Xizhou Ancient Town: The Complete Guide to Dali's Bai Cultural Treasure

Nestled between the emerald slopes of Cangshan Mountain and the shimmering waters of Erhai Lake, Xizhou Ancient Town is a place where time slows down and history breathes. Located just 18 kilometers north of Dali Old Town in Yunnan Province, this small settlement of roughly 2,500 residents is widely regarded as the cradle of Bai ethnic culture and one of the most authentically preserved ancient towns in all of southwest China. Unlike many tourist-heavy destinations that have lost their soul to commercialization, Xizhou Ancient Town remains a living, breathing community where families still inhabit centuries-old courtyard homes, elders gather in cobbled squares to chat and do needlework, and the scent of freshly baked Xizhou baba drifts through narrow lanes at dawn.

What sets Xizhou Ancient Town apart is its remarkable concentration of Bai architecture. With over 100 well-preserved residences from the Ming, Qing, and Republican eras — and approximately 1,500 more built in traditional Bai style — the town is essentially an open-air museum of vernacular architecture. It was once a powerhouse on the ancient Tea Horse Road, producing merchant families whose wealth rivaled that of any in the region. The famous writer Lao She visited in the 1940s and called it a "miracle," comparing its flowing streams and elegant mansions to Cambridge, England. Today, visitors come to Xizhou Ancient Town not just for photographs, but for immersive cultural experiences: learning tie-dye from village artisans, savoring Bai cuisine passed down through generations, and staying in heritage courtyards that have been lovingly restored. Whether you are a history enthusiast, a food lover, or a cultural explorer, Xizhou Ancient Town offers something that few destinations in China can match — a genuine encounter with a living tradition.

What Is Xizhou Ancient Town? A Bai Cultural Gem Near Dali

Xizhou Ancient Town is a historic settlement located in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, southwest China. Situated approximately 18 kilometers north of Dali Old Town, it lies in a privileged geographic position: to the east rises the majestic Cangshan Mountain range, and to the west stretches the vast Erhai Lake, one of the largest highland lakes in China. The town itself sits barely 500 meters from the lakeshore, with the mountain peaks only 2,500 to 3,000 meters away. This dramatic setting — mountains on one side, water on the other, and fertile fields in between — is what the Bai people have called home for well over a thousand years.

The population of Xizhou Ancient Town is predominantly Bai, one of China's 55 recognized ethnic minority groups. The Bai people are known for their sophisticated culture, distinctive white-and-blue architectural aesthetic, agricultural expertise, and deep traditions of craftsmanship. Xizhou is often referred to as the "First Town of the Bai People" — a title earned not by size but by cultural significance. It is recognized as one of the cradles of Dali's broader cultural heritage and is celebrated as the birthplace of Bai commerce and industry.

What makes Xizhou Ancient Town particularly special is its status as a living community rather than a staged tourist attraction. While many ancient towns in China have been gutted and rebuilt as commercial strips selling mass-produced souvenirs, Xizhou has maintained its residential character. The town was designated as one of China's first batch of "Characteristic Towns," a recognition that balances heritage preservation with sustainable tourism development. Local authorities have carefully restored old residences and courtyards without destroying their original architectural style, and many families continue to live in the same homes their ancestors built generations ago.

The town's layout follows traditional Bai principles. At its heart lies Sifang Street (Square Street), a central plaza that has served as the community's commercial and social hub for centuries. A famous name-board archway stands at the center of this square, inscribed with the names of scholars who passed imperial examinations — by the late Qing Dynasty, over 100 names had been recorded, testifying to the town's deep reverence for education alongside its commercial prowess. Streets radiate outward from this center, lined with courtyard homes, small shops, temples, and the ever-present streams that once prompted Lao She to compare Xizhou to Cambridge.

