Weixi

A Lisu county between the Lancang and Jinsha rivers, with Tacheng's Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey National Park, Damo Cave, the Lisu village of Tongle, the Yezhi Tusi Office and Kangpu's Shouguo Temple — a hidden corner of the Three Parallel Rivers.

Weixi Lisu Autonomous County belongs to Yunnan's Dêqên (Diqing) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and lies deep in the Hengduan Mountains between the Lancang (Mekong) and Jinsha rivers, forming part of the Three Parallel Rivers World Natural Heritage Site. Lisu, Naxi, Tibetan, Han and other peoples live side by side here, and the Lisu “Achimugua” song and dance is listed as national intangible cultural heritage. The county seat, Baohe Town, sits in the Yongchun River valley in the south at about 2,300 m. The sights fall into two areas: in the north around Tacheng Town are the Xianggujing monkey-viewing site in the Yunnan Snub-nosed Monkey National Park, Damo Cave and Qizong Village on the Jinsha River; in the west along the Lancang River gorge are the Lisu village of Tongle, the Yezhi Tusi Office (former residence of the local hereditary chieftain) and Shouguo Temple in Kangpu, and the riverside road continues north all the way to Dêqên. The best seasons are Mar–May (rhododendrons) and Sep–Nov (autumn colors and frequent clear skies); landslides are common in the Jun–Aug rainy season, and high-altitude roads may ice over in winter. Getting there: the county seat is about 3.5 hours by road from Lijiang and about 3 hours from Shangri-La. Sights are spread out along winding mountain roads, so drive yourself or hire a car with driver. Allow 2–3 days: one for monkey watching at Tacheng and Damo Cave, and one along the Lancang River visiting Tongle, Yezhi and Kangpu. Monkey watching must be done with reserve staff; keep your distance and never feed the animals. Reaching Damo Cave involves climbing about 1,000 steps, so go at your own pace. Food to try: Weixi cured pork ribs, Lisu lacquer-oil chicken and pounded liquor.

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