It is a scenic highlight of Lijiang. Crabapples are admired for their blossoms in spring and harvested for their fruit in autumn. They not only beautify the environment but also bring considerable economic benefits. The planting of crabapples in Lijiang has a long history. In the late Qing Dynasty, Naxi poet He Songqiao praised them in his poem “Miscellaneous Verses on Lijiang”: Ancient crabapple trees cluster south of the town, / Their crimson reflections sink deep in White Horse Pool. / From time to time, three or five strollers gather…
Is a traditional, locally produced premium liquor from Lijiang, classified as a low-alcohol, nutritious type of yellow wine. The wine has a reddish-brown hue with an amber sheen. It tastes smooth and sweet, with a rich aroma and a fragrant aftertaste. Although it is a sweet-style yellow wine with high nutritional value and sugar content, it lacks the thick, sticky texture typical of most sweet yellow wines. When the wine touches the lips, the balance of sugar, alcohol, fermenting agents, and various flavoring ingredients is perfectly calibrated—sweet but not cloying, mellow but not harsh. Whether served with meals or enjoyed on its own, it appeals to all palates, regardless of gender or drinking capacity, stimulating the appetite. Lijiang Xunjiu was once a featured brand in the province’s hotels and guesthouses that catered to international guests, particularly 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 Xunjiu. Legend has it that in Lijiang folklore, parents seal and bury a jar of Xunjiu under a plum or plum-pear tree in their courtyard upon the birth of a son, to be opened only on his wedding day—the resulting brew is said to be incredibly aromatic and sublime.
Rice and Vegetable Sausage A distinctive local delicacy of Lijiang, 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. It is served sliced into rounds, either pan-fried in hot oil or steamed until heated through. The sausage has an earthy, glossy appearance, a rich aroma, and high nutritional value…
Lijiang Ci Ba is a local specialty staple food. It is as thin as paper with many layers, hence also known as “thousand-layer cake,” and can be preserved for two to three months without spoiling. It is typically served with ham, Sichuan pepper, chopped scallions, lard, and comes in both savory and sweet flavors. An authentic Lijiang Ci Ba shop is located about fifty meters downhill from Guanmenkou, while most of those near Sifang Street are actually wholesale products from elsewhere—slightly more expensive and lacking in flavor.
Sweet Tapioca Pudding and Mung Bean Jelly are famous snacks in Lijiang, Yunnan, and are sweet and delicious. The Tapioca Pudding is made from small, special fruits wrapped in gauze and kneaded into translucent crystals, smooth and tasty. The Mung Bean Jelly is made from rice flour—after boiling a pot of rice flour mixture, it’s strained through a special conical strainer to form tiny grains, giving it a very unique flavor. When serving, several spoonfuls of...
Dongba art refers to the wooden puppets, dough figurines, clay sculptures, and various bamboo and wood woven items made and used by the Dongba during religious rituals. With their unique shapes, vivid realism, and high artistic value, they are highly appreciated. Dongba sculpture art is mainly reflected in the creation of wooden puppets, dough figurines, clay figures, and wood carvings. The wooden puppets carved from trees are...
Lijiang preserved fruits have long been famous, offering around 20 flavors: tomato, chili, eggplant, ginger, apple—many ingredients you’d never even think of—all handmade by the female owner. Each piece is crystal clear, resembling high-quality yellow jade, with a wide variety of flavors, all sweet for sure. At No. 46 Baishoufang, the person making the preserved fruits is a woman in her 50s…
The Lijiang bronze lock is a traditional and practical handicraft of the Naxi ethnic group, known for its exquisite craftsmanship, diverse styles, beautiful patterns, sturdy material, and reliable performance, making it widely loved by people. Four hundred years ago, when the geographer Xu Xiake traveled to Lijiang, the Naxi poet Mu Zeng presented him with a bronze lock as a token of admiration and welcome. The bronze lock is an exquisitely crafted product of the Naxi people...
Located on the southwestern frontier of China, Lijiang is home to the industrious Naxi people. Through long-term life practices, the Naxi have created a variety of foods, among which Lijiang Baba is especially famous in western Yunnan and is often praised alongside Heqing wine in the saying “Lijiang Baba and Heqing Wine.”
