The "Jade Garden" of the Earthly Emperor
"The trip to Lijiang is not complete without visiting the Mu Palace." Lijiang Ancient Town is a famous historical and cultural city in China and a World Cultural Heritage site. The Mu Palace is the "Grand View Garden" of Lijiang Ancient Town culture. The Naxi ethnic group leader, the Mu family, has been hereditary since the Yuan Dynasty (1253). Through 22 generations over 470 years across the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, they were renowned among the southwestern tribal chieftains for their knowledge of poetry, literature, and adherence to rituals.
The Mu Palace is located in the southwest corner of the ancient town. During the Ming Dynasty, its architectural grandeur was impressive, and Xu Xiake once remarked about the Mu Palace: "The beauty of the official residence rivals that of a king's." Unfortunately, most of the buildings were destroyed during the Qing Dynasty wars, and the surviving stone archway was also destroyed during the "Cultural Revolution." After the 1996 earthquake, the World Bank recognized its value and provided substantial loans to assist in the reconstruction of the Mu Palace. Skilled artisans from Lijiang carefully designed and constructed it, and after three years, the Mu Palace was reborn like a phoenix rising from the ashes.
Lijiang Ancient Town has no city walls, which remains a mystery. When the Mu family built their palace-style Mu Palace, they did not follow the traditional Feng Shui theory of "facing south while sitting north," but instead faced the sun and the east. The east belongs to wood, and the sun and wood are objects of worship in the Naxi Dongba religion and were granted by the emperor as the surname of the Naxi people. Therefore, the desire to gain the "wood" energy and flourish led to the Mu Palace being built facing west and east. There are no city walls around the ancient town. It is said that because the Mu governor lived in the city, building walls would be equivalent to adding a frame to the "wood" character, forming the word "trouble," which would confine the "wood."
The Mu governor rests with his back against Lion Mountain, where pine trees are planted all over the mountain. Today, Lion Mountain still preserves a large ancient pine forest, one of the "Twelve Scenic Spots of Lijiang," known as "Ancient Pines of Yellow Mountain." In addition to this ancient pine forest, many pines were planted by local residents in the 1950s-60s and have become lush, forming dense forests. From the top of Lion Mountain, you can look down at the tiled roofs of the densely packed ancient town houses, presenting a dark blue color blending with heaven and earth, resembling a huge ink painting.
The "Jade Garden" of the Earthly Emperor
Upon entering the courtyard, the first thing you see is the Hall of Deliberation, a square hall with painted beams and carved pillars, tall and spacious. On the front of the building hang three plaques inscribed with "Sincere Loyalty to the Country," bestowed by three emperors including Zhu Yuanzhang, giving off an imposing atmosphere. Inside the hall, there is a high platform throne, reminiscent of the imperial court. Behind it is the Ten Thousand Scroll Tower, symbolizing "reading ten thousand scrolls," where the governor studied. Further back is the Hall of Justice, where the Naxi people practiced the Dongba religion and embraced various beliefs; it is said to be where scriptures were stored and sacrificial activities took place. Beyond that are the Jade Sound Pavilion, the Three Pure Ones Hall, and more, extending all the way up Lion Mountain. All halls stand independently with wide courtyards separating them, following a typical palace layout.
Additionally, on one side of the main axis, there are several courtyards separated by walls, akin to the western rear palace of the Forbidden City, with numerous names and functions serving as the living area for the governor and his family. Most interestingly is the "Jade Garden." The meaning of "Jade" should be "Imperial," but since the person residing here was merely a "local emperor," to avoid offending the real emperor, they used a homophone "Jade" instead. This reveals the complex mentality of the "local emperor" at the time. In the back garden, magnolias and autumn chrysanthemums bloom alongside a hundred flowers. Ancients often referred to "flowers as beautiful as jade," showing the connection between flowers and jade, making the name "Jade Garden" somewhat satisfactory. Initially, this area was a bustling civilian passage. To avoid disturbing the public, the governor decided to keep the passage open and constructed a sky bridge between two buildings, not only facilitating the common people but also allowing the governor to observe daily life from the window without leaving home. Nowadays, visitors must pass through this sky bridge to reach the back mountain to see the full view of the Mu Palace.
Although the Mu governor's residence exudes royal dignity, it deviates from the traditional Chinese concept of "central location as respect," placing the residence in the southern corner of the city. Instead, the center of the entire city is the bustling Square Street, with intersecting streets radiating outwards from this commercial hub. This shows that the ancient city initially formed as a rural market and eventually prospered due to commerce. This is closely related to the history of the ancient city as a key town on the "Tea Horse Road."
Capture Lijiang Ancient Town in Your Lens
Some say that the Mu Palace, in simple terms, is just the outer courtyard and inner hall of a southwestern local emperor, built in admiration of Central Plains culture and imitating Central Plains architecture. For those raised under the influence of Central Plains Han culture, Tianjin might find the Naxi and Bai ethnic residences offering greater cultural differences and visual impact. However, one particularly recommended feature of the Mu Palace is the panoramic view of Lijiang Ancient Town from its highest point.
Listen to the Story of the Mu Family
The Mu family has endured through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, passing down through twenty-two generations. After Zhu Yuanzhang established the Ming Dynasty, he sent 300,000 troops to conquer Yunnan in 1381. The Duan family's local government in Dali, Western Yunnan, was defeated by the Ming army. In 1382, far away in Northwestern Yunnan, the Naxi chief Ajia Ade of Lijiang assessed the situation and submitted, paying tribute as a subject. This move greatly pleased Zhu Yuanzhang, who bestowed the surname "Mu" upon him. Thus, the traditional Naxi father-son naming system was replaced by Han surnames. To maintain the nobility of their ruling group, the Mu family implemented the system of "officials surnamed Mu, civilians surnamed He," while the Mu family itself continued hereditary governance through father-son succession, lasting until the Ming and Qing periods, and even continuing into modern times. Over a hundred years of education transformed a nation. The Mu family's reverence for Confucian culture ensured their cultural alignment with Central Plains culture, benefiting them economically, politically, and militarily. This created a cluster of writers among the Mu family, which is quite unique among China's ethnic minorities.
Praise: The entrance fee is a bit expensive, but the Mu Palace itself is still worth it. There are free tour guides available after entering, who will lead groups when enough people gather after waiting a few minutes. Listening to the guide provides insight into much of the Naxi history, such as the origins of the Mu and He surnames; the good relationship between the Naxi people and the Ming central dynasty; and the diligence of Naxi women. Those interested in history are advised to listen. The architecture of the Mu Palace is also grand and majestic, somewhat reminiscent of a smaller version of the Forbidden City.
Praise: The scale and grandeur in a small city like Lijiang are impressive. After seeing many bridges and streams, visiting the Mu Palace offers a different experience.
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