Built in 1389, the Chaoyang Gateway Arch stands in the Center of Jianshui County. Its significance to Jianshui is the same as that of Tiananmen to Beijing, not only serving as a landmark of the city, but also the emblem of this city's culture and history. Jianshui used to be an important defensive military town in southeastern Yunnan, the Chaoyang Gateway Arch was the east gate tower (called also The Yinghui Gate) of city wall, through more than six centuries, it is the only extant one standing in own position, other three in south, west and north were all destroyed in war or earthquakes. The huge three-story structure of the gate tower occupies an area of 414 square meters and has a height of 24.5 meters, it is composed of 48 big wooden pillars and numerous cross-beams, covered with triple roofs,  still looking imperatorial like 600 years ago.  Entrance fee: 0 RMB, there will be local folk song performance on Gateway Arch every day, 20:30 - 22:00, basic consumption: 20 RMB.

Confucius Temple is built in commemoration of Confucius and for popularizing Confucianism, in Ming Dynasty or Qing Dyansty, there were 2680 through country, today only around 300 remain. Jianshui Confucius Temple is the biggest one in Yunnan Province, its size is the second only to that of the Qufu Confucius temple in Shandong Province and is now listed as the National-level Cultural Relic. Jianshui Confucius Temple was first built in 1285, through expansion of more than 40 times, its area measures 114 mu (7.6 hectares) today. Construction is an imitation of the Qufu Confucius Temple, namely, with a central-axis structure from south to north like a palace. This complex includes a main hall, two side-halls, three pavilions, four gates, five clan halls and eight memorial archways, all of which are kept in splendid dignity. Jianshui Confucius Temple lies in the center of Jianshui County, convenient to visit, a nice walk in temple is recommended. Entrance fee: 60 RMB

Zhu Family Garden is seated in Jianxin Street, Jianshui County. It was built by Zhu Weiqing, a successful businessman and his brother, in late Qing Dynasty around 100 years ago, construction work brokenly lasted 30 years. Garden covers a total area of 20,000 square meters, this grand complex is a typical local residence with distinctive features, with labyrinthian arrangements of yards, pathways and elaborately-furnished rooms and halls, it enjoys the fame ''the Grand View Garden in Southern Yunnan''. Zhu Family Garden embodys the  combination of  inland Chinese culture and frontier culture, is now the most important component part of old Jianshui Town. Besides the role as a tourism spot, Zhu Family Garden is also opened as featured hotel, some traditional rooms from Qing Dynasty were furnished modernly to accommodate guests, to stay in Zhu Family Garden, it's easy to feel the atmosphere left from a hundred years ago. Entrance fee: 50 RMB.

Tuan Shan Village

An age-old village seated 13 kilometers away in the west from Jianshui County, is catching more and more eyes in the world since it got enlisted amongst the 100 Protected Memorial Buildings of the World by WMF in 2005, for its well-maintained style and features of 19th. Century, numerous ancient civilian dwelling houses still remaining intact and folk traditions performed still in its original way. This is a typical kindred village, more than 80% are of the same surname, Zhang, they are all from the same family tree. Ancestors of Zhang Family moved from Jiangxi Province some 600 years ago, and made big fortune from stannum mining during later Qing Dynasty, they brought back money and constructed many houses, among which the Garden of Zhang Family is the biggest in both size and scale, also the most elaborate, this old dwelling compound to certain extent represented the highest architectural and artistic level in Tuangshan. Entrance fee: 20 RMB.

Jianshui has very long history of pottery or porcelain production, early as 3500 years ago, local people began to make simple wares, in Song Dynasty (700 year ago), celadon porcelain teemed, from Yuan Dynasty (600 years ago) to Ming Dynasty (300 years ago), blue and white porcelain became the main product, and Jianshui turned into the production center of porcelain and pottery in Yunnan. Ming Dynasty was the golden age of coarse pottery, based on which, in late Qing Dynasty (around 150 years ago), purple pottery was created and developed, and it gained great fame for Jianshui. Wan Yao Village is the cradle of famous Jianshui Purple Pottery, the technics of ceramics was passed down through generations here, in the village around forty workshops are still continuing creation work their ancestors started. Wan Yao Village is at the edge of town, easy to visit, some workshops are quite friendly and open, where visitors can see the whole production. Entrance fee: 0 RMB.

