Dali: Old Town, Bai Culture and Historic Buildings

Dali offers several clear starting points for a trip focused on the city’s history and Bai culture. If you’re looking for a hotel in Dali, you can first consider whether you’d mainly like to explore the Old Town, visit museums or experience a traditional festival. The places and dates below offer different ways to plan your visit.

Old Town: Layout, Buildings and Museum

Dali Old Town follows a regular grid layout. Fuxing Road runs through the town; paved streets and canals preserve its historic character. According to the official register, the Old Town Scenic Area is open year-round and admission is free. Check access conditions before your trip.

The Wuhua Tower stands in the center of the Old Town. It was built in 856, during the Nanzhao period, and its location offers views in all four directions. Dali Municipal Museum is also on Fuxing Road, housed 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.

Fuxing Road itself also shapes the visitor experience: along the street, you’ll find local snacks, handicrafts and traditional folk songs. Individual businesses may change. For a different perspective on the architecture of a Bai residential compound, visit the Yang Jie Former Residence: the front house consists of three sections and a screen wall; behind it is a courtyard complex with four courtyards and five inner courtyards.

Temples and Bai Culture

Construction of Chongsheng Temple began during the Tang dynasty, between 713 and 741 CE. The temple reached its peak during the Dali Kingdom, serving as a royal monastery and a political and educational center. The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple Scenic and Cultural Area is listed in the municipal register as a national AAAAA tourist attraction. The same list gives its opening hours as 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Classifications and operating details may change; check the information before your visit.

Jiang Gong Shrine is a museum of Dali’s intangible cultural heritage, located in a well-preserved, representative ancestral shrine in the Old Town. It introduces Bai culture, the culture of local guardian deities, traditional craft techniques and Dongjing music. The Confucian Temple preserves a traditional ceremonial complex with a screen wall, pond, gates, sacrificial platform and Dacheng Hall. It hosts photography and art exhibitions, as well as ceremonies honoring Confucius; individual programs may vary.

Zuoke Baijia is an exhibition venue for Bai intangible cultural heritage in the Old Town. It introduces the Rao San Ling tradition, Bai songs and wedding customs. Individual performances may vary. The sites therefore differ in their focus: the museum emphasizes collections and cultural relics, while the cultural venues described here introduce traditions and customs.

Festivals: Dates and Character

March Street is a Bai festival with a history of more than 1,300 years. The annual festival period lasts 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. Activities include trading, dancing, horse racing and other competitions. Exact calendar dates and program details may vary from year to year.

Another annual event is the Chunqiao Festival at Wumiao in the Old Town. It takes place on the 15th day of the second lunar month and combines Bai dances with trading. By comparison, this festival falls in the second lunar month, while the seven-day March Street festival takes place in the third lunar month. If a festival is important to your travel plans, check the exact dates and program in advance.

Getting There and Finding Your Way

Transport information from 2021 lists Bus 8 and the Three Pagodas Line at Dali Railway Station. It also lists a direct shuttle from the station to the visitor center at the Old Town’s South Gate. Check routes before your trip.

For getting around within the Old Town, a 2021 tourism information source describes two self-service electric sightseeing-car routes. Route 1 runs from Wenxian Gate via Lüyü Road, Bo’ai Road, People’s Road and Yeyu Road to the East Gate on Yuer Road. Route 2 runs from Bo’ai Gate via Honglongjing, People’s Road, Yangren Street and Cangshan Gate to the same destination. As routes may change, check the latest information locally.

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For the main travel overview: Yunnan.