Name:Lijiang(丽江; Lìjiāng /lee-jang/)
Meaning:'beautiful river'
Previous names:Dayecheng
Features
- 3 UNESCO World Heritage listed ancient districts
- Near Tiger Leaping Gorge for scenery and hiking
- Near Jade Dragon Snow Mountain for hiking and winter fun
- Place to go for a tour ofYunnan's other nearby highlights such asDaliand Shaxi
- Most of the large municipality is sparsely populated with wilderness or rural scenes.
Main Attractions
- Lijiang Ancient Town,Lugu Lake,Shuhe Ancient Town,Tiger Leaping Gorge,Jade Dragon Snow Mountain,Dongba Museum,The First Bend in the Yangtze River, Mufu (Wood Mansion)
- Most popular souvenirs and local products:burned wood carvings, Yunnan coffee, Naxi artwork and hieroglyphic writing samples
- Local food specialties:Naxi dairy and meat products like yogurt, yogurt-honey-fruit blends, yak milk tea, yak cheese, yak butter, yak steak
History
Lijiang was a Naxi people's town on the Chama Road trade route between the south andTibet. The town has an 800 year history.
- 1250sThe town submitted to the expanding Mongol Empire.
- 1368The Jumin Prefectural Government Office and the Mujia complex were built during the Ming era.
- 1601The Wufeng Tower was built.
- 1997A severe earthquake damaged the the city, but Lijiang's unique architecture, heritage, and waterworks were brought to world attention.
- 1997Dayan Old Town, Basha Village and Shuhe Village were listed as the Old Town of Lijiang UNESCO World Heritage site.
Geography
- Significance of the town:The town is a leading tourist city and has ancient towns and natural areas as the major attractions.
- Nearby cities:Dali(129 km/80 mi),Kunming(323 km/201 mi)
- Municipality terrain:The city sits in a high elevation river valley.
- Average altitude:2,400 meters (7,874 feet)
- Main rivers:Jade River
Location Information
- Municipality location:southwestern China.
- Municipality Population:(2010) 1,245,000
- Municipality Area:21,219 sq km (8,192.7 sq mi)
- Urban area:1,124 sq km (435 sq mi)
- Urban population:155,540
- Urban population density:138/sq km (357/sq mi)
- North to south distance of main urban area:9 km (5.5 mi)
- East to west distance of main urban area:5 km (3 mi)
- City center:The corner of Xianggeli Avenue and Xiangshan Street (26.88N, 100.21E)
Climate
- Average high temperature in June:24 degrees Celsius (75.2 °F)
- Average low temperature in January:0 degrees Celsius (32 °F)
- Mild, subtropical high-altitude climate; annual precipitation:970 mm (38 in) The summers are cool; and in the winter, the temperature may drop below freezing though the days are cool and often sunny.
Economy
- Average annual income:11,673 RMB (1,621 USD)
- Development: developing. Lijiang was a town that was at first a foreign backpacker favorite, and now it has become very popular with Chinese tourists.
- Industry:43.6% tertiary industry (service, tourist industry), 38.3% secondary (industry), 18.1% primary (agriculture)
- Shopping Streets:Square Street
Transportation
- Lijiang Airport is a domestic airport about 28 kilometers from city center.
- 1 train station with trains to Kunming