Wooden handicrafts in Lijiang mainly include wooden bowls, cups, plates, smoking sets, tea sets, bracelets, Go game boxes, butter tea boxes, and more. By wood type, they are made from yew, mountain ash, wild cherry, schefflera, and tofu residue wood; by lacquer type, they come in two varieties: natural lacquer and clear lacquer. Natural lacquer features bright colors and an elegant, luxurious appearance, while clear lacquer offers a natural, rustic, and tasteful look…
The Ciman Pear is one of the four most famous pear varieties in China, named after its primary production area—Ciman Village in the Lijiang Basin. Lijiang Ciman Pears are well-shaped, with thin skin, crisp flesh, abundant juice, and sweet taste. Rich in vitamins and fructose, they are considered top-quality pears in Yunnan Province. The Ciman Pear is mainly grown in the Huangshan Ciman, Changshui, and Zhongji areas, just a few miles from Lijiang city. In spring...
“Yanbajiu” (a stew of chicken and tofu) is a traditional delicacy—fragrant, tender, and visually appealing. Ingredients include free-range chicken, ham, tofu, scallions, ginger, salt, monosodium glutamate, and chili. To prepare, cut about 1 kilogram of chicken and 200 grams of ham (ham can be substituted with cured meat) into chunks, then simmer them in water with ginger and an appropriate amount of salt until cooked. Then add...
“Lijiang Cold Tofu” is a traditional snack. It has a delicious taste, good chewiness, is tasty and inexpensive. The main ingredients include chicken pea flour, Chinese chives, mung bean sprouts, Sichuan peppercorn oil, chili oil, fried hemp seed flour, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger juice, mashed garlic, sesame oil, salt, and more. To make it, first soak the chicken pea flour in cold water overnight until softened, then grind it into a paste, filter out the residue, and…
In Lijiang, shawls are a standout feature. Fashionable girls walking through the ancient town all wear eye-catching, ethnic-style shawls. The ancient town is lined with shops selling shawls, presenting an overwhelming array of choices. There is a wide variety of shawls in terms of materials, including wool, cotton, and silk;…
Lijiang: Yak Hot Pot When visiting Lijiang, the stunning scenery often overshadows its culinary delights — there’s just so much to see. But in fact, yak hot pot alone is enough to make you fall head over heels in love with Lijiang. Yaks live on the unpolluted highland, grazing on grass, which results in tender and flavorful meat that’s a favorite among Tibetans. Beyond yak hot pot, Han Chinese currently have few other…
Lijiang yak rib hot pot Walking out of Lijiang Ancient Town to Xiangshan Market, you’ll find many stalls of all sizes. The whole street is lined with yak rib hot pot restaurants, with entire walls hung with ribs — a truly spectacular sight. Small pots cost 60 yuan and large ones 80 yuan, both coming with lots of side dishes, so you usually don’t need to order anything extra. Lijiang yak ribs are made from pork ribs...
Frog-shaped Pastry On the way to Zhongyi Market, there’s a family-run shop that sells pastries. The pastry they sell is called frog-shaped pastry. The owners are very welcoming and promise that if you don’t like it, you won’t have to pay — come and give it a try. The pastry is shaped like a frog’s mouth, which is how it got its name. It’s stuffed with vegetables and a house-made seasoning mix.…
Fried dragonflies are a specialty dish of ethnic minorities in Yunnan. Not only are they favored by the Hani people, but the Zhuang and Buyi also enjoy eating and are skilled at catching them. In the valley areas where the Buyi live, thick stands of nan bamboo thrive. When the tips of the bamboo turn yellow, it’s time to split open the stems and harvest the insects inside. Raw bamboo worms can be a bit unsettling — they’re long, white, and covered in legs, resembling silkworms, albeit much smaller.
The method for making Naxi grilled fish involves first splitting open the fish belly to remove the internal organs, then rubbing it with salt, Sichuan peppercorns, and five-spice powder and letting it marinate for a while. After that, it is placed in an iron pan and slow-roasted until the flavors are well absorbed. Next, it is transferred to a frying pan and deep-fried. Once done, a delicious Naxi grilled fish is ready. …
The preserved pork ribs in Lijiang are air-dried with only salt added, giving off a uniquely rich meaty aroma. The flavor is so pure it’s like stepping back in time—untainted by any modern seasonings that might overpower it, leaving your taste buds truly amazed. These ribs come from free-range Naxi pigs raised on the snowy plateau, cured and air-dried over time, with the flavor growing richer the longer they’re aged. When served, they’re simply simmered without any additional seasonings…