Why is Lijiang listed as a world cultural heritage?

Lijiang is a magical and beautiful place. After this place has been hidden in the mountains for thousands of years, in 1994, the Yunnan Provincial Government held an on-site meeting on tourism planning for northwest Yunnan. Lijiang tourism has since entered a substantial stage. development stage. , Lijiang began to reveal its mysterious veil to the world.

In February 2006, the Yunnan Provincial Government held an on-site office meeting on tourism in northwest Yunnan, proposing to "expand Lijiang's tourism industry." After 12 years of careful construction, Lijiang has successively won the title of National Civilized Scenic Tourist Area, China's Excellent Tourism City, China's Most Beautiful Place, China's Top Ten Most Desirable Small Cities, Europeans' Favorite Tourist City, and World The most coveted tourist destination in the world and a city with excellent human settlement environment in the world.

After several years of development, Lijiang has become the most popular tourist attraction in Yunnan and even the country. The reporter learned from the Lijiang Municipal Tourism Bureau that after Lijiang was successfully applied for World Heritage in 1997, the number of tourists in Lijiang increased 19 times, and the comprehensive tourism income increased 47 times.

History and Splendid Ancient Civilization

Although Lijiang is located in a remote area, it also has a splendid ancient civilization.

In the history of Yunnan, Lijiang, as the first ethnic minority area to promote Han culture, also played an important role in the history of Chinese national culture. The Lijiang area was once one of the important passages of the Southern Overland Silk Road during the Warring States, Qin and Han Dynasties, and was also the hub of the Ancient Tea Horse Road in southwest China since the Tang and Song Dynasties. Since the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, Lijiang's social economy and culture have also experienced unprecedented development. It is said in history that Lijiang at that time was "the richest among all the local officials" in Yunnan. headed by the clan. While developing industry and commerce, the Mu family actively absorbed Chinese culture, purchased a large number of Chinese classics, built the "Wanjuan Tower", hired famous teachers from the Central Plains to teach their disciples, and gradually cultivated a group of people who wrote in Chinese and had high attainments. poet. During the Yongzheng period, academies and free schools were established in Lijiang, and private students began to learn Chinese culture. It is precisely because the ancestors in Lijiang actively learned and introduced the advanced Han culture from the mainland that since the Yuan and Ming Dynasties, a good social atmosphere of advocating culture has been gradually created, which directly affects future generations, and has produced famous domestic and foreign celebrities such as Fang Guoyu, Zhou Lin, and Yang Feng in the modern era. Experts and scholars have laid the foundation. It also created conditions for Lijiang to later become a national historical and cultural city and a world cultural heritage.

Culturally rich and colorful ethnic culture

Lijiang is a multi-ethnic area with a current population of 1.06 million. In addition to the Han, there are also a large number of ethnic minority populations, mainly the Naxi, The Yi, Lisu, Pumi, Tibetan, Bai, Dai, Miao, Zhuang, etc. national cultures have a long history and the national customs are pure and rich.

The unique natural geographical environment and special ethnic structure and historical development pattern have given birth to Lijiang’s rich and colorful ethnic culture. Each ethnic group has great achievements in language and writing, myths and legends, music and dance, literature and art, marriage, funerals, etc. Fertility, festivals, food, clothing, hospitality, etiquette, entertainment activities, psychological quality, ecological environment, etc. all retain their own unique and colorful personality styles. What is particularly eye-catching is the Dongba culture of the Naxi people, Naxi ancient music, Baisha murals and other national cultures, which can be called rare treasures in national culture.

The harmonious unity of man and nature, the diversified integrated culture and the profound historical accumulation have made Lijiang more and more attract the attention of the world, and also laid an important foundation for Lijiang to become a national historical and cultural city and a world cultural heritage. Base.

The three major ancient cities in the ancient city are organically unified

As a national historical and cultural city and a world cultural heritage, Lijiang Old Town is composed of three relatively independent Baisha Ancient Town, Shuhe Ancient Town and Dayan Ancient Town. It is a unified entity composed of various urban construction units, the main part of which is Dayan Ancient City. "The ancient city of Lijiang cleverly integrates the economic and strategic importance with the rugged terrain, truly and perfectly preserving and reproducing the ancient style. The architecture of the ancient city has been baptized by countless dynasties and has gone through vicissitudes. It integrates the cultural characteristics of various ethnic groups and is Lijiang also has an ancient water supply system, which is criss-crossed, exquisite and unique, and is still functioning effectively. "This is the World Heritage Committee's evaluation of Lijiang Ancient City, which summarizes Lijiang most authoritatively and directly. The value of the ancient city.

Lijiang Ancient City was built in the Song and Yuan Dynasties and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The rippling streams in the ancient city pass through the streets and alleys, injecting spirituality into the ancient city. Those with wide rivers and deep water are solid and thick stone arch bridges, while those with shallow water and narrow channels are mostly simple and practical wooden plank bridges and stone slab bridges. The ancient city houses with "three squares and one screen wall" and "four in one with five patios" are exquisite The auspicious carved wooden lattice door, the weeping willows and roses climbing the branches and eaves...fit the aesthetic charm of small bridges, flowing water, and people's homes.

Walking in the alleys paved with white and brown five-flowered stone slabs, you are slowly immersed in the simple, happy, peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. What a sense of elegance it is.