For travelers, Xizhou Ancient Town offers a rare combination: the architectural grandeur of a wealthy merchant town, the cultural depth of an ethnic minority stronghold, the natural beauty of the Cangshan-Erhai landscape, and the warmth of a community that still practices its traditions daily. It is not a place you simply visit — it is a place you experience.

The Fascinating History of Xizhou Ancient Town

The story of Xizhou Ancient Town stretches back well over a millennium. Historical records indicate that as early as the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 AD), the ancestors of the Bai ethnic group had already begun living in concentrated numbers in the Xizhou area. This was a period when the region was under the influence of the Nanzhao Kingdom, a powerful polity that dominated southwest China and parts of Southeast Asia. Xizhou served as an early capital of the Nanzhao state before the political center shifted to nearby Dali, and its strategic location between the mountain passes and the lake made it a natural crossroads for trade, culture, and military movement.

The town's historical significance expanded dramatically during the Qing Dynasty (1644 to 1911), when Xizhou became a crucial node on the ancient Tea Horse Road — the vast network of trade routes that connected tea-producing Yunnan with Tibet, Sichuan, and beyond. Along these rugged mountain paths, caravans of horses and mules carried compressed tea bricks, salt, medicinal herbs, and other goods across some of the most challenging terrain on earth. Xizhou merchants began their careers with these mule caravans, enduring months of hardship on the road to accumulate their first fortunes. The town's position at the intersection of several major routes made it a natural trading hub, and its merchants developed reputations for reliability, sophistication, and ambition.

By the Guangxu era of the late Qing Dynasty (1875 to 1908), the Xizhou business group had emerged as one of the most powerful merchant associations in southwest China. This collective of trading families eventually produced a group of national capitalists led by four great houses: the Yan, Dong, Yin, and Yang families. These families built commercial empires that spanned the country. The Yan family, under the leadership of Yan Zizhen, founded the Yongchangxiang trading firm and created the famous Tuo tea brand — a compressed tea that became one of Yunnan's most iconic exports. Over decades of operation, the Yan commercial empire accumulated assets estimated at 100 billion yuan (in contemporary terms) and maintained over 70 branch offices across China.

During the Republican era (1912 to 1949), Xizhou Ancient Town reached its commercial zenith. The town maintained extensive trade relationships with domestic markets across China and international partners throughout Southeast Asia. The Yang family's Hongxingyuan firm, led by Yang Pinxiang, even pioneered a trade route from India through Tibet to Yunnan during the Second Sino-Japanese War, contributing critically to supply lines and regional economic resilience when coastal routes were blockaded. This period of prosperity left an indelible mark on the town's physical landscape — the grand courtyard mansions that visitors admire today were largely built during this era of extraordinary wealth.

The renowned Chinese writer Lao She visited Xizhou Ancient Town in the 1940s and was moved to write one of the most famous literary tributes to the town. In his travel notes, he declared Xizhou "a miracle," writing that he could not recall seeing such a dignified town in any other remote corner of China. He described streets lined with flowing water that reminded him of Cambridge, England, elegant courtyards with carved beams and painted pillars, a library with a marble archway inscribed in gold, and a setting between mountains and lake that he called a true "Shangri-La." His words captured the essence of Xizhou Ancient Town — a place where commercial success, cultural refinement, and natural beauty converged in perfect harmony.

Bai Architecture in Xizhou: Courtyards That Tell Stories

The architecture of Xizhou Ancient Town represents one of the finest and most concentrated collections of traditional Bai residential construction anywhere in China. The town preserves over 100 residences from the Ming, Qing, and Republican periods in relatively complete condition, with an additional 1,500 homes built in the traditional Bai style. Walking through the lanes of Xizhou Ancient Town is like reading a three-dimensional history book of vernacular design, where each courtyard tells a story of wealth, craftsmanship, and cultural identity.

