Heilong Tan

A fantastic nature reserve and religious site that was one of the first to be officially protected by China in 1982. There are numerous temples and grottoes as well as some fantastic views and walks amongst the old forests. Shibaoshan covers a big mountain area with its main points of interest some times distant kilometers away. Arriving there by taxi it is advisable to ask the driver to take you to some of the further temples (he will not need to pay entrance ticket), as Baoxiang Temple. Going up to the temple there are some families of monkeys that some times turn very aggressive to the visitors. Minor injuries have been reported. Shizhong Temple (Stone Bell Temple) has the highest concentration of stone carvings. If you want to walk from Sideng town: get out of town through the main road going North, pass a gas station on your left, and on kilometer mark 113 turn left (West) into a dirt road; walk about 20 minutes and reach the southern edge of the Shibaoshan area (it's another 1-2 hours walk uphill to Shizhong Temple).

The temple complex houses four unique shrines on four levels, together representing a mix of Buddhist, Daoist and Chinese folk religious traditions. Originally known as 'Ci Yin An' (Temple of Hidden Compassion), this breath taking multi-level temple complex is known as the Shaxi Pear Orchard Temple. Commanding spectacular views across the valley from its vantage point at the head of Diantou Village, was actually a functioning nunnery for much of its 1,000-year history. Since its complete restoration in 2014 by an American philanthropist, the temple now houses galleries, an organic restaurant, meditation and yoga practice spaces as well as clssrooms, gift shop and Shaxi Visitor's Centre.

Sideng Street is located in Shaxi Town, southern Jianchuan County, Dali Prefecture. It is an important part of the Ancient Tea Horse Road and is called "the surviving market on the Ancient Tea Horse Road" by the World Architectural Heritage Conservation Foundation (WMF). At the end of October 2001, it was listed on the "2002 World Monumental Architectural Heritage Protection List" along with the Great Wall of China, Shaanxi Daqin Pagoda and Monastery, Shanghai O'Hare, and Shechel Synagogue. Sideng Street is located in the center of the sub-center. It is the economic and cultural center of Shaxi. It has been the distribution center for trade in Shaxi from ancient times to the present. Looking from a distance, Sideng Street is shaded by ancient trees, the Wase houses are simple and quiet, and the private houses on Sideng Street The architecture maintains the typical architectural features of Bai folk houses. Three squares and one screen wall and four-in-five patios can be seen everywhere. Ouyang’s three-square-one-zhaobi Damadian and Zhao’s four-in-five patios still seem to show off to people today. The splendor of wealthy families in a prosperous place of economic and trade. Wandering in the lanes of the ancient market and stepping lightly on the stone pavement on Sifang Street, which is polished by horse hooves, will make you feel like you are stepping into history step by step. The smoke from the all-green tiled houses is floating, and the only remaining ancient Dongzhai Gate The appearance remains the same, and the ancient stage with cornices and corners still vaguely interprets the facial makeup of history, telling you the vicissitudes of history.

In the main hall of Xingjiao Temple, there are more than 20 large-scale murals by Zhang Bao, an ancient Bai painter in Diantou Village, Shaxi. They are very precious. Among them, "Prince's Garden" and other paintings vividly depict the ancient Nanzhao and Dali palaces. Life has made up for the lack of historical records about the palace life of the ancient Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms that were very popular in southwest China, and has become one of the important historical evidences for the study of Nanzhao and Dali Kingdoms; Xingjiao Temple preserves Buddhist murals from the Ming Dynasty, with a wide range of themes, numerous characters, vivid shapes, lifelike images, smooth lines, and gorgeous colors. They integrate Buddhist stories and secular life, are full of mythical atmosphere, and have quite a national style. Inheriting the legacy of famous paintings such as "Nanzhao Zhongxing Painting Scroll" and "Zhang Shengwen Painting Scroll", it is a rare imitation of ancient Bai painting art treasures and a valuable material for studying ancient Bai religion and art. The painter once copied it and sent it to Beijing for exhibition, which caused a sensation in the cultural circles of Beijing and attracted attention from all walks of life.

Yujin Bridge has a span of 12 meters, a height of 6 meters, a length of 35.4 meters, a width of 5 meters, and stone pillars and slab guardrails. There is a stone turtle head on the top of the vault, looking at the upper reaches of the Heihui River. On the other side, there is a stone turtle tail connecting the lower reaches of the Heizhanjiang River. There are four "salam fish" stone sculptures at the end of the guardrail. The ancient bridge is the only way for the Bai people who have lived in Shaxi for generations to work and do business in the fields. The stone slabs of the bridge have been trampled by passing cars, horses and pedestrians, leaving them with a green glow and bumps. The ancient bridge carries the rich history of Shaxi Ancient Town, welcoming generations of ancestors to Shaxi year after year.