Huize

A copper-trade old town in northeastern Yunnan: Huize Ancient Town is packed with guild halls, the Jiangxi Guild Hall and Tang Jiyao's former residence recall the heyday of the copper shipments, and Baiwu Village, Nianhu Lake's black-necked cranes and the Yulu Earth Crack lie scattered around it.

Huize County lies in northeastern Yunnan at the northern tip of Qujing, bordering Zhaotong to the north and Dongchuan (Kunming) to the west. The county town sits at about 2,100 m, with cool summers and dry, sunny winters and springs. In the Ming and Qing dynasties this was China's most important copper-mining and coin-minting center: "Beijing copper" traveled from Huize via Baiwu Village, Zhaotong and Sichuan, then by land and water along the Jinsha and Yangtze rivers to Beijing. Merchant guilds from many provinces gathered here, leaving behind Huize Ancient Town, the "city of guild halls", named a National Historical and Cultural City in 2013. The sights fall into three areas. First, the old town in the county seat: the Jiangxi Guild Hall (Wanshou Palace), Huguang Guild Hall (Shoufo Temple), Tang Jiyao's former residence, the Confucian Temple and Qianwang Street can all be covered on foot in a day. Second, Baiwu Village in Nagu Town, about 20 km northwest of the county town, an old copper-route post station whose old guild halls and a bookstore converted from an academy have become popular in recent years. Third, the natural landscapes around: the Yulu Earth Crack canyon to the southeast, Nianhu Lake in Daqiao Township to the north (a wintering ground for black-necked cranes and a photography favorite), and the Maojiacun Reservoir on the Yili River. The Dahai Grassland in the southwest of the county has been grouped with the Dongchuan Red Land destination; it's about 1.5 hours from Huize town and easy to combine. Best seasons: Jul–Sep to escape the summer heat, and Nov–Mar for black-necked cranes. Getting there: the Yinchuan–Kunming Expressway passes the county town, about a 3-hour drive from Kunming, and Huize's bus station connects with Kunming, Qujing and Zhaotong; for the surrounding sights you'll need a hired car or your own vehicle. Allow 2–3 days; it can be combined with the Dongchuan Red Land into a northeastern Yunnan loop.

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