The hallmark of Bai architecture is the distinctive color palette of black, white, and gray, with white predominating. This aesthetic gives Xizhou Ancient Town its luminous, almost silvery appearance under the Yunnan sun. One of the most remarkable and unique features of Bai construction in Xizhou is the directional orientation of the houses. Because Dali sits at the convergence of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and the Hengduan Mountain range, the region is subject to persistent westerly winds throughout the year. To shield against these winds, every main hall in Xizhou faces southeast — a uniformity of orientation that is virtually unheard of in other Chinese architectural traditions and gives the town an extraordinarily ordered, harmonious appearance when viewed from above.

The classic Bai courtyard layout is known as "three buildings and one screen wall" (sanfang yizhaobi). This arrangement consists of three two-story buildings arranged in a U-shape, with a fourth side enclosed by a tall whitewashed screen wall. The screen wall serves multiple functions: it blocks wind, reflects sunlight into the courtyard to maximize natural illumination, and provides a canvas for elaborate paintings and calligraphy. Colorful murals on gate towers, screen walls, and gable ends are a defining decorative element, featuring simple yet elegant lines that depict landscapes, flowers, birds, and auspicious symbols. This Bai painting tradition has been recognized as national-level intangible cultural heritage.

The crown jewel of Xizhou Ancient Town's architectural heritage is the Yan Family Mansion (Yan Jia Da Yuan). Built by Yan Zizhen, the leading figure of the Xizhou merchant group in the 1940s and founder of the Yongchangxiang firm and Tuo tea brand, this sprawling complex consists of four consecutive courtyards extending from north to south. The architecture is quintessentially Bai but incorporates Western architectural elements, reflecting the cosmopolitan outlook of its owner. The walls shimmer with a silver tone — historically associated with wealth — and the wooden halls are solemn and dignified. The mansion houses three treasures: exquisite coral-glazed porcelain, dramatically sculpted stone mythical beasts, and a serene bronze Buddha of superb craftsmanship.

Equally significant is the Yang Family Courtyard, a nationally protected cultural relic originally built for Yang Pinxiang, the prominent Xizhou merchant who managed the Hongxingyuan trading firm. Constructed in the 1940s in exquisite traditional Bai style, the courtyard was designated a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit in 2001. In a remarkable chapter of cultural preservation, the Yang Family Courtyard was leased to Brian Linden, an American who first came to China in 1984 and fell in love with Xizhou's heritage. Linden and his wife spent 18 months restoring the building using only local craftsmen, with 60 to 100 villagers participating daily in the construction. The result is the Linden Centre — a 16-room boutique hotel and cultural exchange platform that has hosted over 200,000 guests including ambassadors, scholars, and artists, while opening 40 percent of its space to the community for free English classes, a library, and cultural programs.

What to Eat in Xizhou Ancient Town: 7 Must-Try Local Delicacies

The culinary heritage of Xizhou Ancient Town is as rich and layered as its architecture. Bai cuisine reflects the agricultural abundance of the Erhai Lake region, the cultural exchanges along the Tea Horse Road, and centuries of refinement by families who took pride in their tables. From street snacks to ceremonial teas, here are seven essential food experiences that no visitor to Xizhou Ancient Town should miss.

1. Xizhou Baba — The Legendary Stuffed Flatbread

Xizhou baba is the undisputed culinary icon of Xizhou Ancient Town. This stuffed flatbread has been made since the Ming and Qing dynasties, with recipes passed down through generations of Bai families. According to Zhao Ruizhen, a 73-year-old inheritor of the craft, the technique dates back to her ancestors and she has personally taught it to a dozen disciples. Xizhou baba comes in two varieties: sweet and savory. The sweet version is filled with brown sugar and rose petals, creating a caramelized, fragrant center. The savory version is stuffed with minced pork, scallions, and local spices. The dough is painstakingly layered — folded and rolled repeatedly to create a flaky, almost pastry-like texture — then baked in a clay oven until golden and crisp on the outside while remaining soft and steaming inside. The best Xizhou baba is found not in restaurants but at small street-side stalls, where you can watch the entire process and eat it fresh from the oven.

