The citron is a fruit tree commonly planted by Naxi families in Lijiang. It belongs to the Rutaceae family and is a green shrub or small tree, with thorns between its branches and large leaves resembling orange leaves. It blooms in spring with white flowers, and its fruits are oval-shaped, with the largest ones weighing around two kilograms. Mature fruits can withstand frost without falling and may remain on the tree for several years. Each autumn and winter, the fruits gradually turn...
Yi Wine is a traditional, locally produced premium liquor from Lijiang, classified as a low-alcohol, nutritious type of Huangjiu (Chinese yellow wine). The wine has a reddish-brown hue with an amber-like luster. It is smooth and sweet on the palate, with a rich aroma and a fragrant complexity of eight distinct flavors. Although it belongs to the sweet-style category of Huangjiu, it boasts high nutrition and sweetness without the typical thick or sticky texture found in most sweet Huangjiu. When the wine touches the lips, the balance of sugar, alcohol, and various flavoring ingredients is just right—sweet but not cloying, gentle yet not harsh. Whether accompanying meals, for men or women, experienced or casual drinkers, it appeals to all palates and helps stimulate the appetite. Lijiang Yi Wine was once a featured brand offered in the province’s international hotels and restaurants, especially favored by Japanese visitors. During Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Kunming, she reportedly enjoyed three glasses in a row at a banquet and spoke highly of it. Most visitors to Lijiang take pleasure in tasting Yi Wine, and there is a local saying that when a child is born in a Lijiang family, a jar of Yi Wine is sealed and stored under a plum or plum-blossom tree in the birth courtyard, to be opened only when the son gets married. The resulting richness and aroma are said to be absolutely exquisite. (Lijiang)
Crabapple fruit and crabapple trees are a scenic feature of Lijiang. In spring, their blossoms are admired, and in autumn, the fruits are harvested. They not only beautify the environment but also bring considerable economic benefits. The planting of crabapple trees in Lijiang has a long history. In the late Qing Dynasty, Naxi poet He Songqiao praised them in his poem “Miscellaneous Poems on Lijiang”: “Ancient crabapple trees cluster south of the city, their red reflections deep in White Horse Pool, where three or five visitors gather…”
A variation of Dongba wood carving, it perfectly combines Chinese knots, Dongba culture, and hand-carving, transforming the wood carving into a wooden bell. It is a rare and exquisite decorative item.…
Dongba batik is a new type of printed and dyed handicraft that builds upon the techniques of Miao batik from Guizhou and Bai batik from Dali, infused with the cultural essence of Naxi Dongba calligraphy and paintings. It uses carriers such as cotton cloth, silk, and velvet, where a specially designed wax knife is dipped in melted wax to draw Dongba characters and paintings onto the fabric. The fabric is then dyed with plant-based dyes, and the wax is removed by boiling...
Soybean noodles are a specialty snack from Lijiang, Yunnan. They consist of smooth and chewy noodles topped with crispy, deep-fried soybeans that are fragrant and crunchy, along with scallions, chili, oil, and aromatic vinegar. The tangy and spicy broth is extremely appetizing. However, the original ingredients were not soybeans but a few pieces of deep-fried pork skin and two or three small fish. The addition of soybeans is a practice that evolved over time. Many people also enjoy adding some crispy fried peanuts and a few slices of savory yet not greasy ham, along with some tender green scallion bits, creating this delicious bowl of ham and soybean noodles. Soybean noodles can be considered the top noodle dish in Lijiang. The noodles are semi-transparent and made using a traditional family recipe.
Black Goat Hot Pot is a signature local dish in Lijiang, Yunnan. It’s truly unique to the area and has created a spectacular sight along Changshui Road known as the “Black Goat Street.” To highlight the black color of the goat meat, all the restaurant signs feature black lettering, making the scene as eye-catching as the red lanterns lining the bar street in the ancient town. The dark hunks of lamb tumble into the bubbling, pitch-black broth—and if it weren’t for the enticing aroma, many might turn away at first glance. The skin-on black goat meat is specially processed and cooked to nearly nine-tenths doneness before serving, resulting in zero gamey taste. The black goats used are all free-range, raised in the mountains, yielding lean, tender, and delicious meat.
