Weishan Ancient Town

Birthplace of the Nanzhao Kingdom: a well-preserved Ming–Qing town centered on Gongchen Tower, Taoist temples on Weibao Mountain and the local dish yibala.

Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County lies in the south of Dali Prefecture, about 55 km from Dali city; the county seat, Nanzhao Town, sits at around 1,700 m and has a mild climate. This is where the Tang-era Nanzhao Kingdom was born—the Mengshe chiefdom rose here and went on to unify the Six Zhao. Weishan Ancient Town was founded in the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, its grid of streets survives intact, and it is a National Historical and Cultural City; little commercialized, it is known as a "living ancient town". Highlights: inside the old town, the Gongchen Tower–Xinggong Tower axis links the Confucian Temple, Dengjue Temple, the Nanzhao Museum and Dongyue Temple, while Wenbi Pagoda on the southern outskirts offers sunset views over the basin; about 10 km southeast, Weibao Mountain is a national scenic area and a renowned Taoist mountain, with the "Dancing and Singing" mural in Wenchang Palace and the caisson ceiling of Changchun Cave as standouts; in Miaojie Town to the north are the ruins of Mengshe City, and Donglianhua Village in Yongjian Town introduces Hui caravan culture. Getting there: buses run from Dali (Xiaguan) to Weishan in about 1 hour; the old town is walkable, while sights outside are best reached by hired car or e-bike. The best season is the dry season from October to April; in the rainy season (Jun–Sep) afternoons are often wet. Allow 1–2 days. Food is Weishan's calling card: yibala, parou ersi (rice noodles with braised pork), green-bean cakes and honey cakes, concentrated in the old town's breakfast shops and around Xinggong Tower.

Top sights

Weishan Old Town – A Ming-dynasty old town with an intact grid layout of 25 streets and 18 lanes. Local life is still going strong, earning it the nickname “l…
Gongchen Tower – The north gate tower of Weishan Old Town. Its double-eaved hip roof is grand, and the plaque “Foremost of the Six Zhao” is the emblem of th…
Xinggong Tower – A gate tower at the crossroads in the centre of the ancient town, bearing the plaques 'Jade Towering Over the Southern Sky' and 'Auspicious…
Weishan Confucian Temple – A well-preserved Ming and Qing Confucian temple complex in the old town, with the Lingxing Gate, Pan Pond and Great Achievement Hall in seq…
Dengjue Temple – A Ming-dynasty Buddhist temple in the old town, with twin pagodas standing in front. It is a national key cultural relic and is near the Na…
Weishan Dongyue Palace – A Ming and Qing Taoist temple on the east side of the old town, with lofty halls and fine woodcarvings, where worship and old-town life ble…
Weishan Wenbi Pagoda – An ancient pagoda on a hill south of the old town. From the top, you can look out over the surrounding countryside of the Weishan basin and…
Weibao Mountain – A nationally famous Taoist mountain and the birthplace of Nanzhao, with more than twenty Ming and Qing Taoist temples scattered through its…
Changchun Cave Taoist Temple – One of the largest and best-preserved Taoist temples on Weibao Mountain, with exquisite octagonal trigram caissons and Qing-dynasty murals.
Mengshe City Ruins – The ruins of the early capital of Mengshe Zhao, the predecessor of the Nanzhao kingdom. An important archaeological site for exploring Nanz…
Donglianhua Village – A Hui village of mule caravan traders in Yongjian Town, with well-preserved wooden-and-earth courtyard houses such as the Ma family courtya…
Wuliang Mountain Cherry Blossom Valley (Nanjian) – Winter cherry trees fill the high-mountain tea gardens of Wuliangshan Town in Nanjian. Each December, pink blossoms interweave with green t…

Where to eat

Lao Wang Guojiang Ersi – A longtime Weishan institution known for its “crossing-the-river” way of eating ersi rice noodles, built on the stewed-…
Su Laosan Yigumian – Weishan's best-known yigen noodle shop, serving hand-pulled long noodles with minced pork and bamboo shoots. It only op…
Nanzhao Zhuji Yigenmian – A well-known yigen noodle shop on Menghua South Road on the west side of the old town. The noodles are pulled to order…

Itineraries

Ancient Tea Horse Road: Weishan, Nuodeng, and Shaxi – An off-the-beaten-path slow route from Dali to Lijiang via the Nanzhao ancient town, a Bai ethnic salt village, and the…
In-Depth Dali Old Town, Erhai Lake, and a Day in Weishan – Stay in the Old Town and explore Cangshan and Erhai Lake at a slower pace, cycle through Bai villages on the western sh…
Weibao Mountain, Cangshan & Jizu Mountain Hiking – Stay in the Old Town and hike Weibao Mountain and the Jade Belt Trail on Cangshan, climb to the Golden Summit of Jizu M…