2. Rushan — Bai-Style Fried Cheese

Rushan is a unique dairy product that exemplifies the Bai people's historical connection to livestock herding along the Tea Horse Road. Made from yak or cow milk, the cheese is stretched into thin, fan-like sheets, dried, and then deep-fried until it puffs up into a crispy, golden delicacy. It is typically served dusted with sugar or accompanied by a local fruit jam. The texture is unlike any Western cheese — simultaneously crispy, chewy, and creamy — and it is a staple at Bai celebrations and ceremonies. In Xizhou Ancient Town, you can find rushan at morning markets and family-run eateries, often made fresh by vendors who stretch the cheese sheets by hand on bamboo frames.

3. Erkuai — Rice Cakes in Countless Forms

Erkuai is a foundational element of Bai and broader Yunnan cuisine. Made from high-quality rice that is steamed, pounded into a paste, and then shaped into flat cakes, erkuai can be sliced, shredded, or grilled and served in dozens of preparations. In Xizhou Ancient Town, the most popular version is stir-fried erkuai with local vegetables, bacon, and chili paste, served sizzling from wok to plate. Another beloved variation is grilled erkuai brushed with sweet bean sauce and sprinkled with crushed peanuts — a perfect street-side snack while exploring the town's lanes.

4. Three-Course Tea — The Bai Tea Ceremony

The Three-Course Tea (Sandao Cha) is perhaps the most culturally significant culinary experience in Xizhou Ancient Town. This ceremonial tea service embodies the Bai philosophy of life through three distinct servings. The first course is bitter tea, brewed from roasted tea leaves in a small clay pot, symbolizing the hardships of life. The second course is sweet tea, with brown sugar, walnuts, and cheese flakes added, representing the rewards that follow struggle. The third course is aftertaste tea, infused with honey, Sichuan pepper, and ginger, symbolizing reflection and the lingering wisdom that comes with experience. The ceremony is traditionally performed at weddings, guest receptions, and important gatherings, and several teahouses in Xizhou Ancient Town offer it to visitors with full cultural narration.

5. Erhai Lake Fish — Fresh Catch From the Waters

Given that Erhai Lake is barely 500 meters from the town center, fresh fish has always been central to the Xizhou Ancient Town diet. The most celebrated preparation is sour and spicy fish soup, made with local lake catch, pickled vegetables, fresh chili, and mountain herbs. The fish is typically cooked in a copper pot over an open flame, resulting in a broth that is simultaneously tangy, fiery, and deeply savory. Silver fish from Erhai, tiny and delicate, are often flash-fried to a crisp and eaten whole as a snack.

6. Pickled Vegetables — The Bai Fermentation Tradition

Bai households in Xizhou Ancient Town have maintained fermentation traditions for centuries. Pickled mustard greens, fermented tofu, and preserved radishes are produced in every home and sold at the morning market. These fermented accompaniments add complexity to simple meals and are considered essential to the Bai table. The most distinctive is suancai (sour vegetable), which is used as a base for soups, stir-fries, and noodle dishes throughout the region.

7. Wild Mushroom Dishes — Gifts From Cangshan Mountain

During the rainy season from June through September, the forests of Cangshan Mountain yield an extraordinary variety of wild mushrooms. Xizhou Ancient Town restaurants feature these seasonal treasures in stir-fries, soups, and hot pots. Boletus, matsutake, and termite mushrooms are prepared with minimal seasoning to showcase their natural flavors. For visitors during mushroom season, a meal of wild mushroom hot pot in a Xizhou courtyard is an unforgettable culinary experience that connects the table directly to the surrounding landscape.

Things to Do in Xizhou Ancient Town: Beyond the Tourist Trail

Xizhou Ancient Town rewards travelers who linger. While a quick walk through the main square offers a pleasant afternoon, the town's deepest treasures reveal themselves to those who engage with its people, traditions, and landscape. Here is a curated guide to the most meaningful experiences in and around Xizhou Ancient Town.

