The Baisha Murals were stored, preserved and displayed in some ancient buildings in the Baisha village, which is located 10km northwest of Lijiang city. These houses were built over a period of more than 300 years from the Ming (1385AD) to Qin Dynasty (1619AD), the murals were also painted during this period. Over the course of about 300 hundred years. In Lijiang, it was an era of rapid economic development, mutual acculturation of multinational culture, and the growth of religions. Accordingly, Lijiang Mural was an artistic representation of this cooperation, communication and progress. The authors of these mural paintings had come from different nations, including the local Naxi Dongba painters; the Taoist painter Zhang from the Central Plain; Tibetan Lama artist Guchang; Han painters Ma Xiaoxian and Li Zeng; and many other artists who were unknown to the public.

The originality and figures of the mural paintings reflect the different religious cultures and artistic forms of Buddhism, Lamaism, Daoism and the Naxi Dongba religion, therefore, Lijiang Mural is quite different from other frescos. The various lifelike portraits are not only Buddha but also ordinary people such as bureaucrats, criminals, tourists and executioners. Many of the scenes and subject matters are drawn from daily life-people are shown fishing, riding horses, weaving, dancing and casting iron. The painters used different methods of portrayal within the different elements of the fresco, such as flesh, garments, jewelry, weapons and many other components. The style of these true-life frescos is rural and unconstrained; the colors are strong and have intense contrast but are also unified. The Lijiang Mural fully demonstrates the superb artistic skills, outstanding creativity and rich imaginations of these excellent craftsmen. The vivid and exact figures, flowing lines, well-defined colors and powerful effects of the exquisite details make the Lijiang Mural not only the rare treasure of art, but also forceful proof of national solidarity and an important source of information for research on national religions, arts and history.

Stone Town is a village, built around 700 years ago by Naxi people, located in the valley of Jinsha River around 110 kilometers away north of Lijiang, seated on a protruding rocky hill with its back toward the river. Approximately 100 Naxi families live here, they built houses all on stones, and took the advantage of their habitation to carve out stone beds, hearth, vat or other stuff for daily use, this is why it’s named.

Defence was the prior consideration when site of village was decided and villagers built their homes due to instable social situation in the history. Stone Town is surrounded with three cliffy sides and one river side, only a small path leading to the outside world, one meter wide, creeping along the edge of the village, besides, vallum was also constructed around whole site, 1.7 meters high and with quite many crenels. The unique location and villagers’ effort made Stone Town an impregnable fort over years.

Residents in village are mostly farmers, they cultivated terraced fields around their homes, paddy, wheat, and corn is major crops grown in locality. May and October are the best seasons to visit Stone Town, when rice or wheat ripens and whole village would be like an isle encircled by golden terraces. Not like the defence works around Stone Town, people are open and mild, in fact, as population increased, village has expanded to be two parts, outer town and inner town, villagers go harmoniously together, the vallum, actually remains only as a tourism attraction.

Walking north from the Old Town of Lijiang, exactly at the foot of Elephant Hill, is the Black Dragon Pond(Heilongtan), an influx of limpid spring. Since the water of the pond is as green as a shining jade, the park of Black Dragon Pond, which was built in 1737 during the Qing Dynasty, is also entitled the Jade Spring Park (Yuquan Park).

Jade Spring Park (Yuquan Park) occupies an area of 11,390 square meters and includes many distinctive and ravishing sites. Hiding in the lush trees or standing along the liquid pool is the antique and exquisite architectural pieces, which are in the style of Naxi. On the bank of the pond willows hang their withes like silk thread. One can see arbours and pavilions beside the pond, temples hidden in the trees and variegated flowers found everywhere.

