Baisha and Yuhu
In the plain just north of Lijiang far beneath Jade Dragon Mountain lay a pair of villages that offer a much quieter peak into Naxi culture than neighboring Lijiang’s well-developed tourism industry. Yuhu (pronounced Yoo-hoo) is famous locally as the former home of Joseph Rock, the Austro-American explorer and botanist who was one of the first to document the endless peaks and flora of Southwest China’s vast mountains during the 1920s and 30s. Every local claims to have an uncle or former teacher that knew the eccentric Rock at one point. Like Yuhu, neighboring Baisha is also still entirely inhabited by the Naxi minority. Baisha (pronounced bye-shah) actually marks the former capital of the modest Naxi Kingdom, although its sleepy, cobblestone streets hardly suggest the town was once a bustling center. Baisha is most notable for housing a set of 15-16th century frescoes which feature an unusual combination of Daoist with Tibetan and Chinese Buddhist iconography. A ride to Baisha and Yuhu is an excellent daytrip biking option from Lijiang. From Baisha and Yuhu there are 1 and 2 day hiking options to the concealed Wenhai Valley that can also be done on horseback.