Learn Bai Tie-Dye in Nearby Zhoucheng Village

Just a short distance from Xizhou Ancient Town lies Zhoucheng Village, universally recognized as the "Hometown of Bai Tie-Dye." This craft, designated as national-level intangible cultural heritage, has been practiced by Bai women for generations. The process is mesmerizing in its simplicity and profundity. White cotton or cotton-linen fabric is first marked with patterns, then specific areas are tightly bound with thread to resist dye. The fabric is then repeatedly immersed in vats of indigo dye made from natural plants — primarily wild indigo (Polygonum tinctorium), Isatis root (banlangen), and mugwort. Each immersion deepens the color, and the tightness of the binding creates subtle gradations of blue and white. Every finished piece is unique, unrepeatable, and carries the mark of its maker's hand. In Zhoucheng, the Duan family — husband Duan Shukun and wife Duan Yinkai — operate a tie-dye workshop and built a museum in 2012 dedicated to the craft. Visitors can watch master artisans at work, learn the technique firsthand, and create their own piece to take home. This is not a tourist spectacle but a genuine encounter with a living tradition.

Explore the Morning Market at Sifang Street

The morning market at Xizhou Ancient Town's Sifang Street is one of the most authentic cultural experiences available to visitors. Arrive early — by 7 AM, the square is already alive with farmers from surrounding villages selling fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits, live fish from Erhai Lake, handmade rushan cheese, pickled vegetables in clay jars, and freshly baked Xizhou baba. This is where the town's residents actually shop, chat, and begin their day. Walking through the market, you will see elderly Bai women in traditional blue tie-dye aprons, farmers carrying produce in bamboo baskets, and vendors slicing erkuai to order. The market is also the best place to sample local snacks at their freshest and most affordable. No visit to Xizhou Ancient Town is complete without spending a morning here.

Visit Ziyun Mountain Temple

Built during the Ming Dynasty (1368 to 1644), Ziyun Mountain Temple is a remarkable example of Bai religious architecture and the syncretic spiritual traditions of the region. The temple gate is designed to resemble a local Bai residence, with a phoenix motif above the entrance — in Bai culture, a phoenix on the door indicates that the primary deity is female. Inside, ancient cypress and pine trees provide shade across the courtyard. The central structure is the Doumu Hall, a two-story wooden building dedicated to Doumu, the Mother of All Stars in Daoist theology, who holds an exalted position in the pantheon. Remarkably, the temple enshrines both Doumu and Buddhist statues side by side, reflecting the inclusive, three-religions-in-one tradition (Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism) that characterizes temples throughout Dali and Yunnan. This synthesis of belief systems is a defining feature of Bai spirituality and makes Ziyun Mountain Temple a fascinating site for cultural understanding.

Cycle Along the Erhai Lake Shore

Since Erhai Lake is only about 500 meters from the town center, renting a bicycle and riding along the lakeshore is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the landscape surrounding Xizhou Ancient Town. The cycling path offers panoramic views of the lake's vast expanse on one side and the dramatic peaks of Cangshan Mountain on the other. Along the way, you will pass through rice paddies, small Bai villages, willow groves, and sections where the road runs directly along the water's edge. The golden hour — shortly after sunrise or before sunset — transforms the lake into a mirror of pink and gold, creating the photographic conditions that have made this stretch of shoreline famous among travelers and photographers alike.

Photograph the Corner Building and Golden Wheat Fields

Two of the most iconic visual motifs associated with Xizhou Ancient Town are the Corner Building (Zhuan Jiao Lou) and the seasonal wheat fields. The Corner Building is a striking example of Bai residential architecture that sits at an intersection, its design creating a dramatic angular facade that has become one of the most photographed structures in the Dali region. The wheat fields surrounding the town change character with the seasons — emerald green in spring as farmers transplant rice seedlings into flooded paddies, golden in early summer as the wheat ripens, and reflective with water in autumn. These fields, set against the backdrop of Cangshan Mountain, create the "wind-swept wheat fields" that have become a viral photography destination. The interplay of traditional architecture and agricultural landscape is what gives Xizhou Ancient Town its distinctive visual poetry.

