Former Residence of Rock
» Lijiang, Yun Nan

洛克故居

Former Residence of Rock is located in the Yuhu Village at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang area, in northwestern Yunnan Province. In his 27 years in Yuhu Village, Rock mastered the Naxi language, translated more than 100 books of Dongba sutras and wrote and edited many books on the Naxi ethnic group. At present, Lijiang area has turned into a famous tourism destination in China. Each month, more than 2,000 domestic, European and American travelers come to Yuhu Village to visit Rock's former home.

Who is "Joseph Rock?"

Joseph Rock, an Austria-American botanist and explorer, lived in Yuhu village and other places in that region from 1922 to 1949. He spent 27 years there, studying the history and Dongba characters of the Naxi ethnic group. He was also a naturalist and photographer, and the first foreign scholar to introduce Lijiang ethnic culture to the western world.

The Naxi people, numbering more than 200,000, live in the rugged snow-capped mountains of Yunnan Province and use Dongba characters, the world's only surviving pictographs. Before the 1920s, the Naxi traditional culture, including the Dongba characters, remained unknown to the outside world.

Nanxi people & Dongba culture

The Naxi ethnic group has a long history, and its origin can be traced back to the ancient nomadic Diqiang tribe. The majority of the Naxi have settled in the northwestern part of Yunnan as a compact community after long years of migration.

Now, the Naxi population in Lijiang exceeds 200,000. In both the ancient cities and scattered villages, people can still witness traces of the unique Naxi historical culture and folk customs. The most typical examples are the Dongba ("necromancer" or "sutra reader") culture.

The rich Dongba culture includes pictographic records, drawings on different sorts of materials, music, dance, sacrificial rituals and folk customs. Created more than l, 000 years ago, the Naxi pictographs are still used today. For instance, more than 20, 000 volumes of the Dongba Sutra are written with such pictographs. The sutra is regarded as an encyclopedia for the study of the culture of the Naxi ethnic group.

In their long history of social and historical development, the Naxi people have developed the tradition of worshipping nature, gods and ghosts, thus giving rise to a great number of shamans in charge of various sacrificial and religious rituals. These rituals are characterized by the performance of ancient dances peculiar to the Dongba culture.

"Former Residence of Rock"

Underwent renovation years ago, the Former Residence of Rock in Yuhu Village was opened to tourist as "Exhibition Hall for Former Residence of Dr. J.F. Rock."

The residence is consisted of three rooms with a courtyard. East of the site was where the former general headquarter for American expedition of the National Geographic Institute. Upstairs is the living room where Rock Joseph lived for more than 20 years. The bed, the desk, the chair, the brazier, the bookshelf, and the clock as well as other necessities in the room, are what Rock used at that time.

The building facing north is the "Exhibition Hall of Former Residence of Dr. J.F. Rock," exhibiting the photos taken by Rock, and many other things that Rock left in Lijiang. Especially, there are relics like his coat, shotgun, dental tools, and carpenter's tools, which were all brought from his country by himself.

Attractions around » Lijiang, Yun Nan

Natural Scene

Natural Scene

Historical Site

Historical Site

Cultural Site

Cultural Site

Nightlife

Nightlife

Shopping & Leisure

Shopping & Leisure

Historical Relic

Historical Relic

Building

Building

  Weather

  1. Does it rain a lot in Lijiang?
  2. When is the best time to go there?

  Shopping

  1. Do bargain

  Travel

  1. Cable car cautions

  Other Hints

  1. Beware of the religious hooligans
  2. Is it easy for me to make telephone calls there?
  3. Toilet Facilities
  4. Altitude sickness
  5. Avoid busy holidays
  6. OMG! I'm lost! What should I do?
  7. Useful Phone Numbers
  8. Emergency Numbers

  • Does it rain a lot in Lijiang?

    It rains a lot in July and August. That's important to know because heavy rains can trigger rock and mud slides, which can block roads. This can cause long travel delays or even cancelled plans (such as your trip to Tiger Leaping Gorge).


