Dayan (Chinese: 大研), also known as the Old Town of Lijiang (simplified Chinese: 丽江古城; traditional Chinese: 麗江古城), is the main historical area of Lijiang City in Yunnan, China. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History
The town has a history that dates back more than 1,000 years and was once an important place where trade happened along the "Old Tea Horse Caravan Trail." The Dayan Old Town is known for its organized system of waterways and bridges. However, this system is becoming less common because the water level underground is getting lower, likely because of too much construction in nearby areas.
Lijiang's culture mixes traditional Nakhi traditions with influences from Han Chinese traders who lived in the region during the Ming Dynasty. Nakhi people still use a type of house made from wood and mud bricks, which they learned from traders from Nanjing. Local carpenters build these houses without using blueprints, relying instead on their memory. These homes often have detailed carvings of flowers and birds on the windows. While the carvings are now made by ethnic Bai artisans, they follow the traditional Han Chinese style of showing plants and animals from all four seasons. Even families with limited resources work together to install these carved windows, treating them as more important than furniture. These window panels are sold to visitors.
During the Ming Dynasty, Nakhi people learned Chinese classical music from visitors from Nanjing. They still play this music today, even though it is no longer performed elsewhere in China. Older musicians now give regular performances in Dayan Old Town and occasional performances in nearby villages.
Alongside the preserved Han Chinese culture, Nakhi traditions remain visible in the old town and on street corners today. These traditions include circle dances, which are enjoyed by people of all ages from the local community. In Dayan Old Town, these dances are led by Nakhi women wearing traditional clothing.
Circle dancing in traditional costumes is also practiced by Tibetan people to the north of Lijiang and by Bai people to the south. In the past, there were many Tibetan and Bai communities in Dayan Old Town, but most of these groups have been moved to areas farther from tourist spots. Tibetan circle dancing can still be seen sometimes in Dayan Old Town and more often at private events and Nongjiale (agricultural tourism) gatherings. Both Nakhi and Tibetan circle dancing happen outside of Tibetan temples, such as Wenfeng Si on Wenbifeng Mountain, Zhiyun Si near Lashi Hai Lake, and Fuguo Si on Jade Dragon Mountain, especially during temple festivals.
Greater Lijiang, which includes Dayan and two nearby villages called Baisha and Shuhe, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List on December 4, 1997. Since then, the local government has focused more on protecting and developing the old town. Over the past 20 years, tourism in Lijiang has grown, with many visitors coming from other parts of China, especially Han Chinese travelers. The old town of Dayan has been greatly changed to attract more tourists, and many of the original old buildings are now in the minority.
Culture
Performances of Dongjing Music, an old type of music used in ceremonies by the Han Chinese, are given by the Nakhi people. These performances can be heard for a fee in Dayan and for a donation in Shuhe, Baisha, and sometimes in other nearby villages. A costly and fancy version of the Tea and Horse Caravans is shown in a musical created by film producer and director Zhang Yimou.
Recent changes
After the Ancient town of Lijiang was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list, many tourists began visiting the area. This increase in visitors caused major changes. Many Nakhi people who lived in the ancient city had to leave because the cost of housing and food became too high. These Nakhi people are now replaced by tourism-related businesses, which pay large amounts of rent to the Nakhi owners. These owners have moved to a new part of town. The growth of these businesses is not well managed.