Heritage and Tourism in Lijiang

Heritage and Tourism in Lijiang

by Ino Manalo

Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

The landscape is one of wonder. Arriving in Lijiang airport, you immediately sense that there is something different in the surrounding terrain. The mountains are snowcapped, even in summer. As you drive away from the airport, you notice that you are in a valley and that the vistas are broad, broader than one can imagine. Having grown up constantly hemmed in by the sea, the vast expanse of fields is so liberating

I’ve had the good fortune of visiting Lijiang in the Western Chinese province of Yunnan on three occasions. My first trip was almost a decade ago, in conjunction with a UNESCO conference on heritage resources management. At that time, I had already been so impressed with the streets of ancient houses over which towered the magnificent peaks of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. 

We were very lucky to be participants of a UNESCO activity. The organizers went out of their way to make sure that we would understand the many meanings that created the context in which Lijiang was embedded. It was pointed out that Jade Dragon Snow Mountain was sacred to the local folk. The water that came from the melting ice was seen as liquid jade. 

The brooks that tumbled down to the valleys brought the magic and blessings of the slopes to the surrounding countryside. The mayor of Vigan, Eva Medina, who was one of the Filipinos with me in the conference, observed that while everyone else was impressed by the incredible views and the lovely old houses, what truly amazed our kababayans was the fact that the rivers were clean! 

Black Dragon Pool

Water was indeed an important factor in the people’s lives. Many springs were considered holy, sites of silence and enchantment. Streets were bordered by canals in which sparkling rivulets constantly flowed. Some cafes would simply keep their bottles of soft drinks cool by dipping it in the icy streams!

Lijiang was accepted in the UNESCO World Heritage List because it represented the coming together of many cultures such as Naxi, Han Chinese, and Tibetan. These cultures lived in relative harmony, creating a vibrant community. This was clearly illustrated in a small village where the painted murals in the temples showed the influences of different aesthetic schools.

There was actually so much to do in the ancient town. At night there were performances such as concerts of traditional Naxi music. Sometimes a group of young people would gather around a bonfire and dance. It felt good to join them and simply twirl and spread your arms.

Then there was the amazing variety of shops. On sale were all kinds of colorful fabrics, scarves, bags, handmade paper, tea, leather goods. I must admit that I bought a finely embroidered jacket and wore it proudly to a conference reception. Everyone was too polite to tell me that my new purchase was really for women. After I found out the truth, I gave the jacket to my sister saying nothing about my social faux pas. My sister loved her gift.

The food at the conference wasn’t the greatest. As we were often confronted with strange bubbling stews, it became customary to inquire about the contents. The wisdom of such inquisitiveness became questionable, however, when we learned that one of our steaming tureens actually contained donkey meat. From then on, we all thought it best to follow the lead of another mayor, this time of the Nepalese town of Bhaktapur. I can still recall how he would declare in a booming voice: “Don’t ask!”.

Fleeing the hotel dinner one evening, I found a little Italian restaurant (The Blue Papaya) tucked into a corner of the ancient town. Its owner had moved there from Italy because he had learned that there were actually a lot of truffles in the Yunnan area. The food was wonderful: pizzas with thin crusts, fresh pasta with sun-ripened tomatoes. It was definitely an improvement over donkey. The next day I spied a group of my fellow delegates at the next table. Soon the entire conference was dining at the restaurant!

Of course, our hotel was really the exception. The traditional cuisine of Lijiang is excellent. At breakfast one can gorge on little pancakes laced with green onions. Street peddlers will tempt you with trembling puddings steamed in large round metal trays. Usually, one sits on tiny stools before low tables to feast on a delicious array of wild mushrooms, crisp river fish and purple rice. A memorable meal was made up of chicken in a sweet orange sauce, egg plants coated in batter then fried and farm fresh eggs scrambled with chives. When all else fails, there is always the famous delicacy that all my friends in the Philippines seem to know about: Yunnan ham!

One can use Lijiang as the base for trips to the surrounding area. There is an amazing gorge to explore. There are trekking expeditions through the wild country that gave birth to the great trinity: the Yangtze, the Ganges and the Mekong. Imagine that the rivers which fed three of the world’s most important civilizations actually started from the same place!

Shuhe temple rafters

Temple in Shuhe 

The outlying villages were also a joy to visit. Their charm lay in their dreamy Brigadoon-like quality. Perhaps the somnolence that the surroundings inspired proved so potent that a member of our party was left behind by the tour bus in the little hamlet of Shuhe. As he was a fellow Filipino, I volunteered to return and rescue him. I still remember driving past sprawling fields of wheat, polished to a fine copper sheen by the gathering dusk. I still remember coming upon my wayward compatriot sitting alone by a well in the central square of Shuhe and how he smiled when he saw me.

Bridge in Shuhe

Years later, when I returned to Yunnan on my third visit, I was quite shocked to see how things had changed. Shuhe was no longer a sleepy town. Long ago, I had taken a picture of the stone bridge and the ragtag bunch of houses around it. Now, the bridge was still there but the houses had been reincarnated as chic galleries and cafes. There were landscaped parks and plush establishments serving French and Korean food. The wheat fields had disappeared. In their stead were residential estates and resorts.

Shuhe stream

Shuhe shops

Doorway in Lijiang

 Skyscraper in the Lijiang New Town

Lijiang’s new urban sector had become bigger. Skyscrapers had sprouted everywhere. Yet, the old quarter had been preserved and, amazingly, also expanded! There has been a spate of construction in an architecture that can be best described as a cross between the styles of the Manchu Empire and the Empire Strikes Back. All these aim to give the ever-growing number of tourists their heritage fix. When I first went to Lijiang, visitor numbers were less than a million. In 2009, it is expected that the 6 million mark may be reached. The Past is big business in Lijiang.

