Trip to Baisha Old Town and Former Residence of Shali in Lijiang
I asked a taxi driver about Baisha Old Town(白沙古镇) during my stay in Lijiang(丽江), Yunnan(云南).That driver refused to take me there by telling me that that undeveloped and shabby town wasn’t worth a visit and that an entrance ticket was required there. Later on I found out bus No.3 was bound for that town, so I decided to take the bus there. I got off at Baisha Town Government. And it only took 10 minutes to walk to the old town which is quite near to Yulong Snow Mountain(玉龙雪山). One can spend 1 yuan to take bus No.6 departing from Qixingjie(七星街) at Guchengkou(古城口).
Heading for Yulong Snow Mountain(玉龙雪山), the bus drove on a road that was narrow and uneven. And it took more than 40 minutes to get the destination. No wonder why I was refused by that taxi driver. Standing on the road outside Baisha Old Town(白沙古镇), I could see Yulong Snow Mountain(玉龙雪山) clearly, but its peak was shrouded in clouds and mist.
This is the picture of Baisha Old Town(白沙古镇). The terminal of bus No. 6 is a village at the foot of a snow mountain, but I didn’t go there.
The Baisha Town Government is simple.
That taxi driver just cheated me. I saw no ticket office all the way.
Strolling in the town, I felt this town was not a developed tourist town.
There were signs read “No Photos” in and outside many houses and shops. Suddenly I saw “Photoing Is Welcome” on a blackboard of a shop named “Shiliqiao Farmhouse”(十里桥农家), so I walked into that shop and found that it is the former residence of Sha Li(沙蠡), the famous writer in Lijiang(丽江). But I didn’t know who was Sha Li(沙蠡) and I had never read his book.
Introduction of Sha Li(沙蠡) was on the other blackboard: Sha Li (1953-2008), formerly called He Shanggeng(和尚庚) who is a native of Baisha Old Town(白沙古镇) and the older brother of the house owner, He Shangzhong(和尚忠). Sha Li(沙蠡) was a member of Chinese Writers’ Association and the chairman of Lijiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles. As a chief editor of magazines Yulong Mountain and Lijiang, he is the author of 56 books and published more than 60 million words on People’s Literature, Chinese Writers, Novel Monthly and Shikan. His book Great Earthquake won the sixth national literary “Horse Award”.
Visitors can read Sha Li’s works in a side room named Sha Li Study(沙蠡书屋).
The photograph of Sha Li(沙蠡) and the actress Ning Jing(宁静) (Ning Jing’s mother is Naxi People).
My Older Brother Sha Li(沙蠡)
My older brother and I were born in Baisha Old Town(白沙古镇) and we grew up in this old house. My father told me that, on wall in front of our house, there were four words “勤俭家风”which means the members of our family should be frugal and diligent.
When we were children, my older brother and I went to the primary school in Wenchanggong(文昌宫) (now known as Baisha Mural). My brother was very diligent and he had the passion for literature.He read whenever he was free.Once, after reading a soviet novel, he was so exciting that he contributed to Yunnan Daily. Thanks to my brother, I also developed the interest in reading.
My brother was a articulate person. He always told us the stories of Romance of the Three Kingdoms(三国演义) and Heroes of the Marshes(水浒传). And he also told neighbors stories, so he even got a nickname for his eloquence. Besides, my brother and I both like playing football, watching movies and listening to old songs.
This piece of magical and beautiful land in Baisha made my brother unique. And it was my brother’s love to his hometown that enabled him to create innumerable exciting stories…
I miss my brother！
My brother is the pride of Naxi People.
He Shangzhong
March 21st, 2011
The house owner — He Shangzhong (和尚忠)
The house owner is a retired soldier.
The plum-leaf crabapple juice made by He Shangzhong(和尚忠) sells for 10 yuan per glass. Visitors could drink the juice while listen to his stories. Because of his hospitality, many visitors are willing to buy his juice. I said: “Thanks to your hospitality, you may be the one who makes the most money among the shop owners in this town.” He agreed.
The producing process of plum-leaf crabapple juice.
Photographs of the owner and his guests show their happy memories.
His courtyard is the show place of Naxi farmhouse.
Dongba pictograph “mill”(磨)
犁Plough
打谷Threshing
待客Receiving visitors
各种种子Various seeds
正房Main room
After visiting that house, I continued to explore the street.
Children after school looks happy.
The famous Baisha Mural(白沙壁画) is over here with few visitors.
Dongba pictographs on the wall
The frame used to dry things in a Naxi folk house.
A monument
A brook rises in a snow mountain.
Streets are quiet; the business is slack.
Some houses are luxurious which may be rebuilt by outsiders.
These are the real folk house.
Rough stones from Lijiang(丽江) can be used to pave roads and to build houses.
Chinese Version: http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_88e254ff01014tdd.html
