Dali is one of the most popular spots for independent China travellers and hugely popular with those working, teaching and studying in China. Thirty minutes by plane and 5 hours by bus from Kunming, Dali is the perfect place to relax.
Dali is the name of the Prefecture, the local city (aka Xiaguan) and the Dali Old Town. Travellers visit the Dali Old Town for its traditional architecture, minority cultures - mostly Bai but also with many Yi and Hui - and simply to relax. The Old Town has a population of approx. 40,000 and the entire Dali Prefecture around three million people. With the beautiful Cangshan Mountains a short distance to the West of Dali (approx 4200 metres at the peak) and Erhai Lake a few kms to the East, it has a perfect natural setting. The climate is temperate with moderate Summers and mild Winters, though it can get rather windy.
Within the old town you can visit the local Museum which has a great collection of stone steeles (for calligraphy fans) and an interesting section on Dali's role in the Taiping rebellion, People Park, the North and South Gates or just wander the streets.
The famous Tang Dynastry Three Pagodas are located 10 minutes bike ride to the North West, offering one of the best preserved Buddhist structures in China. The Central pagoda is over 1000 years old. The entry price at RMB60+ is rather steep though, but if you want good photos you will just have to fork it over.
Dali has a long and rather glorious history. In 738 the kingdom of Nanzhao was established with Dali as its capital and covered a large area of Yunnan and northern Burma. The kingdom survived almost 200 years and had 13 kings before being overthrown by DUAN, Siping in 937. The Kingdom of Dali controlled by the DUANs survived until conquered by the Mongols in the 12th century. Many local people in Dali have the surname DUAN to this day (rare in other parts of China). These historical events are immortalised in the Martial Arts literature of Taiwanese author JIN Yong (read by every Chinese school kid), giving Dali a fame nationwide.
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