...Lijiang is considered to be a pearl on the high plateau of Northwestern Yunnan Province, and is regarded as the world of Shangri-La which people yearn to visit. Boasting of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and the precipitous Tiger-Leaping Gorge, Lijiang is also surrounded by the Gold Sand River and dotted with various green lakes.
... As early as 100,000 years ago, our ancestors left their footprints on this magical and beautiful land.

..."Lijiang People", the Old Stone Age People, used to live here and created a famous ancient civilization.
...Lijiang was a vital place along the Teahorse Path as well as for ethnic cultural exchange and integration.
...The forefathers of Naxi, who lived here for generation after generation, broadmindedly absorbed and incorporated the essence of various cultures from different nationalities including Han, Tibetan, and Bai, etc. in this way they created their own exotic cibilization such as the living Dongba pictographic characters which are unique throughout the world, the rich Dongba culture, the well-known Naxi muxic, and the Baisha Murals that have combined varied religions.
...Lijiang Old Town, built 800 years ago at the end of the Song Dynasty and at the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty, is a perfect example of this civilization.

　

...Unlike other historical and cultural cities in China, Lijiang Old Town exist in great harmony with the beautiful natural environment and the hoary villages in the neighborhood, without being hindered by any stereotyped building rules which were so widely applied in the Central Plan.
...It possesses strong characteristics of the local ethnic culure.
...Built at the base of a hill and beside streams, Lijiang Old Town is noted for its simplistic style and has the beauty of both water-side towns and mountainous towns with water running through the courtyards and trees planted in front of every household.
...All the streets and lanes in the old town are paved with cobble stones, which are neither dusty in dry seasons nor muddy in rainy seasons.
...The typical residential and Sihewutianjing (a compound with houses aroud a square courtyard).
...Lijiang Old Town is unique in terms of site selection, layout, urban construction and utilization of water system. It occupies an important positioning architectural history, both in China and abroad.

...Unlike other cities in China, the strong traditional customs and habits of Naxi are still kept in the town up to the present.
...People in the Old Town have been continuously creating the history of civilization by "working as ants and living as butterflies".
...Lijiang Old Town is neither a mere curio nor a simple museum, but a fresh town filled with the vigorous life-force of the ethnic culture, which has kept its historical authenticity.
...Lijiang Old Town is entering the future from the past. What this picture album tries to display is just such a scroll of the history and the real life in the Old Town . we believe that this album will not only bring a special aesthetic treat to out readers, bu t will also promote a further understanding of Lijiang Old Town, the precious world cultural heritage.
...It will evoke the wonderful images of the world of Shangri-La.

　

...With a history of more than 800 years, Lijiang Old Town lies on the high plateau in Northwestern Yunnan Province, China.
... Lijiang Old Town is surrounded by green hills and crystal-clear water.
... To the north of town is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, which remains snow-capped all year round.
... Covering an area of 2.5 square kilometers, Old Town is inhabited by 40,000 residents with Naxi in the majority. It is built at the base of a hill and naturally extends with streams.
... The houses are well arranged and the residents enjoy a harmonious life. The black-tiled and white-walled houses lie row upon row on a gentle slope with netlike streets and lanes running through.
... People jostle each other in the busy and prosperous markets. All these resemble a painting of an ancient town where commerce and trade thrive.

　

...Clear water from the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain gracefully runs through the Old Town. North of town, the flow divides into three tributaries which further divide into more than ten streams, running through the courtyards and houses from the north to the south in accordance with the patterns of the streets and lanes.
... People in the town either retain the streams into pools or channel them into ponds for their convenient usage of water.
... Streets and lanes stretch together with streams and bridges.
... With ready access to water, the town is forever filled with fresh flowers and the songs of birds.

　

...Visitors from different nations, of different colors and ages come to this town for the same purposes; to seek the remaining traces of "Yuankuagenang" (the Mongolian troops crossed the Yangtze River with sheepskin bags in the Yuan Dynasty), to discover the stories about the caravans that traveled through the Tea-Horse Path, to experience the real life in a typical Naxi courtyard, and to personally fulfill the dream of Shangri-La.

...As a town of water, Lijiang has absorbed civilization from different nationalities.
...As a mountainous city, it has integrated various cultures from all directions.
...The rich Dongba culture, an encyclopedia of the ancient Naxi society recorded and passed down with Dongba pictographic characters and Naxi language, has been integrated with the cultures and religions of both Han and Tibet.
... The integration has created different kinds of culture and art including the unique Naxi music, Baisha Murals, religion, dwelling houses, and religious architecture.
... The various cultures have always been influencing each other and will be forever preserved in great prosperity.

...Naxi music is one of the most glorious parts of the Naxi culture. From the ancient time up to now, the music has, through the magical music notes, mixed the excellence of the royal palaces in the Tang and Song Dynasties and the humble life of the ordinary people into a natural harmony of eternity, and will give you endless enjoyment.

...The culture of Lijiang, situated at the triangular area of Yunnan, Sichuan, and Tibet, has been nurtured and strongly influenced by Han and Tibetan cultures.
...The primeval religion of Naxi, which worships the nature when penetrated by and mingled with Tibetan Buddhism, Han Buddhism and Taoism, gradually formed the unique Dongba religion.
...With the Dongba pictographic characters, the Dongba priests wrote thousands of Dongba scriptures, which are known as the Naxi encyclopedia, have recorded the routine life of the Naxi ancestors and the essence of Dongba culture.
...Dongba pictographic characters are well known as "the world's only living pictographic characters".