  • When is the best time to go there?

    April and October is two ideal months suitable to visit Lijiang. The temperature is pleasant and it doesn't rain as often.

    January and February are not superlative months either because of wintry temperatures.


  • Toilet Facilities

    A number of toilets with good facilities and service have been built in the Old Town. The charge is usually no more than CNY 0.5 per person.

  • Do bargain

    Souvenir prices tend to rise the closer you get to Sifang Square. And remember, always negotiate. You should be able to lower the initial price by 30%, sometimes more.


  • Cable car cautions

    Wear warm clothes. It's freezing where you'll be going (a lookout near the summit of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain). Winter parkas can be rented before you board the cable car gondolas. The same is true for oxygen bottles, for those who may need one.

    To avoid long, time-consuming lines waiting to board the gondolas, go early or late in the day. But before leaving Lijiang for the ride, find out if the high-elevation viewing platforms are expected to be shrouded in clouds when you'll be there. If so, you won't see much, including the stunning panoramic views of the mountains and valleys.


  • Beware of the religious hooligans

    Watch out the religious hooligans when you visit the Black Dragon Pool Park in Lijiang. It will be nighmare if you do. Specifically there was a so-called Dongba Culture Institution, you are right, the lexicon should think about giving a amendment to this word if they insist calling themselves an 'institution'.


  • Is it easy for me to make telephone calls there?

    A number of public IC card telephones have been installed in the Old Town, and some stores in the Old Town provide public telephones with which visitors can make direct domestic and international calls. Mobile phones can also be used freely within the area of the Old Town.


  • Toilet Facilities

    A number of toilets with good facilities and service have been built in the Old Town. The charge is usually no more than CNY 0.5 per person.

  • Altitude sickness

    Before your respiratory and circulatory systems adjust to a high elevation, your body suffers to some degree from oxygen deprivation. That's altitude sickness. Symptoms include dizziness, tiredness and headaches - and difficulty in catching your breath when, for example, walking up steps.

    The best defense is not to go suddenly from one altitude to a much higher one. Do your upward journeys in stages so your lungs can more readily adapt to thinner air.

    We recommend that you do not travel from a low-altitude city (such as Beijing or Xian) to Lijiang on the same day. Instead, spend at least one full day in Kunming to acclimate your body to its relatively thin air (spend the time visiting the nearby Stone Forest, a Hillman Wonders Bronze Medal winner). This will help prepare your body for the even thinner air in Lijiang. Stay there for at least a day or two before heading to Zhongdian or Deqin, where the air is even more rarified


  • Avoid busy holidays

    During some holidays, hot destinations are packed with tourists, bringing you inconvenience or even unpleasantness, and also unless you have firm hotel reservations, skip these ultra-popular Chinese holiday periods (or you may end up without a room):

    • Spring Festival (Lunar New Year celebration). Its start date varies from year to year, anywhere from mid-January to mid-February.
    • May Day - Occurs during the first two weeks in May.
    • National Day - Takes place in the first two weeks in October.


  • OMG! I'm lost! What should I do?

    Well, calm down first. It's easy to get lost in Lijiang Ancient Town because of its labyrinth of meandering passageways. But that's part of the enjoyment because you will discover picturesque alleys that you would not have seen otherwise.

    Before you leave your hotel, do write down the name of the hotel in both English and Chinese. Taxis can be easily found in the city so you can just grab a taxi and show your address. If you are at a far place where you cannot find a taxi, please call 110 and ask the police for help.


  • Useful Phone Numbers

    • Tourist Complaint: 5123432
    • Lijiang Airport Inquiry Telephone: 5173081
    • Scheduled Flights and Ticket Inquiries: 5161289 5161291 5173079

  • Emergency Numbers

    • Fire: 119
    • Ambulance: 120
    • Police: 110
    • Traffic: 122


The Naxi ethnic group in southwest China's Yunnan Province has built a memorial hall in honor of Joseph F. Rock, an Austrian-American scholar who was one of the first westerners to spread the long-isolated Naxi culture worldwide.



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