Ninglang County, known as "Little Liangshan," enjoys a warm climate and abundant sunshine, making it highly suitable for apple cultivation. Xiaoliangshan apples are renowned both within and beyond the province for their bright color, large size, sweet taste, and juiciness. Among them, varieties such as "Golden Delicious," "Red Crown," and "Red Chief" are considered top-quality. They are available at Lijiang fruit markets, priced at around 8 yuan per jin…
Paclitaxel is a complex secondary metabolite found in plants of the genus Taxus, and it is currently the only known drug that can promote microtubule polymerization and stabilize already polymerized microtubules. Isotope tracing has shown that paclitaxel binds only to polymerized microtubules and does not react with unpolymerized tubulin dimers. When cells are exposed to paclitaxel…
Frog Skin, also known as Tree Butterfly, has a mild flavor and neutral nature. At first bite, it tastes slightly bitter but becomes more aromatic the more you chew. It’s similar to wood ear mushrooms but harder and crispier, and somewhat like fried fish skin. When stir-fried with fresh meat, it’s crispy and chewy. Before cooking, Tree Butterfly should be cleaned, then blanched in boiling water for a short time, drained, and rinsed before…
Almost every visitor to Ninglang County in the Lijiang region (commonly known as Little Liangshan) will want to try the Yi people’s tuotuo meat. The tuotuo meat of the Little Liangshan Yi people is similar to Xinjiang’s “hand-pulled lamb.” In preparation, fresh and plump pigs, cattle, or sheep are typically slaughtered immediately, then cut into large chunks — some as small as a fist, others as big as a bowl — without adding peppercorns...
Ninglang Yi Autonomous County is predominantly inhabited by the Yi ethnic group, who make up 65% of the county's population. The Yi people have a long-standing cultural reverence for the colors black and fire, and they have traditionally raised sheep. Over time, they developed a hierarchical view of sheep usage based on production and daily life—valuing their meat as a delicacy and their wool as an honor. Local ethnic groups often wear sheepskin capes while working, use felt cloaks for rain protection and warmth, and craft “cushion felts” for bedding. Sheep are also used to entertain guests during weddings, funerals, and other significant events, and serve as dowries, gifts, and return gifts. During rituals, black wool clipped in July is used to create spirit tablets, and relatives must offer sacrifices with black sheep. At funerals, the deceased must be covered with a folded felt cloak made from black sheep’s wool, and a black ram is slaughtered as the “passing-over sheep” and the “end-of-life sheep.” These traditions reflect the deep cultural significance of the Ninglang Black Sheep, which evolved through natural selection under the region’s unique environmental conditions, as well as through the longstanding affection and artificial selection by various ethnic communities.
Crabapple trees are a scenic feature of Lijiang. In spring they bloom, and in autumn they bear fruit, beautifying the environment while also bringing good economic returns. The planting of crabapple trees in Lijiang has a long history. He Songqiao, a Naxi poet from the late Qing Dynasty, praised them in his poem "Miscellaneous Poems on Lijiang": Ancient crabapple trees cluster south of the town, their red reflections deep in White Horse Pool. From time to time, three or five...
Naxi 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 custom of the Naxi people. During the annual pig-slaughtering season, almost every Naxi household prepares some...
Stir-fried Eggs with Rhododendron Flowers is a specialty dish in Lijiang. Known as the "Kingdom of Plants," Lijiang boasts over a hundred varieties of rhododendron flowers. However, as these flowers contain mild toxins, only a few are edible. Carefully prepared, they become a distinctive dish in the local flower feast. …
Blown liver is made by inflating a fresh pig liver, then curing and air-drying it naturally. It keeps well for about a year. After washing, boiling, and slicing thinly, the liver is served cold with garnishes such as cilantro, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, scallions, and minced ginger. Its flavor is aromatic and savory, not greasy, refreshing and appetizing, making it an excellent cold dish.…
Mac (scientific name: Lepidium meyenii Walp), (Spanish: Maca). It is mainly produced in the Andes Mountains of South America and Lijiang, Yunnan, China, and is a plant of the Brassicaceae family. Its leaves are oval-shaped, and its root tuber resembles a small round radish, which is edible. It is a purely natural food rich in nutrients…
Duoli Jiubu is a flavorful fruit product made by sun-drying crabapple fruits grown in the Lijiang area. In Lijiang, crabapples are called "Duoli." The fruit is nearly spherical, slightly larger than a grape. It blooms in March and ripens in August. The skin is red, and the flesh is yellow. During processing, the fruit is cut in half. Duoli Jiubu tastes sweet and sour...
Glutinous Rice Blood Sausage is a famous delicacy among the Naxi people's traditional snacks, known in the Naxi language as "Mabu," which means glutinous rice blood sausage. The preparation involves cleaning pig intestines, stuffing them with a mixture of glutinous rice and pig blood, then boiling or steaming until cooked. After slicing thinly, the sausage is pan-fried in lard before serving. It is a convenient and portable traditional food. (Lijiang…)
Moso Red Rice – A nationally renowned, high-quality, and new agricultural product…
Luzhi Lake Qingjiu is a specialty of Ninglang County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province. This Qingjiu is made using precious yam for koji-making and is meticulously brewed from ingredients such as corn, tartary buckwheat, wheat, and high-quality alpine spring water. The wine is crystal clear and transparent, with a mellow, refreshing aroma. It has a rich and full-bodied taste, an authentic and fragrant flavor, and a sweet aftertaste—possessing a uniquely distinctive style. Luzhi Lake Qingjiu derives its name from...
It is said that long ago, a peacock in the deep mountains and dense forests saw a Miao girl. Instead of flying away, it spread its tail feathers to compete in beauty with the girl’s pleated floral skirt. But it lost the contest and flew off in jealousy. This magical legend is a tribute to the hard work of Miao girls. Because Miao girls often regard the most exquisitely embroidered...
Lashi Lake Crucian Carp. The crucian carp from Lashi Lake comes in two varieties: pickled vegetable crucian carp and clear broth crucian carp. There are many such fish restaurants near the ancient town, but eating it at Lashi Lake is the most authentic...
This variety of peach tree uses local mountain peach as rootstock, which has strong compatibility with the scion. Through years of cultivation and domestication, the resulting trees are highly adaptable, with sturdy trunks, high yields—up to 1,450 kilograms per mu—and strong resistance to pests and diseases, as well as cold, drought, and poor soil. They thrive in western Yunnan…
Lijiang Specialty Snacks…
The Naxi Dongba script is pictographic in nature, and as such, the process of writing it naturally takes on an artistic quality. Throughout the ancient town, Dongba calligraphy artworks can be seen everywhere—some are written with traditional bamboo or wooden pens, while others are created using brush pens. Their content mostly conveys themes of promoting virtue, punishing vice, praying for happiness, and bestowing blessings…
The Seven-Star Backpack is a type of travel handicraft evolved from the traditional attire of Naxi women. These backpacks come in various sizes and shapes, but their basic design originates from the "Seven-Star Sheepskin Cape" worn by Naxi women. Naxi women typically wear a white pleated apron around their waists and drape a cape over their backs. The most eye-catching part of their attire is the decorative cape worn on the back...