Huili Ancient Town
A historic city on the ancient Sichuan–Yunnan post road: the Ming–Qing Huili Ancient Town with its Bell and Drum Tower and old streets, the Huili Conference site, pomegranate orchards and warm winter sunshine.
Huili lies in the south of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, on the border with Yunnan, facing it across the Jinsha River. Long an important town on the ancient Sichuan–Yunnan post road, it was known as the "Lock and Key of Sichuan and Yunnan". It became a county-level city in 2021 and is a National Historical and Cultural City. The highlight is Huili Ancient Town, a national 5A-rated (top-tier) attraction: centered on the Bell and Drum Tower (Lingxiao Tower), the North and South Streets, West Street and Kejia Lane form a grid, and the Gongji Tower at the North Gate, Jinjiang Academy, the Confucian Temple and other historic buildings are all within walking distance. The old town is free and open around the clock. About 6 km northeast of town, Tiechang Village is the memorial site of the 1935 Huili Conference; about 70 km south, Jiaopingdu on the Jinsha River is where the Red Army famously crossed the river. The original ferry crossing is now submerged by the Wudongde Reservoir, but you can look out over it from the Maogong Mountain viewing platform. Huili has a subtropical highland monsoon climate with abundant sunshine, mild winters and cool summers; Oct–May brings the most sunny days and is the most pleasant time. Pomegranates blossom around Feb–Mar and ripen for market in September. Getting there: travel by road from Xichang or Panzhihua (about 1.5 hours from Panzhihua) via the G5 Beijing–Kunming Expressway. The old town is easily explored on foot; for sights outside town, take a taxi or drive. Allow 1–2 days. Must-eats: chicken-and-ham erkuai (rice-cake strips) and Huili mutton rice noodles; take home soft-seed pomegranates and Huili green pottery.
Top sights
- Huili Ancient Town – A national historic and cultural city on the ancient Sichuan–Yunnan post road, with an intact grid of streets and Ming and Qing-era residen…
- Bell and Drum Tower (Huili) – The central landmark of Huili Old Town, also called Lingxiao Tower. The traditional ceremonies of the morning bell and evening drum have be…
- Gongji Tower (North Gate) – The north gate tower of Huili Old Town, first built in the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty. Its barbican and tower are well preserved, makin…
- Kejia Lane – Known as the “Scholars’ Lane” for producing many jinshi and juren scholars in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its mansions with carved wooden…
- Jinjiang Academy – The former site of a Qing dynasty academy, and an important location where the Red Army paused during the Long March in 1935. It now houses…
- Huili Confucian Temple – A Confucian temple complex in Huili Old Town, with a well-preserved central axis of lingxing gate, semicircular pond and Hall of Great Perf…
- Huili Conference Site – The site in Tiechang Village where the Central Red Army held the Huili Conference in 1935. It has a memorial hall and a restored former res…
- Jiaopingdu Ferry – The ferry crossing where the Red Army famously crossed the Jinsha River. The original ferry is submerged by Wudongde Reservoir, but you can…
- Longzhou Mountain – A high mountain on the border of Miyi and Dechang, known for its tens of thousands of mu of spring azaleas and winter snowscapes. It is a p…
Itineraries
- Panxi Sunshine & Lugu Lake – Follow the Anning River Valley in winter through Xichang, Miyi, Panzhihua, and Huili, then cross the mountains to Lugu…