Naxi Hot Pot is a signature dish from Lijiang in Yunnan Province. It refers to food cooked in a hot pot. The copper hot pot, exquisitely crafted, is a beloved utensil among the Naxi people. Naxi Hot Pot is a popular dish served to guests during cold seasons and enjoyed as a picnic meal during spring outings. The main ingredients include pork ribs, lean meat, fried meat, potatoes, soybean sprouts, arrowhead, carrots, taro, large leek roots, cabbage stems, leafy vegetable stems, vermicelli, bean starch sheets, tofu, and more than ten other items, along with seasonings such as ginger and tsao-ko. The preparation method involves layering potatoes, taro, carrots, arrowhead, and large leek roots in the hot pot first, then adding the pork ribs and rib broth. The hot pot is lit and simmered until the ingredients are partially cooked, after which soaked vermicelli, bean starch sheets, leafy greens, tofu, lean meat slices, and fried meat are added. It is ready to serve after about fifteen minutes of cooking.
Rice sausage is a unique local delicacy in Lijiang. It is made by mixing pig's blood, rice, and various spices in a specific ratio, then stuffing the mixture into processed pig intestines to create a rice-filled sausage. Making rice sausage is a traditional practice of the Naxi people. During the annual pig slaughter, nearly every Naxi household prepares some rice...
The industrious and ingenious people of Shuitian have created a rich culinary culture through their long history of labor. Among their distinctive offerings is the pure-tasting, refreshing, and uniquely flavorful “Lajia Wine.” Made from glutinous rice, it originates from sweet rice wine (glutinous rice wine). The basic brewing process involves steaming the glutinous rice, cooling it, breaking it up…
Plum fruits are edible and have medicinal benefits such as astringent and anti-diarrheal properties, reducing fever and cough, and expelling parasites. The roots and flowers can promote blood circulation and detoxify the body, while the wood is used for carving and abacus beads. As a leisure food that combines nutrition and health benefits, plums are increasingly favored by consumers worldwide, with continuously growing market demand. Lijiang is a suitable core area for growing green plums, and...
Mangxiangyuan mangoes are grown in Longcun Village, Rongjiang Town, located in the central-southern part of Huaping County. The area features a subtropical hot and dry river valley climate along the Jinsha River, with abundant sunshine and excellent light and heat conditions. At an altitude of 1200–1350 meters, the region enjoys an average annual temperature of 19.8°C and an average annual rainfall of 1013.37 mm, making it highly suitable for mango tree cultivation.…
Huaping walnuts are a specialty of Huaping County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. While vigorously developing the mango industry in mid-to-low altitude areas, the county has also tailored its efforts to local conditions by promoting the walnut industry in high-altitude, cool-climate regions. In recent years, Huaping’s walnut industry has achieved rapid and robust growth, becoming the second-largest green industry after the mango sector…
Huanping mangoes are known for their bright color, rich flavor, high nutritional content, and very late ripening period. In addition to being sold to major northern cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenyang, Huanping-grown mangoes are also exported back to mango-producing regions like Guangdong and Hainan. Huanping County is located in the dry-hot valley of the Jinsha River, enjoying abundant sunlight, heat...
