is called "bengshi". The buildings of this town are either used for residence or for cultural sites. The folk residence is called "pengshizhi" which means "Baisha Streets" in the Naxi language. These streets run from north to south with houses and small stores on both sides. A clear stream winds through all the streets in Baisha.