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Yushui Valley

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Brief Introduction：

With national culture of Naxi as its center and well combining with natural sights, nowadays, Yushui Stockade Scenic Spot has become a major tourism attraction of Lijiang. It is the hallowed place of Dongba in the central district of Naxi Minority and the origin of the ancient city of Lijiang.

After the identification as the base of inheriting and passing on Dongba Culture, Baishaxi Music and Dongba Dance by the American Nature Protection Association, people carry out the work of digging, processing, inheriting, passing down, researching and exhibiting the ancient culture of Naxi Minority. As the base of Dongba Culture, keeping the traditional and simple characteristics of Naxi Minority and combing with the beautiful natural sights around, Yushui Stockade truly presents the traditional idea of "the balance development between man and nature" and the essence of Dongba culture.

Shenlong Three Layers of Water

As a great attraction of Yushui Stockade, Three Layers of Water roots in a spring flowing down the slope and forming three great layers. There is a beautiful legend about the water: The mouth of Divine Spring is the place where Yulong God haunts, who comes out to patrol the dam of Lijiang every year, playing water and bringing about wind, making the water three layers. People name the first layer as "Dragon out Waterfall", the second "Playing Dragon Waterfall" and the third "Sending Dragon off Waterfall", whence comes the beautiful name of Shenlong (holy dragon in Chinese) Three Layers of Water. Actually the attraction consists of a group of waterfalls of different sizes and heights. The clearness of the spring presents the sanctity of the water of Divine Spring.

The sound made by the waterfalls makes the hallowed place of Dongbu more quiet and peaceful. Bunches of waterfalls seem like the silk scarf carelessly left by the Dragon Fairy who takes bath in the holy water, which makes people amaze at its beauty. Naxi people merge their worship of the Shenlong Three Layers of Water into daily life: they make their water for life three layers to make use of it in reason; they place the three layers of water in their family meals by dividing their tableware (plates, bowls and hotpots) into three layers; they build their yards in form of the three layers of water; women also wear costume in style of the three layers of water.

Divine Spring

Walking forward along the waterfalls, you will see a thick stream of water spewing out from the rock slot, clear, pure and vivid; and this is the Divine Spring. Before, Locke, an American scholar, has lived in Lijiang for 28 years; and Baisha is the major place where he moved about. He highly praised the water of Divine Spring in Yushui Village and always took the spring water for drink when exploring even being out of Lijiang. In fact, the water of Divine Spring comes from the melted snow on the top of Yulong Snow Mountain.

According to the test, filtered by the rocks of 2,400m thick, the spring produces mineral water of high quality. Also, the spring water from Yushui Stockade becomes the aorta of the ancient city of Lijiang, fully presenting its verve and making it full of vitality.

Naxi people love, worship and owe nature, and the divine spring becomes the place where they worship natural gods. At the beginning of the New Year, Naxi people always come here to worship natural gods, carrying out ceremony to offer sacrifice, praying for the coming year of favorite weather and good harvests.

Ancient Trees

Around the Divine Spring, grow groups of ancient trees, among which the greatest ones, two five-angled maples, were listed in "Yunnan Ancient Trees Catalog" in 1996. They are also regarded as the guards of the divine spring. Hence, it is prohibited to climb the trees; the one who violates will be strictly punished by the nature. It is said that in 1960s, a villager of Yulong Village hacked at the divine trees, which leaded to sores all over his body with persistence of the high temperature.

After laying in bed for several months, he had to turn to Dongba at last, who advised him to plant a small tree under the divine tree to show his regret. Then, he recovered. The tree he planted at that time is the willow we can see today. In this way, Naxi people protect their water and trees. Even the bees lived in the five-angled maples have never been disturbed, who have lived peacefully in the divine trees for many years.

Dongba Village

Dongba Village in Yushui Stockade is built completely according to the traditional life style of Naxi Minority. You can feel the traditional atmosphere of national culture from the layout of its yard, building facilities, tools and details of life. The daily life in Dongba Village of Yushui stockade truly presents the life of Dongba, Naxi Minority.

There are three Dongba Masters in the village, namely, Yangjiwen, Heliming and Hezhenwei. Now, several Dongba students are learning Dongba culture from the old Dongbas. In Mar 5^th of lunar calendar, Dongbas from the whole Naxi district gather in Yushui stockade, holding the annual Dongba Shenluo Fair at Dongba Shenluo Temple.

Edition HistoryAddLocation:

Edition HistoryAddTicket Price:

Edition HistoryEdit Opening Time:
7：00a.m.-21：00p.m.

Edition HistoryEdit How to get there:
At Jinjia Market, 15 km away to the urban area, there are many buses to Yuhu Village, which will pass Yushui Stockade, 5RMB per person.

Edition HistoryEdit Tips:
Recommended Time for a Visit: one day