Shuhe Ancient Town

by langrentoh1 on 2012-02-27 11:11:34

Shuhe Ancient Town

From Dayan Ancient Town heading north, after about four kilometers, you will arrive at Shuhe, known as the Village of Clear Springs. Xu Xiake once walked this path while visiting Zhishan Jietuo Forest and wrote in his travel notes: "Crossing a dry stream stone bridge, looking west to Zhonghai Lake, with dark willows circling the water, there is a large settlement nearby, which is called Shihe Courtyard." "Shihe" is the ancient name for today's Shuhe. This shows that as early as the Ming Dynasty, this place was already an important market town in Lijiang.

Shuhe is nestled against mountains and beside water, with houses scattered neatly. There is a pond on the street named "Jiuding Dragon Pool," also known as "Dragon Spring." Around the pool, green willows touch the ground, cypresses point to the sky, the spring water is clear, and fish can be counted. Streams flowing from the pool wind through the village streets, gurgling near and far.

Next to the "Jiuding Dragon Pool," there is a Qing Dynasty-built waterside overhanging eaves pavilion called "San Sheng Gong," also known as Longquan Temple. Originally inside were Guanyin, Wenshu, and Puxian, later adding Xuan Yuan Emperor, Sun Mo, and White Eyebrow Monk. The plaque above the building reads "Half-day Leisure," meaning "Again, I have half a day of leisure in my floating life." Leaning on the railing, one can look far out to the countryside fields and close up see the clear water and swimming fish, making the heart feel relaxed. In the center of the ancient town is a small square street measuring 33 meters long and 27 meters wide, similar to the ancient city's square street where water can be channeled for cleaning. The stone slabs on the street surface, polished smooth by people and horses, still seem to reflect the prosperity of days past.

On the west side of the Square Street, there is a large stone bridge built during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty. In the Naxi language, it is called "Jia Bridge," meaning the bridge where springs converge, spanning the Qinglong River. This Qinglong Bridge is 4 meters high, 4.5 meters wide, and 25 meters long, being the largest stone arch bridge in Lijiang. It is said that a strange person once leaped from the bridge to Basha and ascended to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, leaving behind immortal footprints.

Beside the Shuhe Ancient Town, there is also Dajue Palace, a quadrangle courtyard built in the late Ming Dynasty. Although the main hall is not tall, its architectural structure is harmonious and balanced, with high-pitched eaves at the four corners. The beams and columns are decorated with various bird and animal carvings, vividly lifelike. Inside the palace, there are nine murals, six of which still exist, covering a total area of 26 square meters, using Han Buddhism as a theme, mainly depicting scenes of Buddhas, Arhats, Celestial Beings, Heavenly Kings, and Heavenly Maidens worshiping Buddha. Among them, Esoteric Buddhism’s three-faced eight-armed Guanyin and Daoist immortals are incorporated. On each side, there are nine Arhats painted, with blue skies and white clouds above and cloud-like railings below. The figures have different appearances, including a hundred artisan gods, making it another treasure of Ming Dynasty Lijiang murals. Dajue Palace is a provincial cultural relic protection unit, and its murals are included in books such as "Chinese Temple Murals" and "Chinese Art Complete Works."

Shuhe was once renowned worldwide for its advanced education and leather processing, bamboo weaving, and other handicraft industries. As early as the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, Shuhe had opened a government-assisted free school, Tianjin, along with three private schools. Modern times saw the establishment of primary and secondary schools, making Shuhe a famous hometown of talents. In the past, there were more than 300 households in Shuhe Village engaged in leatherwork, producing 500 pairs of leather shoes daily. Various leather goods were sold to Tibet, Xichang, Qinghai, and some merchants even reached India and Nepal, hence the saying "Shuhe shoemakers, one awl travels the world." In Ninglang, Zhongdian, and Deqin, there are still villages formed by Shuhe shoemakers. In 1942, Shuhe Shoemakers' Village collaborated with international cooperative organizations, establishing leather cooperatives through loans and joint ventures.

Nowadays, wandering by the Longquan and strolling through the ancient streets of Shuhe always allows one to deeply feel a strong cultural atmosphere. As part of the residential buildings around Dayan Ancient Town, Shuhe residences have become a part of the "World Heritage Site," attracting numerous tourists of all skin colors.

If you find the commercial atmosphere too heavy in Lijiang Ancient Town, you might want to visit another part of the "World Heritage Site"—the Shuhe Ancient Town...