Pavilions and attics of different styles are the highlight of park, among which the most famous are Deyue Pavilion and Five-Phoenix Pavilion. Deyue Pavilion was originally built in 1876, and rebuilt in 1963. Famous Chinese poet Guo Moruo dedicated two couplets to it which are the exact literal painting of nice scenery of park. One reads: 'The vernal breeze caresses thousands of willow withes, the view is splendid only in this part. Three million jade dragons fly in the heaven, so ravishing is nature's charm." The other reads: "Thirteen peaks are reflected in the Dragon Pond with diving dragons up in heaven and flying dragons down on earth. Jade waters flow half a li, with jet the body and turquoise the soul.”

At the north end of the park there stands the famous Five-Phoenix (Wufeng) Pavilion also called Fayun Pavilion, built in the 29th year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1601). It is the main building of Fuguosi Temple, with a height of 20 m. and in the style of flying cornices and threefold overlap. Since the ground floor has octagonal flying cornices, the threefold overlap makes up 24 angles; so from every viewpoint the pavilion looks like five phoenixes spreading their wings for flight. The structure is built in a noble scale, with elaborate carvings, redolence of antiquity and a strong local trait as well as distinctive ethnic characteristics. The pavilion was originally built on a mountain far away from the town. For the convenience of visitors, it was moved to this park and constructed by the side of Deyue Pavilion, to the mutual enhancement of their splendor. Its reflection in the clear water of the Jade Fountain makes the view all the more exquisite.

Every step in Jade Spring Park will be a surprise because of its numerous beautiful sites and cultural relics. Steles of past dynasties are well preserved among the trees of the chestnut in the east shore of the Black Dragon Pool. Dongba Culture Research Institute and Dongba Culture Museum are also in the park.

Suhe Ancient Town is actually a Naxi village situated 4 km northwest of LiJiang, is also known as Dragon Spring Village for a nice spring that rises in its vicinity. There are around 1000 families living here, whose population is totaled near 3000. Like Lijiang Ancient Town, in the center of village, there is a small square market which serves as the activity center of local residents. The organization and layout of this village is quite similar to that of the Old Town. In fact, this village is the former center of LiJiang and has a history of more than 1000 years, when Lijiang was granted title of World Culture Heritage City in 1997, Suhe, together with another ancient village, Baisha, was included as an indispensable component part.

Suhe Village boomed because of trade between Tibet and Yunnan, it’s an important former stopover on the route of Ancient Tea Caravan Way, under influence of tea caravans that came and went, local people actively got themselves involved in related business. Leather processing industry was what got Suhe renowned in bygone days, cordwainers from Shuhe used to live migratory lives, kept moving from one place to another for living, with a wimble and consummate skills, they gained hometown great fame among to-and-fro traveling merchants. Shuhe is the place where Naxi people stopped nomadic lives and first settled down, as well the place where they first turned themselves to be businessmen from farmers.

Being seated at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Shuhe enjoys abundant limpid water from spring and melted snow, streams flowing swiftly in front of dwellings increased nimbus of this old village. Local people treasure the bestowal of nature, and made out rules for taking use of water, before 7:00 am is only for taking water for drinking, washing or taking water for other purpose can only come later.

Compared with Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe is smaller, but more peaceful, original, and life of the local is more authentic, although some commercial development plan is already going on here. People say that Shuhe displays former images of Lijiang, and people also worry how long Shuhe can sustain own style under impact of modern commerce.

The First Bend of the Yangtze River is on the north side of the highway leading from Dali to Lijiang, about 70 km from Lijiang. The upper reaches of the Yangtze River is named the Jinsha River, which originates from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The Jinsha River flowed southward along the Hengduan Mountain ranges and was forced to turn north because of the Alpine movements which caused changes in the earth's physiognomy. When the river reaches Shigu Town, it makes an abrupt turn and flows further northward, forming the rare V-shape bend.

On the hill as the river bends stands the small Shigu (stone drum) Town. It is called so because of a drum-like stone tablet. It is 1.5 m in diameter and 70 mm in thickness, being the memorial tablet marking the victory of territorial expansion of Lijiang's local ruler Baichuan, surnamed Mu, in the 27th to 40th year of the Jiaqing era of the Ming Dynasty (1548-1561). It is one of the earliest stone tablets hitherto found in Lijiang.