How to Plan Your Perfect Xizhou Ancient Town Trip

Planning a visit to Xizhou Ancient Town requires understanding its seasonal rhythms, transportation options, and the unique character of its accommodations. With thoughtful preparation, your experience can move beyond surface-level tourism into genuine cultural immersion.

Best Time to Visit

Xizhou Ancient Town can be visited year-round, but each season offers distinct advantages. Spring (March to May) is widely considered the ideal time. The weather is mild and sunny, rapeseed flowers blanket the surrounding fields in yellow, and the wheat fields are at their most vibrant green. This is also when Bai cultural festivals are most likely to occur. Summer (June to August) brings the rainy season, but with it comes the wild mushroom harvest — a culinary event that draws food enthusiasts from across China. The clouds and mist that wrap Cangshan Mountain create ethereal landscapes, though you should be prepared for afternoon showers. Autumn (September to November) offers crisp, clear weather with comfortable temperatures and golden harvest scenes in the fields. Winter (December to February) is the quietest season, with fewer tourists, clear skies, and flocks of migratory birds on Erhai Lake. If your priority is avoiding crowds and enjoying peaceful courtyard mornings, winter can be surprisingly rewarding.

How to Get There

Xizhou Ancient Town has become significantly more accessible in recent years. Dali now has a high-speed rail station, a new airport, and an extensive highway network. From Kunming, the high-speed train reaches Dali in approximately two hours. From Dali Railway Station or Dali Airport, Xizhou Ancient Town is about a 30 to 40 minute drive. Public buses run regularly between Dali Old Town and Xizhou, and taxis or ride-hailing services are readily available. For travelers who prefer independence, renting a bicycle or e-bike in Dali Old Town and riding to Xizhou along the Erhai lakeshore path is a popular and scenic option that takes approximately one to one and a half hours.

Where to Stay

Accommodation in Xizhou Ancient Town ranges from heritage boutique hotels to family-run guesthouses, and the choice significantly shapes your experience. The most distinctive option is the Linden Centre, housed in the restored Yang Family Courtyard. This 16-room property offers not just lodging but a full cultural immersion program, including guided tours, craft workshops, cooking classes, and access to a library and community spaces. For travelers seeking a deeper connection to Bai culture, the Linden Centre is unmatched. Beyond this flagship property, numerous family-run guesthouses operate in traditional courtyard homes throughout the town. These typically offer clean, comfortable rooms at moderate prices, home-cooked Bai meals, and the invaluable benefit of local hosts who can guide you to experiences you would never find on your own. Staying overnight in Xizhou Ancient Town rather than day-tripping from Dali Old Town is strongly recommended — the town reveals its truest character in the early morning and evening hours, when day-trippers have departed and the lanes belong to residents once more.

Practical Tips for Your Visit

Respect local customs and privacy. Many courtyard homes are private residences, and some display signs requesting no visitors. Always ask before photographing people or entering private spaces. The morning market operates earliest — arrive by 7 AM for the full experience. Bring cash, as some market vendors and small stalls may not accept digital payments. If you plan to participate in a tie-dye workshop, wear clothing that can tolerate indigo stains. For the best culinary experience, ask your guesthouse host to prepare a home-cooked Bai dinner — this is often the most memorable meal of the entire trip. Finally, slow down. Xizhou Ancient Town is not a checklist destination. Its magic lies in the unhurried moments: the sound of flowing water in a lane, the warmth of a freshly baked baba, the blue of indigo drying in a courtyard, and the conversation with an artisan whose family has practiced the same craft for generations. Plan your time to allow for serendipity, and Xizhou Ancient Town will reward you with memories that last a lifetime.