The Nujiang River trip ended on December 6, and it was planned to leave at 7:15 on the morning of the 7th. I was a few minutes late because I went to climb Lao Mu Mountain after a morning run. It is about 500 kilometers from Lao Mudeng to the ancient city of Weishan in Dali. After passing through the service area, I made a short stop for dinner or rest. The whole journey took 10 hours. When I arrived at 6 p.m., sunset was about to be set. I entered the Menghua Hotel and put down my luggage. After that, I began to hike the ancient city.

The ancient city of Weishan is located at the foot of Ailao Mountain in western Yunnan. Weishan, at the source of the Red River, is the birthplace of Nanzhao State. Before the adjustment of administrative divisions, it was called Menghua, so the ancient city of Weishan was also called Menghua City. According to historical records, in the early Tang Dynasty, there were six large tribes in the Erhai area of Yunnan, each independent and non-subordinate. One of the tribes, Mengshe Zhao, was the strongest and was called Nanzhao because it was located at the southernmost tip of the six Zhao. With the support of the Tang Dynasty, Nanzhao successively conquered the other five Zhao orders and established the Nanzhao regime.

Weishan Ancient City had cottages in the early Tang Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, the Tucheng was built by the chief manager of Dali Duan, and was converted into a brick city in the Ming Dynasty. Today, the style remains relatively complete, retaining the chessboard pattern when the city was built more than 600 years ago. It is one of the best-preserved ancient buildings in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in my country, and a famous Chinese historical and cultural city with strong local historical and cultural characteristics.

We entered Sifang City from Nanzhao West Road, and then followed the route of Nanzhao East Road and North Street, South Street, Risheng Street, Yuehua Street, and Wenming Street, from west to east, and from north to south, to take a quick look. The streets paved with bluestone are spotless, and the tiled houses standing on the street are simple and unadorned. The ancient city is simple and natural. There are no hustle and bustle of horses, no crowds, and no hawking along the streets. There are many locals living in the city, living a calm and leisurely life. It is not lively, nor deserted, but quite a flavor of life.

The ancient city is built with a city wall, with four gates in the southeast, northwest, and a star arch building in the center of the city, shaped like a seal. After walking around, night had already fallen. The moonlight shines down and covers everything like a gauze, but the ancient city in the night is an out-and-out dream, with some light sorrow or happiness, or some peace. When I arrived at the snack street, there were no food stalls. When I returned to Nanzhao West Road, where the hotel was located, there was no restaurant. It was late and I was hungry, so I had to go back to the hotel to cook instant noodles.

I was full of tea, and I woke up with a beautiful sleep. It was already 5 a.m., drank a glass of water, and ran to the ancient city. The ancient city with a standard well-shaped structure has a total of 25 streets and 16 alleys with a total length of 14 kilometers. Some alleys are dead roads. Excluding duplicate road sections, at least 60% of the streets and alleys of the ancient city have been completed after 10 kilometers. While running, I memorized the locations of the main attractions in the ancient city, and accompanied my wife to visit directly after dawn.

The ancient city of Weishan is rich in cultural relics and historic sites, and there are many scenic spots. Gongchen Tower is located in the north city. It was built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty. It is an ancient building with five rooms and double eaves. It hangs on the south and the horizontal plaque "Thousand Miles Looking Sky" hangs on the north. It is majestic. Xinggong Tower, as the Wenbi Building with the "Yin Handle", is located in the center of the ancient city. It has a bad fate. It was built in the 23rd year of Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty. After being demolished, it was restored in the 10th year of Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty. It was destroyed in the military in 1857. It is now rebuilt by Ma Zhongguo, a member of the Du Wenxiu Uprising Army of the Qing Dynasty. The tower runs through in four directions and is the central intersection of the east, west, north and south streets. It is the top of the mountain with double eaves. Under the eaves of the southeast, northwest and north sides are hung "Ruiai Huafeng","Wei Xia Embracing Crane","Yuhuan Guapu", and "Cangying Panlong" plaque, the eaves are tall and handsome.

There are also many ancient buildings in the Ming and Qing Dynasties in the city, such as Wenhua Academy, Chongzheng Academy, Nanshexue, Beishexue, Yuhuang Pavilion, Confucian Temple, Dengjue Temple, Guandi Temple, Chenghuang Temple, Wanshou Palace, etc. These ancient buildings have their own styles and are beautiful and generous in shape, reasonable and rigorous in structure, flying wings and horns, carved beams and painted buildings, and very exquisite in craftsmanship. They have high research value and economic value. They are rare treasures of people, so they are called "Pingyao in the north and Weishan in the south."

Most of the houses in the ancient city are courtyard-style, retaining the characteristics of the Dali Bai people's blue-tiled slopes,"three squares and one Zhaobi", and "four in five courtyards" civil structures. In the wealthy family, the two layouts are connected to form a walking horse and turning loft. Some have a "six contract spring" layout, and some have two houses connected with three parties and one wall. Most of the doors of residential buildings have single eaves or double eaves, with wooden frames and tiles roofs, and are built out of the pavilion. Potted flowers and trees are praised as "the city is full of orchids and fragrant".

The ancient city has simple customs and profound cultural heritage. On the way to the Nanzhao Museum in Weishan, I ran into a retired female teacher. When she learned that we were short of time, she took the initiative to lead us on a small road and take a shortcut. When we were together, we talked about residents 'lives. She also enthusiastically took us to the vegetable market for on-site inspections to understand the market. My wife bought some soba cakes, specialty snacks, tomatoes and cucumbers, and she took the initiative to bring us to our destination before leaving. Elegant speech and generous demeanor allow us to appreciate the spiritual outlook of the ancient city people.

Some ancient cities are full of traffic and tourists like crucian carp. Due to over-development, the indigenous people have moved out and lived in them. Ancient buildings have been transformed, and few historic sites exist, and although they are alive, they are still dead. Some are called ancient cities, but in fact they are just built in ancient times. At most, they are rebuilt on the original site. Not only do they have no real ancient monuments, but they also lack the charm of the ancient city. Weishan Ancient City not only completely retains its original style, but also aborigines have lived here for generations, with a strong atmosphere of life. The residential buildings also basically retain the Chinese structure of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is a perfect combination of modern life and ancient architecture. It is a truly living ancient city.

(Winter Travel Yunnan Diary 8 2020.11.28 - 12.23 Tour 1.10 was written in Zhuhai)

(Gongchen Tower)

(In front of Gongchen Gate)

(Xinggong Tower)

(Ancient City Residential Buildings)

(Deep alleys)

(Cultural College)

(Academy Square)

(Shijia Yuanmen)

(Gucheng Street)

(Nanzhao Museum witnesses friendship)

(Museum Stele Corridor)

(Lin Gong Temple)

(Sun Palace)

(Zhao Zhong's Ci)

(Main Gate of Confucian Temple)

(Dacheng Hall)

(Dao Guan Ancient and Modern)

(Zhuangyuan Bridge)

(Confucian Temple)

(Officials are the most reluctant)

(Nanzhao Library)

(Mengyang Park)

(A restaurant for residents)

(spotless)

(Dream back to Nanzhao)

(Before Kuixiong's Sixth Edict)

(Old House in the Ming and Qing Dynasties)

(Jinshi Home)

(Nanzhao Square)