Ancient Well & Tofu Workshop near West Gate

Jianshui is a flat basin rich in groundwater, in the past wells scattered in town provided local people with abundant water for drinking and daily use, till today, some are still well maintained and in service, the most famous one is the Big-flagstone Well near West Gate of old Jianshui Town. Big-flagstone Well is also known as Pu Bo Sping, was dug in Ming Dynasty, around 600 years ago, according to historic books, "water is clean and sweet, feeding people of whole town", hence, it's reputed as "the First Well in Southern Yunnan". In modern times running water has replaced most wells in town, but water from Big-flagstone Well is still popular with local residents, people come to get water in an endless stream everyday, for own drinking, or for sale, to many citizens, water from Big-flagstone Well is already a part of their lives. With good water, good tofu is made near west gate, to visit a tofu workshop around well is interesting, people are friendly. Entrance fee: 0 RMB.

Double Dragon Bridge

Also known also as 17-Arch Bridge, lies five kilometers to the west of Jianshui Town, at the confluence of Lujiang River are the Tachong River. Being a combination of science and art, the stone bridge ranks first in Yunnan Province in terms of size and artistic value, bridge is now under the national-level protection. When the bridge was built during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty (around 200 years ago), it had only three arches, later on, as the rivers changed course and riverbed broadened, extra fourteen arches were added to the original ones. Bridge was built with all big stones, 148 meters in length, 3 meters in width, 3 pavilions with elaborate roofs and nicely enchased windows stand respectively on both ends and middle, making the construction look like an elegant boat. Double Dragon Bridge is a masterpiece among ancient bridges in China. Due to overuse, bridge is getting broken, hope related authority can pay attention.  Entrance fee: 0 RMB.

Rice Terraces around Yuanyang

Rice Terraces of Hani people in Yuanyang are one of the most inspiring scenes in southern Yunnan, and got reputed as the Sculpture on Mother Earth by visitors.

Yuanyang is a county surrounded by numerous big mountains, where many ethnic groups live in the same area, but each of them has own places at different heights. Dai ethnic group normally live in the basins or river valleys below 600 meters and own the most fertile cropland, Zhuang minority stays higher in the valley ranging from 600 to 1000 meters, mountain sides from 1000 to 1400 meters are usually resided by Yi People, upper area with elevation from 1400 to 2000 meters is home of Hani minority, at higher places where the altitude is over 2000 meters, Miao and Yao are main residents.

The areas populated with Hani People are neither too high nor too low, under the control of temperate climate, with abundant rainfall and annual sunlight over 1600 hours, just proper for growing of rice. Hence, since Tang Dynasty when ancestors of Hani people moved in from north, they have spent more than 1200 years to cultivate terraced fields on hillsides, it’s an arduous work through generations, as well the embodiment of Hani people’s brilliant wits and strong perseverance. Hani people made the best of what nature endowed them, according to changes of terrains, adjusting measures to local conditions, they assarted terraced fields of different shapes and sizes, which can be big as several hectares at declivate places and small as only two or three square meters at somewhere more declivitous, besides, in order to guarantee water supply for growth of crops, at the same time when Hani people acclaimed thousands hectares of terraced fields, they constructed also a huge irrigation networks consisting of thousands of aqueducts on mountains, from the higher places to the lower, like venations, supplying this world-famous wonder with energy and vigor. Thousands of terraces resemble silver ladders stretching from the foot of the mountains up to the top, layer upon layer, formed breathtaking view around Yuanyang. What’s the most important, this is a “living” wonder still in use, on which local Hani’s both material and spiritual lives are based, it's just a harmonious combination of ethnic culture and nature.

The best sites to view the rice terraces are in the south of Yuanyang County, Ba Da Area, Lao Hu Zui Area and Duo Yi Shu Area, where the mountains are covered with over 3000 terraces extending over 2,000 meters from the mountain top down to the bottom of valley. The best season to see rice terraces is from November to March of next year, when Hani people would fill all fields with water preparing for a new turn of crop, like thousands of mirrors, rice terraces reflect light which seems from the heaven.

Yuanyang mentioned above doesn't mean the current county seat of Yuanyang, Nansha, but the old county seat, Xinjie, around 30 km from Nansha, a broken town perched on hillside like a big village, rice terraces are scattered around it. Entrance fee of important spots for terraces view: Ba Da (for daytime view) 30 RMB, Duo Yi Shu (for sunrise view) 30 RMB, Qin Kou (for view of Hani Village and rice terraces) 30 RMB (Village is tourism-polluted, visit is not very recommended), Lao Hu Zui (for sunset view) 30 RMB. Besides, Long Shu Ba is another good spot for sunset view, which is not yet needed to pay for, and, if you choose a short hiking across ethnic villages and rice terraces, there will be more to see.

Enjoy your visit to Jianshui and Yuanyang Areas.

Hope our introduction can be of some help  when you choose what to see or to do during your stay.