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.The Old City of Lijiang |
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.The Old City of Lijiang |
| The old city of Lijiang is
situated in the Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County,yunnan Proyince,on a bleland with an
elevation of 2,400 m below yulong(Jade Dragon)Mountain .It was first built at the turn
from the Song to the yuan period (late 12th～mid-13th century AD)and measures 3.8 sq km
in total area.In the south was the chienain's office surrounded
by palaces and gardens" The palaces are so magnificent as to becomparable with
a king's!" exclaimed the great Ming traveller Xu Xiake in adn1iration. In the north is a market quarter with Sifang(Rectangular Street as the center, from which four streets fan out in four different directions,each being flanked by shopfronts. The eastern city was the location of the liuguan's yamen(office of the non-native governor appointed by the imperial court),where the Wenming(Civilization)Archway,Wenmiao Temple(for the worship of Conmcius)and Wumiao Temple(for the worship of General Guan yu of the Three Kingdoms Period)remain standing up to the present.
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A Beautiful Mountain-and-Water City of the Naxi People Unlike any other royal capital in ancient China, the old city of Lijiang was constructed entirely beyond the influence of the building standard that a royal city should be"nine li in perimeter and have three gates on each of the four sides and nine venical and nine horizontal streets within the city-walls,with the main vertical street admitting nine carriages passing through simultaneously." It has neither a neat road network nor awe-inspiring city-walls.The who1e city is laid out within the natural barriers and limits formed of threemountains and a major river,from which three streams extend through the city and spread into a wide system carryingrunning water to every house.Streets and alleys form avein-like network; and buildings are erected according to the tenain of the hills and rivers, varying in height and exciting interest. |
| The Common People's Dwellings with
Unique Features The common people in Lijiang constructed their residences by a unique style in layout, structure and appearance,which was developed in the light of the specific conditions and traditional customs of their own and in the combination of these with the excellent traditions of ancient architecture in the Central Plains and dwelling construction of the Bai and Tibetan ethnic groups,with bold innovation made in the aspects of anti-seismism, sun-shading,storm resistance,ventilation and decoration. The most striking of their characteristics is the plain,natural creativeness displayed in their adaptability to the tenain, clever, excogitation at disadvantages,and wonderful treatment by simp1e and crude means,which had exerted great influence upon the development of the Naxi ethnic group in a certain region for rather a long period.thus the lijiang common people's residences constitute a volume of important heritage in research into the history of Chinese architecture and culture. |
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CrystaIlization of the Naxi Culture and Techniques
Lijiang provides a typical example of the ancient cities with well-preserved
appearance.Built on the hillsides of three mountains, it is combined with nature in an
organic and integral unity.Tile-roofed houses are arranged closely side by side within the
brace of green mounts,where the common people's residences,simple in shape and elegant in
decoration, draw wide attention as a crystallization of the Naxiculture and techniques. Splendid Traditional Ethnic Culture As an old city having flourished for more than 800 years,Lijiang furnishes the development of ethnic culture with excellent circumstances, in which the Naxi and other ethnic minorities living there have jointly created a glorious culture.Its streets and lanes,squares and archways, water system and bridges,dwelling decorations and counyard patterns, pillar couplets and inscribed horizontal boards,and various stone inscriptions are all |
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| penetrated with the cultural accomplishments and aesthetic tastes of the Naxi people, embody the contents, concepts and spirit of native ethnic religion,literature and art,and exhibit the deep and rich deposits of historical culture.In particular,the Dongba culture,Baisha murals and other traditional cultures and arts with abundant contents constitute a brilliant chapter of the history of mankind's civilization. |
