Shaxi Ancient Town
Shaxi Ancient Town, located between Lijiang Old Town and Dali Ancient City, used to be an important and prosperous hub along the ancient Tea Horse Road which refers to the international trade route with the caravan as the main means of transportation.
With the decline of the ancient Tea Horse Road, the town seems to have been forgotten. But this helps retain the original appearance of the small town. Many of the historical sites have been well preserved including Sifang Street, Xingjiao Temple, Yuxi Bridge and Ancient Opera Stage. Compared with other commercialized ancient towns in China, the undeveloped Shaxi Ancient Town is a better place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the modern city and experience the quaint lives of local Bai People.
Sifang Street is shaped like a curved ruler which is paved with red sand slabs. In the center of the street are two old Chinese scholar trees. There is an ancient stage on the east side of Sifang Street and Xingjiao Temple on the west. A trading fair is held on Sifang Street every Friday, which is said to be the last market on the ancient Tea Horse Road. The loud bargaining and cries of sellers in the Shaxi market narrow the distance between people and one can experience the fun of the original bargaining at the market.
Xingjiao Temple was built in Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644 AD) and has a history of nearly 600 years. It is the largest and most representative Buddhist Tantra temple in China. The well-preserved murals of Ming Dynasty in the temple are deeply influenced by the painting style of the Central Plains in China and have rich local ethnic characteristics. They are the treasures of the Bai People in the southwestern China.
Ancient Opera Stage is the most distinctive building which is opposite the Xingjiao Temple on Sifang Street of Shaxi Ancient Town. In some special festivals, visitors can enjoy the traditional whiplash performance of the Bai people.
Before approaching the Yuxi Bridge, one may only feel that it is an ordinary bridge. When stepping on it, you will see that the bricks of the bridge have become pitted because of the long-time trampling of pedestrians and livestock. You can watch the sunrise and sunset here, and appreciate the shallow white light glistening on the river.
In addition, there are many other cultural sites worth visiting in Shaxi. But the things most worth trying is its lowly life style. If you have time, you may spare one afternoon to take a stroll in this small but unique town.
since there is no direct bus to Shaxi Ancient Town, you must first take the long-distance bus to Jianchuan County and then take the local car which you can find at the gate of Jianchuan Bus Station to Shaxi Ancient Town. The departure time of the local car is 06:30 - 19:00. The journey may takes about 40 minutes and the fare is about CNY 13.
Schedule of Long-distance Bus to Jianchuan
You may like: Top 10 Things to Do in Dali
With the decline of the ancient Tea Horse Road, the town seems to have been forgotten. But this helps retain the original appearance of the small town. Many of the historical sites have been well preserved including Sifang Street, Xingjiao Temple, Yuxi Bridge and Ancient Opera Stage. Compared with other commercialized ancient towns in China, the undeveloped Shaxi Ancient Town is a better place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the modern city and experience the quaint lives of local Bai People.
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Sifang Street - Only Existing Market on Tea Horse Road
Xingjiao Temple
Ancient Opera Stage
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Yuxi Bridge
In addition, there are many other cultural sites worth visiting in Shaxi. But the things most worth trying is its lowly life style. If you have time, you may spare one afternoon to take a stroll in this small but unique town.
How to Get from Kunming/ Lijiang/ Dali to Shaxi Old Town
Schedule of Long-distance Bus to Jianchuan
From | To | Departure Time | Tickets | Journey Time |
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Kunming | Jianchuan Bus Station | 09:00 and 19:00 | Around CNY 170 | 7 hours |
Lijiang | 08:00 - 17:00 every 30 minutes | Around CNY 30 | 2 hours | |
Dali | 06:00 - 18:00 every 15 minutes | Around CNY 40 | 3.5 hours |
Admission Fee | Free entry to the town; CNY 20 for Xingjiao Temple. |
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Opening Hours | The ancient town is available all day around |

- Last updated on Jun. 12, 2023 -
Questions & Answers on Shaxi Ancient Town
Asked by Thao from VIETNAM | Nov. 16, 2023 06:59
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Go from Shaxi to Dali ancient city
Is there any way to go from Shaxi to Dali ancient city by public transport like long distance bus or coach
Answers (2)
Answered by Diana | Nov. 19, 2023 18:35
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Yes, two buses depart from Shaxi to Xiaguan Bus Station of Dali at 09:00 and 15:00. It takes about CNY42 for the bus journey.
Answered by Thao | Nov. 20, 2023 21:38
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Thank you so much for this useful information
Asked by Cooper from MALAYSIA | Jun. 11, 2023 22:08
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Is Shaxi Ancient Town the filming location for the TV series 'Meet Yourself' (Qu YouFeng De DiFang)?
Answers (1)
Answered by Amanda | Jun. 12, 2023 20:00
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Yes, it is.
Asked by Jane from UNITED KINGDOM | Jul. 14, 2020 20:47
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Market Times at Shaxi Ancient Town?
Does anybody know if the Friday market runs all day, or if it's just in the morning (or afternoon)?
Thanks
Thanks
Answers (2)
Answered by Julian from DENMARK | Jul. 19, 2020 20:05
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Hi Jane, as I know, it is just in the morning.
Answered by Lu from UNITED KINGDOM | Jul. 23, 2020 02:57
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It runs 09:00-16:00 on Fridays. Have fun!