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Dali Ancient City

Dali Ancient City is located just north of Xiaguan, about 13 kilometers away from Dali City, Yunan Province, with Erhai Lake to the east, and Cangshan Mountain to the west. It is one of the 'Three Ancients' in the Dali Scenic Spot (the other two are Ancient Pagodas and Ancient Steles). The city was first built in the year of 1382 in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and has been among the top listed historical cities of China since 1982. The city wall is about 8 meters high and 7 meters thick. Inside the city, there are several historical sites, such as Du Wenxiu's Headquarters. The headquarters are also known as a forbidden city because it is a humungous place that is made up of several streets, towers, courtyards and other many elegant beautiful things. There were four city gates facing west, east, north and south, upon which sat a gate tower.
The grand city wall, traditional Bai ethnic minority folk houses and marvelous scenery attracts numerous visitors from home and abroad. When people walk along the cobble-paved streets in the ancient city, a sense of primitive simplicity and elegance will be invoked. It is said that the Dali Ancient City was a gateway to the Silk Road in Southwest China, and also served as a seat of government and a major military barracks for Yunnan Province in ancient times. The newly–opened Foreigner Street is also a must-see, providing snacks with the traditional flavors of the Bai ethnic community, as well as the famous 'Three-course Tea' ceremony for receiving guests that includes 'bitter tea', 'sweet tea' and 'final tea'. Travel to The Dali Ancient City is a must-do programme when you visiting Yunnan Province.

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