Weishan County, the cradle of the Nanzhao Kingdom (738-902) in southwest China's Yunnan Province, is famous for its natural beauty and well-preserved cultural relics.
The Weishan Ancient City was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and has a history of over 600 years. About 75 kilometers away from the more well-known Dali Old Town, the ancient city has a chessboard-like square layout. However, the streets are rather slanted. This design, full of ancient wisdom, helps mitigate freezing northerly winds in winter.
The Xinggong Tower, sitting right at the intersection of four streets, is an iconic building in the ancient city. Originally built in 1390, it has witnessed numerous changes in the city.
The Weishan Ancient City in southwest China's Yunnan Province. /CFP
As an important transportation hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road during the Ming and Qing dynasties, Weishan is also known as the "city on horseback." The dwellings left by the horse caravan leaders can still be seen in Donglianhua Village in the county. The width of corridor in the dwelling is built according to the width of the horse's belly, so the horse can easily walk back and forth in the corridor, offering us an interesting insight into the culture of horse caravan trade.
Apart from ancient buildings, tourists can also taste local delicacies in the city, such as one long noodle in one bowl. This dish is the primary breakfast choice for locals. It is said that the longest one strand noodle can be as long as over 1,700 meters. Normally, one long noodle is about 4 meters long.
More interesting history and cultural relics of Weishan can be watched in the documentary "Wen Mai Chun Qiu" aired on CCTV1.
Screenshot of the documentary "Wen Mai Chun Qiu." /CMG
(Cover image via CFP)