The Most Primitive Ancient Villages in Lijiang, Yunnan, Almost Untouched by Development and Largely Unknown to Tourists
When talking about Yunnan, many people might think of places like Lijiang, Dali, and Shangri-La, and these places in Yunnan are indeed very beautiful, and many people visit them every year. However, because of this, some attractions become too crowded, and they are no longer suitable for travel. In fact, besides these well-known attractions, Yunnan has many niche travel destinations that may not be as picturesque, but they possess a natural and primitive beauty.
“Baoshan Stone Town”, located in Baoshan Township of Lijiang, Yunnan, is a very “primitive” ancient village in Yunnan, almost untouched by development, and many tourists don’t even know about it. When you come to “Baoshan Stone Town”, you will see their way of life, which is a life that people in big cities desperately pursue – a life of simplicity, non-contention, and working at sunrise and resting at sunset.
“Baoshan Stone Town” is about 100 kilometers away from Lijiang in Yunnan, located on a giant boulder deep in the Jinsha River gorge. A total of 108 Nu people live on the stone, and the stone is like a giant, independent mushroom, with cliffs on three sides, and even monkeys in the mountains find it difficult to climb. Only one side faces the Jinsha River, allowing people to enter and exit. It’s a truly perilous city.
Although the location is a bit remote, the locals have invested heavily in building roads for the villagers to use. You can drive there, but you have to drive 30 or so kilometers on a mountain road, which most people are unwilling to try. However, driving can only take you to a place about one kilometer from the village, and then you have to walk the rest of the way. Also, because this place has been very “low-key”, there has been no deliberate publicity, so many tourists visiting Lijiang Ancient City don’t know about this hidden paradise.
Early in the morning, as the sun rises, it shines on the Jinsha River, reflecting a blue sunshine over the mountains and valleys. At this time, there are often many elders chatting and basking in the sun at the entrance of the village. For them, this is an important time. If there’s nothing to do, you can also rent a small courtyard here, wake up in the morning, brew a cup of Tua tea, and watch the distant Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and clouds rolling and changing, and the Jinsha River flowing endlessly, which is a wonderful enjoyment.
Compared to other ancient villages in China, this one has not been “turned into a ruin” by commercialization, there are no bars, no restaurants, no various specialty shops. If you come here, you will find that it seems to be separated from the world, with no worries, working at sunrise and resting at sunset. It’s truly unimaginable, in a tourism-developed Lijiang, this place is still so “primitive” and “low-key”.
So, have you ever traveled to Yunnan? Do you know that there’s a “primitive” village on a stone in Lijiang? What do you think of this lifestyle? If you could choose, would you choose to live here? If you have time in the future, would you come here to travel and live for a while? Welcome everyone to leave comments in the comments section, thank you for reading!
