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Dali, a place one never wants to leave
A stroll through the ancient city is like unrolling a poetic scroll. The streets
are lined with shops selling Bai ethnic batiks, preserved fruits and tobacco. In
the Jade market you can always find a group of visitors fascinated with Dali's
marble handicrafts, particularly those fashioned into the four treasures of the
study - the writing brush, ink stick, ink slab and paper, as well as standing
and hanging screens, vases, wine cups, incense burners and other decorations.
(Now I am on a boat sailing across Erhai Lake, which is another place
symbolic of Dali. Erhai Lake is the largest highland lake in Yunnan only next to
Dianchi, as well as one of the seven biggest fresh water lakes in the country.
Erhai in Chinese means, "sea shaped like an ear". The name implies that the lake
is ear shaped and as large as a sea.)
The lake covers an area of 250 square kilometers and is located about two
kilometres east of Dali. Seen from Cangshan Mountain it lies like a crescent
between Cangshan and Dali city. On a sunny day, the crystal waters of Erhai Lake
and the snow mantled Cangshan Mountain radiate light, evoking their time
honoured description "Silver Cangshan and Jade Erhai".
On the boat, we are greeted with a warm and unique ceremony; being offered
three cups of tea in succession. The first cup of tea is made from local bitter
tea leaves. It tastes medicinal. The second looks like soup. It is made from
walnuts, cheese and sugar. It tastes sweet. The third cup of tea is made by
mixing prickly ash, ginger and Chinese cinnamon with honey and bitter tea. It is
pungent, with a distinct aftertaste.
23-year-old Jiang Yanghua is one of the leading performers on the boat. Along
with her fellows she sings, dances and performs on the boat as well as offering
the Three Cups of Tea service. She tells us that the Three Cups of Tea are very
meaningful to the Bai.
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