Heading south from Lijiang toward Dali, I came across a quiet little town halfway along the route: Shaxi. I had assumed the old towns around Dali and Lijiang had all been ruined, but thankfully, Shaxi remains.

A calm river winds gently around the town, with the ancient Yujin Bridge spanning its banks. That was my first glimpse of Shaxi.

I

Shaxi is not a big town. Just a few winding lanes, lined on both sides with guesthouses of all sizes. At the center stands an old stage, and directly across from it is Xingjiao Temple, an even older two-courtyard complex and the country’s only surviving Bai Buddhist temple from the Ming dynasty.

In the architectural layout of traditional rural society, there was always a temple and a stage. During rituals and festivals, local opera was almost always performed. For the state, the greatest affairs are sacrifice and war.

The main street, Sideng Street, was once a resting stop for caravans traveling north and south. More than 20 years ago, it was named to that year’s list of the “101 Most Endangered World Monuments” as “the only surviving ancient market town on the Tea Horse Road.”

Through a partnership between ETH Zurich and the Jianchuan government, a more scientific restoration process began. Thanks to that, Shaxi was fortunate to avoid the fate of so many other old towns that fell victim to “modern development.”

One bridge, one temple, one stage—together with the villagers whose families have lived here for generations and the passersby flowing through like water, that is the whole town.

II

The soul of Shaxi lies in its mornings. Before sunrise, Yujin Bridge is cold and quiet, with only the faint smoke from distant kitchen fires signaling the start of a new day.

Travelers hoping for sunrise slowly gather from around town and wait patiently.

When the sun finally climbs over the mountains, its light filters through the cooking smoke from the distant village and the thin morning mist above the river.

At that moment, Shaxi seems to suspend time itself.

The autumn woods in their colors are autumn’s finest painting.

A Shaxi morning is unforgettable for anyone lucky enough to witness its magic. Even with crowds in front of you, there is still a sliver of peace that belongs to you alone.

This view is truly one of a kind in all of northwestern Yunnan.

If you’re lucky enough to avoid too many tour groups, then the morning is perfect.

Take your time walking to a small shop in town, slowly eating a bowl of rice noodles, then slowly sipping a cup of coffee. In Shaxi, everything can be done at an unhurried pace.

A few cafés sit beside the old stage—“渡鸦,” “叁一,” “无溯,” and “吃茶去” all serve excellent drinks.

From a second-floor loft, you can watch people come and go across the square. By the stage, the grandma selling persimmons—surely the best marketer in town—never stops posing for photos with visitors.

Restaurants, by contrast, are much more hit-or-miss. If you’re lucky enough to find one that suits your taste, it can become your regular dining spot. Longfeng Ruiying Halal Restaurant does an excellent stir-fried beef.

At noon, when the Shaxi sun turns intense, you can lie on the grass by the river and drift into a lovely nap—or watch the ducks gather in a circle with their heads together before suddenly diving into the water.

In the gentle waves of the Heihui River, I too would gladly be a strand of waterweed.

By dusk, people gradually gather again at Yujin Bridge. Someone starts strumming a guitar and singing by the bridge, and it becomes a concert that belongs to Shaxi. Off in the square, people play frisbee and longboarding—Shaxi is still young.

After night falls, the town becomes incomparably quiet, and travelers seem to adopt the local rhythm and turn in early.

After 9 p.m., it can be hard to spot anyone at all in town. Only the occasional dog darts out, and from one bar comes the low sound of guitar music and glasses clinking.

So you go to the riverside to look at the stars. The brilliant summer Milky Way is gone; in the late autumn and winter night sky, only Orion’s Belt still seems to shine down on the earth. Open the skylight at night, and fall asleep under the stars.

Time simply repeats itself here.

III

On the outskirts of town are Shibaoshan and Shadengqing. The saying “Dunhuang murals in the north, Jianchuan grottoes in the south” is admittedly a bit exaggerated.

Compared with the many grottoes in northern China, the caves at Shibaoshan are more like a miniature version, but their historical value is still very real. They are among the few surviving Buddhist rock carvings from the Nanzhao period of Dali.

Entering from Shadengqing and crossing over Shibaoshan makes for a pleasant way to pass the time in Shaxi. Because it is not especially famous, even though it has been developed into a scenic area, you can still find many ancient inscriptions hidden among the vegetation. It has a delightfully untamed feel.

Four hundred years ago, someone also passed through here and wrote: “There is a stone bridge leading west. Standing upon it and looking in all four directions, one still cannot see where the temple rests. Along the southern cliffs of the bridge, tracing the water upstream, there is no narrow path left; but east of the bridge there is a road, crossing south over the eastern peak—that is the road to Shaxi.”

IV

The 120-plus-kilometer journey from Dali to Shaxi has discouraged plenty of travelers short on time.

At the end of last year, the Shaxi branch line of the Hejianlan Expressway opened, greatly shortening the travel time to Shaxi. Whether that will become the starting point of the town growing noisy, no one knows. Since most people still visit as a day trip, I can only hope Shaxi remains quiet and comfortable in the early mornings and evenings.

But some people already feel that Shaxi has become a little too lively.

The owner of Cosmos Bakery simply moved both home and bakery to the hillside in Hualong Village across the river.

Among villagers and travelers alike, this bakery is known for being “willful”: irregular opening hours, unpredictable bread selections, and rules that are polite yet firm throughout. None of that, however, can outweigh the appeal of truly good bread. The owner makes only three kinds each day, and what you find can vary completely depending on when you go.

Every morning, small groups of people quietly walk along the path through the rice fields toward Hualong Village, like an expeditionary force headed for Cosmos Bakery.

The blue aliens scattered around the shop accidentally reveal that beneath the owner’s cool and composed exterior is actually a warm, lovely young woman.

The two-story rammed-earth building stands out strikingly among the old structures around it. Push open the door, and it feels like stepping briefly into a different atmosphere.

Sit on the small terrace, chew on dense, satisfyingly hearty bread, and gaze out at the rice fields at the foot of the mountain—that too is its own kind of peace.

Come to Shaxi and experience this kind of tranquility while it lasts—perhaps one day it may be gone for good. Go to this place where the wind blows.

Shaxi Guide

  • Getting there: Driving yourself, hiring a private car, or sharing a ride is the most convenient option. Public transportation is still limited and not especially convenient for now.
  • Where to stay: The best accommodation in Shaxi at the moment is a hotel opened here by Jixiashan. Beyond that, there are guesthouses of every size and price range, with plenty of choices. If possible, definitely plan to stay at least one night in Shaxi.
  • Where to eat: Longfeng Ruiying Halal Beef Restaurant, Xiaohuangniu Noodle House, Chichaqu Tea House, Doya Coffee
  • What to see: Yujin Bridge, Cosmos Bakery, Shibaoshan Shadengqing Grottoes, Librairie Avant-Garde, the old stage, Xingjiao Temple