Lying in a broad, fertile valley in the northwest of Yunnan Province, the old town of Lijiang has been a commercial, political and cultural center of the Naxi people and other ethnic minorities for over eight centuries. Lijiang is surrounded by the snow-covered Yulong Mountains. The Dongba script, handed down for generations in Lijiang, is the most amazing feature there. Lijiang was listed UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1997.

This 800-year-old habitation of the Naxi people is noteworthy for its harmony with nature, ingenious architecture and urban facilities, which are precious materials for researches on urban development, construction and the history of ethnic groups.