Dali Ancient Town
Location: Yunnan Province
Transportation: Train or Bus from Kunming to Dali city (mordern city), then Bus from Dali City.
Culture/History Rating: 4/5
Scenery Rating: 4/5
Hotels: N/A
Summary: Dali is good for one day or two. There are many places to visit like Erhai, The Three Pagodas, the butterfly fountain, Dali Old Town and so on. The Bai people are the dominant ethical group here. The Dali Old Town is different from Lijiang, and personally I prefer Lijiang more.
Description:
| Dali Old Town was set up in the 15 th year of Emperor Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty (in 1382 AD) as the capital of the Dali Kingdom. At present, only the south and north gate towers remain standing. Within the Old Town of Dali, there are well-preserved traditional houses of the Bai people. The cute courtyards and peaceful streets treat visitors with calmness and elegance which were typical in the ancient times. Within the town, the "Foreigners' Street" is the favorite place of the overseas visitors to relax and chat over their tourist experiences. |  |
 | The Erhai Lake, known as Yeyuze or Kunming Lake in ancient times, is named after its ear-like shape. It is a fresh water lake in the Yunnan Plateau at an elevation of 1972 metres.It starts at Dengchuan in the north and ends at Xiaguan in the south with a length of 42 km and width of 8 km.It is 116 km in circumference and covers an area of 250 square km. The average depth is about 11 metres and the total storage capacity is 2.5 billion cubic metres. The Erhai Lake is the second largest lake in Yunnan Province. The Erhai Lake is a fault lake formed after a foundering of the earth's crust. The water of the Erhai Lake is limpid. On a clear night, when the moon is mirrored on the lake, one will enjoy one of the most magnificent sights(Wind, Flower, Snow and Moon)-the Erhai Moon in Dali. |
| The Three Pagodas are located 1 km northwest of Dali Old Town at the foot of Zhonghe Peak. They are historical witnesses of the prevailing Buddhism in those days in Dali. The Three Pagodas consist of one big pagoda and two small ones. They are one of the wonders in Dali. The Three Pagodas were built respectively at different periods of time. The main pagoda, the Qianxun Pagoda, which is named after its height, was ereted when the Chongsheng Monastery was built. The Qianxun Pagoda is a sixteen-story tower and height of 69.13 metres.On the south and north side of the main pagoda stand two small octagonal ones with closed eaves. Each has 10 stories at a height of 42.4 metres. They were erected during the Wudai Period of the Dali Kingdom. The Three Pagodas are representation of the ancient architectural and cultural arts of the Bai nationality. |  |
 | Situated at the foot of Yunlong Peak of the Cangshan Mountain, 27 km south of the Dali Old Town, the Butterfly Fountain covers an area of 50 square pond. A tall , old tree stands high beside the fountain with large boughs and luxuriant foliage covering the pond. It is known as the "Butterfly Tree". Every 15 th of April when spring is changing into summer, a fragrant smell from the tree will attract different types of butterflies which come and dance over the pond. The most splendid wonder is that they join together one after another and form a long string hanging down from the tree to the surface of water. This spectacle dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Xu Xiake, a famous traveller at that time, had a vivid account of the scene. In recent years, Butterfly Fountain Park has undergone renovation and extension, and the Butterfly Tower, the Hexagonal Pavilion, the Crescent Pool, the Butterfly Museum, the Tower Overlooking the Lake and the Statue of Xu Xiake have been built. |
Climate:
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statistics |
Average values in the latest 20 years |
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month |
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
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average temperature |
8.0 | 10.0 | 13.0 | 16.0 | 19.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 18.0 | 18.0 | 15.0 | 12.0 | 9.0 |
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Highest temperature on the average (centigrade) |
16.0 | 17.0 | 20.0 | 23.0 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 25.0 | 24.0 | 24.0 | 21.0 | 18.0 | 16.0 |
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Lowest temperature on the average (centigrade) |
3.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 10.0 | 13.0 | 16.0 | 17.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 | 11.0 | 7.0 | 3.0 |
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rainfall (mm) |
14.0 | 22.0 | 33.0 | 21.0 | 67.0 | 209.0 | 184.0 | 239.0 | 164.0 | 100.0 | 33.0 | 15.0 |
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largest amount of rainfall (mm) |
37.0 | 54.0 | 45.0 | 31.0 | 37.0 | 91.0 | 101.0 | 137.0 | 113.0 | 117.0 | 96.0 | 62.0 |