Being called a "must-see tourist destination" is a double-edged sword. While it helps fill locals' pockets, it can disturb a scenic spot's tranquility. Lijiang is a good example of this.

 

There is no quiet season in Lijiang. On my first visit there about a year ago, I was shocked by a bus driver's description of how popular it is. He said tourists sometimes pay 50 yuan ($6.8) to stay on a bus overnight, because there are no hotel rooms available.

 

Many tourists don't know that Lijiang was included on the World Heritage list for three sections - Dayan, Basha and Shuhe. Thus, they spend their time in Dayan while ignoring the splendors of Basha and Shuhe.

 

Shuhe is just 4 km from Dayan and is 1,000 years old. It has a population of less than 4,000. It was once settled by ancestors of the Naxi ethnic group and was a stop on an ancient trade route. It can be seen in Zhang Yimou's touching movie Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (Qianli Zou Danji).

 

You can relax in Shuhe; there are none of the large crowds crammed into narrow streets and bargaining for souvenirs that you find in Dayan.

 

Shuhe has an "eight trigrams" (ba gua) layout with a square in the center. Entering the town through its gateway, your first impressions are of a small bridge, flowing river and serenity.

 

A waterway zigzags through the town and disappears in a cluster of age-old buildings. There are reflections of houses and mountains in the crystal clear water, while goldfish play hide-and-seek in the weeds.

 

There are brooks and rivers running by every household and store. The water is not only an essential part of the scenery but also a natural refrigerator. It is common for people in bars, cafes and restaurants to put beverages in a basket and dip them in the water. So it is with vegetable and fruit stands.

 

Many of the two-story houses and courtyards have been converted into hostels. You can easily find a guestroom with a large, comfortable bed and good bathroom facilities at a reasonable price. Some hostel rooms have skylights or French windows, which are great for looking out over the town.

 

It is worth spending a few days in the town, taking it easy, sipping pu'er tea at cafs and people-watching. You also could take a horse ride, imagining yourself as part of a Tibetan caravan.

 

If you are in a rush and can only stay for a few hours, then you must see Qinglong Bridge, which connects Sifangjie Square and Jubao Street at the foot of Jubao Mountain. The mountain gets its name, meaning "collecting treasures" in Chinese, because it is comprised of several hills that look like gold ingots. The bridge is featured in Zhang's film and spans the mighty Qinglong River.

 

A favorite spot for lovers is Chain Bridge. Unfortunately, visitors here ruin the romantic atmosphere slightly by deliberately making the ancient bridge wobble, as a form of amusement.

 

Shuhe's three-hole well combines three pools of water - a top tank for drinking, a second for washing vegetables and a third for washing clothes. Local women still do their laundry here by hitting the clothes with wooden sticks.

 

As for souvenirs, they are much the same as Dayan and not much cheaper. Highly recommended is embroidered batik cloth, which can be used as a scarf, bedclothes or a TV set cover. Also, do remember to buy some snow pears, if they are in season. They are cultivated in melted snow and are really tasty.

 

(China Daily by Lin Qi November 27, 2007)