Shigu Town Overview
1. Basic Information
● Chinese Name: 石鼓乡
● Area: 643.5 square kilometer
● Population: 20559
● Zip code: 674113
● Dialing code: (+86) 0888
2. Location
Located in the western part of the old town of Lijiang, Shigu Town is adjacent to Jiuhe township and Longpan township in the east, Shitou township in the south, and Liming township in the west and north. It is a strategic location that all military families have to contend for. It is named for the drum-like stone tablet carved with white marble in the town. With a diameter of 1.5 meters and a thickness of 0.7 meters, it is one of the oldest stone tablets found in Lijiang at present.
3. Administrative Division
Shigu Town has jurisdiction over 1 neighborhood, 10 administrative villages and 136 Groups of villagers. Town government sits in Shigu street, 53 km from Lijiang city.
10 Administrative Villages: Daxin village(大新村), Walu village(鲁瓦村), Datong village(大同村), Xinhua village(新华村), Hongyan village(红岩村), Sixing village(四兴村), Gezi village(格子村), Renhe village(仁和村), Renyi village(仁义村), Labazhi village(拉巴支村)
4. Climate
Shigu Town enjoys a humid Mountain climate. The rainy season is mainly concentrated in July, August and September, annual rainfall of 749.6 mm, annual average temperature 14.6 ℃. The hottest month is July, monthly average temperature of 21 ℃, the coldest month of January, the monthly average temperature of 6.7 ℃.
5. People
In 2007, the total population of Shigu Town was 22, 532. There are eight ethnic groups including Han, Naxi, Lisu, Yi, Tibet, Bai, Miao and Pumi.
6. Best Time to Visit
Shigu town is suitable for sightseeing all year round, and the scenery in March is the most beautiful.
7. Features
Dazzling Visions: This whole area abounds with attractive stories and dazzling visions such as Stone Drum Town, the First Bend of the Yangtze River, Tiehong Bridge and Rock Gate.
Red Tour: Throughout time, Stone Drum Town was always a significant and vitally strategic military area where many famous historical events have been taken place.
Rural Fair Market: On the date at the end 3, 6, and 9, there will be fair market, and people from the surrounding villages will come to market, which is a good place to feel the local life.
8. Things to Do
Yangtze River First Bay
Drum-shaped Stone Tablet
Tiehong Bridge
Red Army Monument of Crossing the River
Jujin Ancient Ferry
Lijiang Horse
9. History
With busy commerce and trade, there were many merchants coming for business and settled down here. There are many people engaged in trade outside too. Near the Shigu Street, it is rich for talcum mine. According to historical records, as early as the Yuan dynasty it has been mined. In 1966, a talc factory was established in Shigu, the product are sold outside the county. There is abundant marble in Shigu town too. Mineral resources are talc, placer gold, manganese, zinc and sulphur. And Shigu Ancient Town has traditional bamboo strip cap and pot cover too. This area has rich orchids. In 2005, town Shigu has been listed as “one of the national 100 classic red tourism scenic spots”.
10. Shopping
Because the Shigu Town is located in estuary area with good climate and abundant products, there are many special products such as medicine, fruit and mountain goods.
Shigu town has always been an important place for the trade between Tibetan and Han people. Tibetans bring fur and Chinese herbal medicine to sell here, and buy daily necessities such as tea, salt and cloth. Shigu also abounds in talc and granite.
There are many delicate straw hats and baskets on the street. They are well made and are good souvenirs.
11. Dining and Accommodation
When travelling Shigu Town, the dining and accommodation both could be settled in the area such as the Shigu Restaurant, Jiangnan Hotel, Jiujiu Restaurant and Haoyoulai Sichuan Restaurant, etc; the local inns such as Five Six Seven Guesthouse(五六七客栈), Lijiang Shigu Climbing Base Youth Hostel(丽江石鼓攀岩基地青年旅舍), Lijiang Shihong Guesthouse(丽江石虹宾舍), Lijiang Jingufang Villa(丽江金谷坊山庄 ), Yulong Jinwan Hotel(玉龙金湾酒店), etc.