The river is broadened at the bend and flows slowly. The famous historical event, such as "Zhuge Liang's Crossing the Lushui River in the Fifth Month", Kublai Khan's "Crossing the River on Leather Rafts" all chose this place as a ferry. In May of 1936, the Red Army leaders He Long, Ren Bishi and Guan Xianying led the Second Route Red Army to march north, crossing the river also at this place. At present, a splendid memorial tablet marking the victorious crossing is also erected here.

Besides, Shigu Town used to be also an important stopover of tea caravans from Yunnan to Tibet in the history, polished stairway through town witnessed the ebbs and flow of tea business that boomed in 17th century, as well the vicissitude Shigu experienced.

Ancient Naxi Music can be undoubtedly heard when walking on the ancient streets of Lijiang Old Town, it's the traditional Naxi classical music regarded as a 'living fossil of Chinese music.' Naxi people must enjoy special favor in the eyes of the divinity, for they seem to be born with artistic qualities and poetic minds. Great talents in the areas of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and music have all come from this rich and captivating culture. A crystallization of Taoist rite, Confucian ceremony, and the literary lyrics, poetic topics and musical tones of the Tang, Song and Yuan Dynasties, Naxi Ancient Music has developed its own unique style and traits - the result of 500 hundred years of evolution. It originally included three parts -'Baisha Fine Music' (Baisha Xiyue), 'Dongjing Music' (Dongjing Yinyue), and 'Huangjing Music' (Huangjing Yinyue), the last of which has long been lost in the river of time. Played on venerable Chinese musical instruments such as flute, shawm, Chinese lute, plectrum, and zither, Naxi Music has the power to cleanse the heart and relax the mind.

Baisha Fine Music: It is said that Baisha Fine Music was an honoraria from the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty-Kublai Khan. When this brave conqueror was on his expedition to Dali, which is not far from Lijiang, he came across danger while crossing the Golden Sand River and received help from Mailiang, the leader of the Naxi people. To show his pure-hearted appreciation, Kublai Khan left half of his band and many musical scores as a gift before leaving. Baisha Fine Music is one of ancient China's few large-scale, classical orchestral forms of music and has 24 'qupai' (tunes) which are archaic, simple and elegant in style, exquisite, euphonious and energetic in character.

Dongjing Music: This is a type of Taoist music which was introduced to Yunnan from the central China during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Deeply rooted and widely spread among the Naxi people, Dongjing Music became the most well-preserved musical form in all of China. Besides its intrinsic stateliness, purity and elegance, Dongjing Music incorporated the local musical elements, styles and the skills used in performances of the Naxi ethnic group-creating a feeling of transcendental artistic conception and charming folk flavor which can be easily appreciated. It was originally an enjoyment reserved for the noble class, but these shackles were eventually broken because of Naxi people's passion for music.

At least four unabridged orchestras exist in and around Lijiang, and these local bands are famous for their 'three-olds': first, old men (most of the players are over 70 years old); second, old musical instruments (many are antiques dating back more than 100 years, some of which can not be seen in other places); third, old songs (all are antiquated classical music). Members of the bands are drawn from all kinds of occupations including teachers, artisans, farmers, butchers, clerks, etc. Naxi Ancient Music Bands have been invited to perform in Hong Kong, Great Britain, America, Holland, Belgium and Norway, exercising great influence and gaining attention from all over the world.

Generations of national musicians devoted themselves to Naxi Ancient Music and made it an indispensable part of Naxi culture. Music can represent a nation's spirit and offer a better way to know about the people who created it and play it, to listening to Naxi Ancient Music would be an unforgettable experience; more important, it’s an audible way to look into profound culture of Naxi people.