Xizhou Village

Located 18 kilometers north of Dali Ancient Town, Xizhou Village borders Erhai Lake in the east and Cang Mountain in the west. Xizhou is an important town where the Bai people live. It has the most preserved and best Bai residential buildings. The decorative paintings of these folk houses, such as the overlapping paintings, the overlapping arches, the slanting corners, the gates, the walls, and the gables, reflect the architectural talents and artistic creativity of the Bai people.

Highlights of the village

Yan Family Courtyard

Yan Family Courtyard

The Yan Family Courtyard is also known as Yan Jiabaocheng Mansion. This courtyard has a small auditorium with about two hundred seats, primarily for three courses tea performances, and for some other custom shows. Yanjia Courtyard is one of the best preserved residential buildings. It is a model with high specifications in Bai people's residences. It is very representative.

Yan Family Dwelling

Yanjia Residence is located at the southwest corner of Sifang Street. The building is a typical ‘three squares and one wall’ and ‘four in five patios’ Bai courtyard layout. Yan Jia is the first of the ‘four wealthy families’ of Xizhou in the old days. You still can imagine how influential this family was from this courtyard. You can also enjoy the Bai folk song and dance performances, and drink three courses tea in Yanjia Courtyard. If you are interested in architecture and Bai culture, don’t miss it.

Xizhou Ancient Bai Buildings

Xizhou Ancient Bai Buildings

The Xizhou ancient Bai buildings include 101 complete houses of the Ming Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China, a total of 1500 houses plus the modern residence of the Bai people. The layout of each courtyard has a unique style of Bai architecture. Xizhou Bai buildings have high scientific and artistic value to ethnology and architecture. Don’t miss them!

Sea Tongue Peninsula

The Sea Tongue peninsula is on the east side of Xizhou Ancient Town. You can walk east to the Erhai Lake for 3 to 4 kilometers, then head to Haixin Pavilion, and then after you go a few hundred meters to Jingui Temple, you can see an oasis about 100 meters wide and one kilometer long. It seems like a jade pin pointing into the waves of Erhai Lake. The locals call it the sea tongue. There are few tourists, but the scenery is very beautiful. The blue sky, white clouds and green trees are around the lake, you can see waterfowls in them. It gives people the feeling of being in nature. What a harmonious picture!