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A famous traveller Arthur Miranda used to say that, "Once a traveller comes to Dali, he never wants to leave." In his book which listed his top 50 "must-see" places he put Dali at number 3. 

Travel Express Vol.66: Dali

Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in western Yunnan province covers an area of nearly 30,000 square kilometres. Its 13 ethnic groups include the Bai, Yi, Hui, Miao and Naxi ethnic minorities, and all who come here are impressed and amazed at how peacefully and happily they live together.

Dali was the capital of the Nanzhao Kingdom during the Tang Dynasty and of the Dali Kingdom during the Song Dynasty. For thousands of years it has been a gateway to cultural, commercial and trade exchanges between China and the South-eastern and South Asian region.

The south-western Silk Road and the Tea-Horse Path once met at Dali, and so it was from there that Sichuan Shu brocade and Yunnan Pu'er Tea were exported to India and Afghanistan. Since that time Dali has maintained its reputation as an "ancient capital at the crossroads of Asian culture."

The Dali Three Pagodas, located in the Chongsheng Temple at the foot of the Cangshan Mountain, have a history of over 1,800 years. They have been eyewitnesses to Dali's history and embody the development of Buddhism in the area.

As the name implies, the Three Pagodas are made up of three ancient independent pagodas forming a symmetrical triangle, an arrangement which is unique in China. In order to understand the pagodas more deeply, we visit the site with Zhang Hongxia who, although still a young lady, is already a senior tour guide with the Three Pagodas park. She says the pagodas are not only a masterpiece of architecture, but also a place full of national treasures.

"During restoration in the 1990s, we found more than 680 antiques in the main pagoda, the Qianxun Pagoda, including sculptures of Buddha made of gold, silver, wood and crystal; Buddhist writings; and more than 600 medicinal ingredients. These antiquities play an important role in explaining the ancient history of Dali City."

Study of the Three Pagodas and the cultural relics that have been excavated at the site provides significant data for exploring the history, religion, and art of the area. Today, travellers can also visit the Three Pagodas at night, when they are illuminated providing a fantastic scene.

Known for their resilience, the Three Pagodas have survived a few severe earthquakes. The local government nonetheless makes great efforts to ensure the pagodas remain as strong today as when they were first built.

Travelling some 27 kilometres south of Dali we come to a popular beauty spot known locally as the "Butterfly Spring". Situated at the foot of Mount Shenmo, the spring rises to form a square shaped pool that is shaded by the dense foliage that lines its banks. The pool is some 50 square meters overall and above it is an ancient tree which continues to grow though it is lying on the ground. This is the famous "Butterfly Tree", so called because in the short interval when spring turns to summer; its fragrant blossoms attract thousands of butterflies.

This spectacular sight has inspired a local festival where the Bai people gather at the tree on April 15th for the "Butterfly Meet". The romantic spectacle of the butterflies feeding and mating in such abundance has made the day one set aside for courtship and each Bai youth will seek to win the love of his life by joining in with the traditional antiphonal singing.

At a pavilion near the spring, we find Mr. Yang, a local Bai musician who plays folk music for visitors.

At 40 years old Mr. Yang can play all kinds of instruments, especially the Suona and short flute. When he was 17, he was sent to study with a renowned local musician, Yan Xuezhong. He studied for three years and then started his own successful career. Now Mr Yang has five students of his own, including his own son, and plays in the park for visiting travellers.

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