The bean braised rice recipe has a long history, and you can also feel the charm of these distinctive delicacies during the preparation process. Bean braised rice is a very unique Yunnan snack, primarily made with fava beans and cooked using a braising method. Yunnan Province enjoys a spring-like climate all year round, with fresh seasonal vegetables available throughout the seasons. Even in the depths of winter, vegetables such as green fava beans and green peas…
In modern times, the traditional clothing of Naxi men in Lijiang has been largely similar to that of the neighboring Han Chinese. Generally speaking, young rural Naxi men working in the fields often wear a buttoned, front-opening tunic with a row of cloth buttons, an outer sheepskin vest, long trousers, and locally made cloth shoes. They go bareheaded or wear a headcloth (commonly referred to as a "head wrap"), with a belt tied around the waist. In daily life or when going to market, they more commonly wear Han-style...
Yongsheng is the site of China’s only “multiple single-origin premium bases” constructed with investment from Yunnan Province, and “Yongsheng Hard Honey” is one of them. Yongsheng Hard Honey is produced by the Chinese honeybee (local wild bee) collecting nectar from the wild Elsholtzia rugulosa plant. The honey is manually extracted from the hive, filtered multiple times, poured into molds, and naturally crystallized. The wild…
Chenghai Fish come in a wide variety, including large carp, white minnows, pressed minnows, red-fin fish, hook-tipped fish, and the recently introduced silverfish. The large carp are big-bodied and well-fattened, with especially rich fat around the head. Their flesh is tender. Catch some Chenghai water by the seaside, bring it to a boil in a pot, add the fresh fish, then season with scallions, ginger, chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other ingredients...
Yongsheng porcelain has been mass-produced as early as the eighth year of the Tongzhi era (1869). The “Newly Compiled Yunnan General Annals” recorded: “The porcelain clay produced in Yongbei is superior to that of Anhui and Jiangxi. Recently, Yongbei porcelain has competed with that from Jiangxi, and can be found throughout western Yunnan.” During the Republican era, techniques from Jingdezhen, Jiangxi were introduced, giving Yongsheng porcelain the characteristics of crystal-clear glaze and elegantly painted, classical designs. Today, Yongsheng has both prefectural and county-level porcelain factories. Their products are not only popular within and outside the province, but are also exported to various countries in Southeast Asia. Yongsheng porcelain is made from kaolin. Kaolin is a product of the decomposition of various crystalline rocks and is found in the Guanzhaoshan area, about 20 kilometers southeast of Yongsheng County. With reserves of over 5 million tons—most of which can be mined openly—the clay is white, fine-textured, highly fire-resistant, and considered premium-quality material for porcelain production. The specific production methods vary by product type, but generally involve four stages: material preparation, forming the body, painting and coloring, and firing. Decoration methods include blue-and-white, famille rose, underglaze polychrome, spray painting, printing, bas-relief, colored glazes, and more. A mechanized production line has now been established, offering nearly 100 varieties with an annual output of over 30 million pieces. In 1960, when Premier Zhou Enlai visited Myanmar, the porcelain gifted to Myanmar was produced by the Yongsheng Porcelain Factory. The blue-and-white tea sets in the Yunnan Hall of Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, the artistic cups used at the Yunnan Art Theatre, and those in some star-rated hotels in Kunming are all made of Yongsheng porcelain. In addition to tableware, tea sets, and wine sets, there are also artistic display items such as vases, table lamps, ancient musicians, characters from "Dream of the Red Chamber," Tang Dynasty women, Ashima, Dai women, and various animals. There are also intricately designed porcelain items such as carved vases, pen holders, and pen racks for stationery use. The products have won the Golden Elephant Award for Excellent Light Industrial Products in Yunnan Province, and the First National “Jingdezhen Porcelain Cup” Creative Design Award. A large number of daily-use porcelain items are exported through border trade. (Lijiang)
Glutinous Rice Blood Sausage is a popular dish among the Naxi people, known in the Naxi language as “Mabu.” It is made by mixing semi-steamed rice or glutinous rice, while still hot, with fresh pig’s blood or egg white along with various spices, then tightly stuffing the mixture into cleaned pig intestines, sealing them, and steaming until cooked. Depending on the method of preparation, those made with fresh blood are called black Mabu, while those made with egg white are...