Shaxi Ancient Town is situated in the south-west of Jianchuan County in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is 139 kilometers away from Dali and 107 kilometers away from Lijiang.
Shaxi Ancient Town has been an important trading hub on the Yunnan-Tibet Tea Horse Road since ancient time. The town integrates both south western China business culture and the Buddhist culture. There you could see old ancient stage, ancient temples, ancient shops, ancient alleyways, ancient houses, ancient village gates, ancient trees, ancient wells, ancient bridges and fairs…..
Same as Lijiang Ancient City and Shuhe Ancient Town, Shaxi also has its Square Street in the town center. Shaxi's Square Street is a plaza covered with red sand bricks and lined of two centuries-old Chinese scholar trees. This street is a millennium-old ancient bazaar with a collection of temples, an ancient stage, shops, a caravansary, a wide street surface covered with red sand stone slabs, centuries-old trees, ancient alleyways, and ancient village gates.
Down the street, there are several embroidered shoe shops and bicycle-renting stands. In the past, there was a fair on Sideng Street every three days. All kinds of caravans from all around the town passed through the alleyways to prepare for the fair, which makes it a great event of Dali.
In Dali, meandering Heihui River runs through Shaxi from north to south. The crescent-shaped ancient bridge, Yujin Bridge, is just across the river. This ancient bridge is the only way for Bai people living in Shaxi to their fields. When it comes to dusk, stone slabs would become shinny green. If you stand on the bridge looking back at Shaxi Ancient Town, the view seems a beautiful painting.
The ancient stage is the soul of Shaxi. Nearly everyone that visits Shaxi for the first time will marvel at its unique architectural structure and exquisite craftsmanship. It is the most distinctive building on Square Street.
The stage is situated in the east section of Square Street, facing Xingjiao Temple to the west. By spending 10 RMB, you can ascend the ancient stage. Along the steep wooden stairs, you can see the exhibition of cultural relics unearthed in Jianchuan on the second story and see the Quixin loft on the third story.