The Venice of the East: Special things to do in Lijiang

Square Street (sifangjie in Chinese)

If you are tired of shopping around souvenir stores in the old town, then you can try dancing in Square Street. In the afternoon, a lot of Naxi people gather in Square Street and dance.

Datiao is a traditional dance of the Naxi ethnic group. Naxi people can dance it anywhere and anytime as long as there is music.

Several Naxi women dance in Square Street in Lijiang [Photo/Xihuan]

The performance of Impression Lijiang

Impression Lijiang is a large scale cultural show that demonstrates the customs and traditions of ethnic groups including the Naxi, Yi and Bai. Zhang Yimou, director of Hero and House of Flying Daggers, is also the director of Impression Lijiang. A cast of more than 500 actors and a number of horses will bring a visual feast. A ticket can be purchased at the door for 190 yuan ($30.85), and cheaper tickets can be bought online.

The performance of Impression Lijiang [Photo/Xinhua]

By Ge Jieru and edited by Michael Thai