Chenghai Lake (Yongsheng)

Highland Chenghai Lake is famous for its spirulina, with lakeside cycling and sunsets, while Qingshui Ancient Town and Yongsheng's military-settlement heritage sites are far quieter than Lijiang.

Yongsheng County lies in the southeast of Lijiang Prefecture on the east bank of the middle Jinsha River, about 100 km from Lijiang Old Town. Chenghai Lake, in the center of the county, is one of Yunnan's nine great highland lakes, covering about 77 km² at an elevation of about 1,503 m. A closed, mildly alkaline lake, it is one of the few places in the world where spirulina grows naturally, and spirulina farming ponds line its shores. Known in ancient times as Beisheng Prefecture, Yongsheng became a garrison under the Ming dynasty, when the Lancang Guard was stationed here and many military households from the Jiangnan region and the Central Plains settled down, creating a distinctive frontier military-settlement culture; Ming and Qing courtyards and ancestral halls still survive in the county town and Qingshui Ancient Town. A trip divides into two parts: around Chenghai Lake, cycle or drive the loop to take in the lake views, sunsets and spirulina ponds, with Qingshui Ancient Town on the south shore and the Mao Family Ancestral Hall and Military Settlement Culture Museum at Maojiawan on the west shore; around the county town, explore old Yongsheng and the Guanyin Pavilion (Lingyuanqing), then cross Taliu Mountain to see the Taliu people's tombs at Liudeyingpan Village and the ancient earthquake site at Hongshiyan. The area has a hot, dry valley climate with no harsh winter; November to April is the dry season with the most sunny days, while occasional landslides occur in the summer rainy season. Getting there: the Lijiang–Huaping Expressway passes Chenghai Lake, about 1.5 hours' drive from Lijiang, and buses also run from Lijiang to Yongsheng town. Allow 2 days — it makes a peaceful extension to a Lijiang trip.

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