Mural in Baisha Village
» Lijiang, Yun Nan

白沙壁画 众教合一

Baisha village is about 16 kilometers north of Lijiang City. It was stored, preserved and displayed in some ancient buildings in the Baisha village, located 10 kilometers northwest of Lijiang Old Town. Where is also the important birthplace of "Tusi" (the Chinese word means chieftain of a clan) from Mu clan. Its characteristic artistic style and precious historic content of the mural deeply attracted visitors from home and abroad.

When it was built

These houses were built over a period of more than 300 years during the Ming (1385A.D.) and Qin Dynasty (1619A.D.). Among the 55 existing murals, the largest one is at the Dabaoji Hall of Baisha.

Frescos in Ming and Qing dynasty

The Lijiang fresco owed much to the opening policy of the Naxi in the Ming Dynasty. From the Ming to the beginning of the Qing, the tradition of making fresco lasted for three hundred years. The earliest one is in the Glazed Hall. It was painted before 1417. In the period, the religious painting in Central Plain of China had gone downgrade. In the Tang and Song dynasties, Taoism was popular. The famous painter all liked making religious paintings. Yan Liben, Wu Daozi were all the best religious painters.

After the Ming, some painters left the central plain and came to the remote areas. Lijiang fresco was the successor of the Tang and Song fresco art and finally became an immortal treasure.

What to see

Baisha Mural

Most Baisha murals depict religious stories, and one characteristic is to combine several legends into one picture. They are an artistic Crystallization combining the Naxi, Tibetan, Bai and Han styles.

This rich fusion had resulted in a tremendously powerful art, heavy in spirit and awe-inspiring in its presentation of the mystical world. Dominated by black, silver, dark green, gold and red colours, the murals in the back hall, overlaid with centuries of brown soot, are doomladen and bizarre, the scenes and figures, some still vivid in detail, are largely taken from Tibetan Buddhist iconography and include the wheel of life, judges of the underworld, the damned, titans and gods, Buddhas and bodhisattvas.

There are trigrams, lotus flowers and even Sanskrit inscriptions on the ceiling. The deliberate damage done to the paintings is apparent and terrible, but the loss of the irreplaceable wooden statuary that filled the temple, of which there is no trace, is even more tragic.

A combination of painting skills

The world famous Lijiang Fresco mixed the stories in Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism into one picture. The bold and creative way is incredible and could not be imagined in other religious paintings in China. The Naxi's tolerance for other cultures and the location of Lijiang of Yunnan bordering on Sichuan and Tibet make the fresco a combination of painting skills of the Han, Tibetan, Bai and Naxi nationalities. That's why the color and composition are such harmonious.

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

  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


Being an artistic Crystallization combining the Naxi, Tibetan, Bai and Han styles, most Baisha murals depict religious stories, and one characteristic is to combine several legends into one picture. The famous Lijiang Fresco mixed the stories in Buddhism, Taoism and Lamaism into one picture. The bold and creative way is incredible and could not be imagined in other religious paintings in China.

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