Dali Old Town is laid out in a regular grid, with paved streets and canals that preserve its historic character. It is also home to Bai traditions, museums and buildings with very different stories. For planning your trip, it is useful to keep these highlights distinct: the Old Town tells the story of the city’s layout and culture, while the Three Pagodas area adds its own historical and scenic dimension.
Old Town: Streets, Towers and Museums
Fuxing Road runs through the Old Town. Along the road, you’ll find local snacks, handicrafts and traditional folk songs; it is also home to the Dali Municipal Museum in the historic Du Wenxiu Marshal’s Mansion. The museum includes an exhibition hall for historical cultural relics, a courtyard complex with four courtyards and five inner courtyards, and a forest of steles. Its location and varied features make the museum a tangible starting point if you’re interested in the town’s history and architectural design.
The Wuhua Tower stands at the center of the Old Town. It was built in 856 during the Nanzhao period; its location offers views in all four directions. Another example of Bai residential architecture is the Yang Jie Former Residence: the complex comprises a front house with three sections and a screen wall, as well as a rear courtyard complex with four courtyards and five inner courtyards. The Old Town’s public and museum buildings thus differ markedly from a traditional residential complex.
Bai Culture and Historic Sites
The Jiang Gong Shrine houses a museum of Dali’s intangible cultural heritage. This well-preserved, representative ancestral shrine presents Bai culture and the culture of local guardian deities, traditional crafts, and Dongjing music. Zuoke Baijia is another venue in the Old Town showcasing Bai intangible cultural heritage. It presents the Rao San Ling tradition, Bai songs and wedding customs.
The Dali Confucian Temple also brings architecture and cultural activities together. Its ceremonial complex includes a screen wall, a pond, gate buildings, a sacrificial platform and the Dacheng Hall. Photo and art exhibitions, as well as ceremonies honoring Confucius, are held there; individual programs may vary. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple Scenic and Cultural Area is classified as a national AAAAA tourist attraction. Construction of the temple began during the Tang period, between 713 and 741 AD; it reached its peak during the Dali Kingdom and served as a royal monastery as well as a political and educational center. The municipal listing gives the area’s opening hours as 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Check the hours before your visit.
Lunar Calendar Festivals
March Street is a Bai festival with a history of more than 1,300 years. It takes place every year over seven days, from the 15th to the 21st day of the third lunar month. The market is at the foot of Cangshan, west of Dali Old Town, and is associated with trade, dancing, horse racing and other competitions. The exact dates in the Western calendar shift with the lunar calendar; program details may vary from year to year.
Another annual event is the Chunqiao Festival at Wumiao: it falls on the 15th day of the second lunar month and features Bai dances and trade. It takes place one lunar month before March Street. If you’re planning your trip around either festival, take the relevant lunar calendar date into account and check the program details for that year.
Getting Around and Getting There
Dali Old Town Scenic Area is open year-round and free to enter. Check the current access conditions before your trip. Within the Old Town, a 2021 route overview lists two self-service electric sightseeing shuttle lines between major gates and streets. Line 1 runs from Wenxian Gate via Lüyü Road, Bo’ai Road, People’s Road and Yeyu Road to the east gate on Yuer Road. Line 2 runs from Bo’ai Gate via Honglongjing, People’s Road, Yangren Street and Cangshan Gate to the same destination. Routes may change, so check the current service before traveling.
For travel from Dali Railway Station, 2021 transport information lists Bus 8 and the Three Pagodas Line, as well as a direct shuttle from the station to the visitor center at the Old Town’s South Gate. The information does not state that both bus lines go directly into the Old Town, so check current services before departure. This allows you to plan your journey separately from getting around within the Old Town.
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