Conservationists are up in arms. They note that the free interpretation of traditional architecture can be confusing. The issue of authenticity is raised. More importantly, there is much concern about the fact that the original Naxi residents of the old town are selling their houses to entrepreneurs and moving out. At the rate things are going, Lijiang will lose the ethnic character and cultural mix which were the main reasons why it was included in the UNESCO list in the first place. There are also complaints about the noise. The music blaring from a string of bars is disturbing homeowners as well as the guests of the beautiful boutique inns that the town is so famous for. Who then should the municipal management favor: the hoteliers or the bar owners? What takes priority: a good night’s rest or partying? What is the true value of silence?

Quiet corner

To be sure, very few are complaining about the great mass of tourists that descends on Lijiang every year. For the huge numbers spell prosperity. The shops and restaurants are thriving.

Tourism channeled properly can actually help conserve heritage resources. How else can a troupe of traditional musicians be able to perform to packed audiences every night of the week? The local government is able to generate so much from tax revenues that it can afford to restore many of the magnificent old residences of Lijiang. 

I had the chance to visit a few of these with two members of the Protection and Management Bureau: the dynamic Ms Rose Ding Wen and her colleague, Leo. They showed me several elegant houses that were to be integrated into a special tour. I suggested a creatively designed circuit that could even include performances and food. We also discussed how Lijiang could serve as a central venue for heritage management, conservation, and museums workshops catering to people from the surrounding provinces.

Carving of an old house

The town’s tourism earnings also help support an interesting municipal showcase: the Lijiang Naxi Dongba Museum. Its exhibits are very sophisticated and well organized. During a meeting with the Deputy Director and one of the staff members, Ms Zhao Xiuyun, I was even told about plans to set up a children’s section that would cater to students and younger visitors.



                                                                     Display at the Lijiang Dongba Museum


Entering one of the town parks I was a little irritated at first to be chased by a guard who demanded that I pay a heritage tax. It turns out that this standard fee was based on a proposal made during the workshop that I had attended almost ten years earlier. The tax is a one-time payment that is valid for an entire stay. It is supposed to be collected by one’s hotel or at major tourist sites. Tourists should keep the receipt and show this when needed so as to avoid paying again.

The remarkable influx of visitors has allowed for the blossoming of quaint inns that incorporate traditional architectural features. Everywhere one looks there are splendidly carved entrances that open into tranquil plazas. Among the most tasteful places that I saw was the Zen Garden Hotel operated by Ms Yumei He. The Zen Garden stands on a hill with views of the whole ancient district. The rooms are set around a central garden filled with cane chairs, ponds and flowering plants. 

Meanwhile, a budget option is the Crescent Moon Inn just a porcelain tile’s throw away from the main shopping street. Lodgers are calmed by a glimpse of lovingly tended plants in a quiet courtyard. My room featured paper lined windows and an immaculate modern bathroom. The proprietors were so gracious that when I told them that I was leaving on a short trip and would be absent for a few days, they wouldn’t let me pay until my return. It turns out that the Crescent Moon’s owners were from Northern China. Such was the booming tourism business in Lijiang that it attracted people from far-away places. More importantly, the establishments that were being set up always respected the heritage context. Then too, the great demand for artisans who were skilled in traditional techniques helped keep the old construction methods alive together with the industries that produced time-honored materials such as tiles and bricks.

Pavilion at the Banyan Tree Resort

Tourism brings many problems: pollution, noise, displacement, exploitation. There are even some people discussing whether it is a good idea to place entire communities on the UNESCO list. Can one really legislate heritage guidelines that will be followed by so many people? Is UNESCO actually interfering with private lives? Surely a balance can be found between commercial interests and the need to preserve heritage values as well as the tranquility and integrity of place. Experts have, in fact, shown how one side of the equation can support the other.

The jury is still out with regard to Lijiang. What I do know is that there are nights when one can stand on a balcony relishing the amber glow that comes from tiers upon tiers of ancient houses. Then it does not really matter whether the surrounding structures’ connections to the past are the result of pretence or privilege. I do know that there are certain mornings when the cobblestone streets are wrapped in a silence that is broken only by the sound of women fetching water from the wells. Walking around one is greeted by a vendor who offers pancakes so fresh and warm and yielding that for a moment cares are forgotten. There are no more discussions on the meanings of heritage, of development, of authenticity.

There are only pancakes.

RESOURCES 

How to get there:
To get to Lijiang from most of the major Chinese cities, you will have to stop at Kunming and take a connecting flight. When I was an official delegate for a big convention in Lijiang, the organizers posted guides to meet us in Kunming. It is usually possible to get on an earlier flight if the plane is not full.

Where to stay:
Ten years ago I stayed at the Crescent Moon Inn in the old town. The owners are Han Chinese and are very nice. They held a room for me for my return from Zhongdian without any deposit. They charge extra for breakfast. Rooms (with their own bathrooms) which are simple but pleasant, are arranged around a courtyard.  http://crescent-moon-inn-lijiang.booked.net/

Main courtyard, Crescent Moon Inn

Sitting area

Cozy bedroom

One of the owners

A friend of mine likes to stay at the pricier Zen Garden Hotel which is more elegantly furnished. It is set on a hill just behind the waterwheels.  http://zengardenhotel.com/

Courtyard, Zen Garden Hotel

You may want to look at the Banyan Tree Resort. It is located at the outskirts of town. Expensive but very stylish.  http://www.banyantree.com/en/cn-china-lijiang

Banyan Tree Resort

Where to Eat:
 One place that I liked was the Blue Papaya Restaurant in the Old Town. It now gets mixed reviews

What Else to See:
Drop by the Lijiang Dongba Museum

Figures at the Lijiang Dongba Museum