Shuhe 束河古镇

About Shuhe

Its lanes meet at the old Sifang Square, while Qinglong Bridge crosses the water beneath the western hills. Following the streams north brings the water system into focus at Jiuding Dragon Pool. The small bridges, shopfronts and waterside houses make a useful contrast with Dayan’s larger commercial centre; allow time to explore the older streets beyond the newer performance squares.

Shuhe is one of the earliest Naxi settlements in the Lijiang area. Since the Ming dynasty, craftsmen working in leather processing and other handicrafts gathered here, and the settlement grew into an important town on the Tea Horse Road (茶马古道) and a centre of Naxi cultural exchange. It is regarded as a living example of the Naxi transition from an agricultural to a commercial economy, and it retains Ming-dynasty murals together with the Ming-era Dajue Palace (大觉宫) and the Qing-era Sansheng Palace (三圣宫).

The Naxi name for Shuhe, Shaowu (绍坞), derives from Jubao Mountain (聚宝山) behind the village, whose peaks resemble stacked treasure; the name means 'the village below the high peak.' It lies about four kilometres north of the old town of Lijiang along the road running down the eastern side of Zhongji Lake (中济海), and together with the Dayan and Baisha old towns it forms part of the Old Town of Lijiang World Heritage property; it is rated a 4A scenic area (4A级景区).

What to look for

• Qinglong Bridge is a stone crossing aligned with Jubao Hill.
• Jiuding Dragon Pool and the streams running through the settlement reveal Shuhe’s spring-fed water system.

Location & getting there

Getting to Shuhe

Arrive at Shuhe Road in Gucheng District, north of Dayan. Continue on foot into the old settlement from the signed visitor entrance; Jiuding Dragon Pool is in the northern part of the town.