The Lijiang Old Town Scenic Area in Lijiang City is located in the central part of the Lijiang Basin in Gucheng District, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, at an altitude of 2,410 meters. It is composed of the Dayan Old Town, the Baisha Residential Building Complex, and the Shuhe Residential Building Complex, with a total area of 7.28 square kilometers, of which the area assessed as a 5A-level tourist attraction is 3.2 square kilometers.
Historical evolution: The old town was first built in the late Song Dynasty and early Yuan Dynasty. In the Yuan Dynasty, it was called "Dayechang"; in the early Ming Dynasty, it was renamed "Dayanxiang"; in the Qing Dynasty, it was called "Dayanli"; and after 1929, it was called Dayan Town. In December 1986, it was listed by the State Council as one of the second batch of National Historical and Cultural Cities. In December 1997, at the 21st session of the World Heritage Committee of UNESCO, it was inscribed on the World Cultural Heritage List. In July 2011, it was rated as a national 5A-level tourist attraction.
Geographical environment: The old town is located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with its central coordinates at approximately 26°52′ N and 100°13′ E. It has a southwest monsoon climate, with distinct dry and wet seasons and a relatively small annual temperature range. The Yuhe River system originates from Heilongtan at the foot of Xiangshan. From the northwest of the old town, it passes under Yulong Bridge and divides into three branches: the West River, the Middle River, and the East River. After further repeated branching, it flows through streets and around alleys, spreading throughout the entire town.
Scenic spots: From its overall urban layout to its engineering and architecture, Lijiang Old Town integrates the characteristics of various ethnic groups, including the Han, Bai, Yi, Tibetan, and Naxi. Its streets are built according to the terrain and near water, paved with red breccia. There are scenic spots such as Wangu Tower, Mufu Mansion, Wufeng Tower, Heilongtan, Wenchang Palace, the Former Residence of Fang Guoyu, and Puji Temple.