Shaxi Travel and the Old Theatre Inn (formerly Dragonfly Guesthouse)
Nestled deep in the Himalayan foothills of southwest China's Yunnan Province lays the ancient village of Shaxi. Shaxi, pronounced 'Shah Shee,' is a culturally diverse town and to the Bai and Yi minority peoples. The dramatic mountainous landscape and beautiful weather, combined with Shaxi's unique history and culture, make for a complete and enjoyable experience. Here in Shaxi, get the unique advantage of spending time with your local English-speaking guide. Mr. Wu Yunxin warmly welcomes all into his home that can meet all of your travel needs. Enjoy delicious local foods prepared by Mrs. Wu and relax nightly under the star-filled sky.
Shaxi offers many activities for the visitor. Visit Shibao Shan and the 7th Century Buddhist cave rock carvings. Take any number of treks in the mountains around Shaxi among minority villages. Visit the Sideng Market every Friday. Pick wild mushrooms with local experts (seasonal). Spend a morning teaching English in Mr. Wu's elementary school and spend a relaxing day fishing in a nearby pond with locals. Or just stroll through the peaceful village and take in the fresh air. All transportation to and from Shaxi and the Old Theatre Inn can be arranged in Dali, Lijiang or Kunming. Contact Wu Yunxin at yunxin@shaxichina.com for more information.
History: Shaxi once played an important role as a bustling trade station on the Tea and Horse Caravan Road, an important branch of the Silk Road. Just over one thousand years ago, this ancient trade route connected Tibet with Eastern China. In exchange for teas from Yunnan, Tibetans traded their famous breed of horse to Song Dynasty officials in eastern China, who were busy defending their territory from invaders from the north. Thus the Tea and Horse Caravan was born. Shaxi became the main trade station along this route.
Though today Tibet and China don’t trade along this route, Shaxi still has that border-town feel. Old cobble-stoned alleyways still look like they did a thousand years ago. And different minorities, including the Yi and Bai, still clash every Friday during the Sideng Market when mountain villagers come down from the hills to trade their goods. The World Monuments Fund has listed Shaxi as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world; therefore, Shaxi has recently undergone massive efforts to preserve ancient architecture and culture.
You can see more about our participation in preserving Shaxi culture by going to our sister website and clicking on our blog.
Shaxi offers many activities for the visitor. Visit Shibao Shan and the 7th Century Buddhist cave rock carvings. Take any number of treks in the mountains around Shaxi among minority villages. Visit the Sideng Market every Friday. Pick wild mushrooms with local experts (seasonal). Spend a morning teaching English in Mr. Wu's elementary school and spend a relaxing day fishing in a nearby pond with locals. Or just stroll through the peaceful village and take in the fresh air. All transportation to and from Shaxi and the Old Theatre Inn can be arranged in Dali, Lijiang or Kunming. Contact Wu Yunxin at yunxin@shaxichina.com for more information.
History: Shaxi once played an important role as a bustling trade station on the Tea and Horse Caravan Road, an important branch of the Silk Road. Just over one thousand years ago, this ancient trade route connected Tibet with Eastern China. In exchange for teas from Yunnan, Tibetans traded their famous breed of horse to Song Dynasty officials in eastern China, who were busy defending their territory from invaders from the north. Thus the Tea and Horse Caravan was born. Shaxi became the main trade station along this route.
Though today Tibet and China don’t trade along this route, Shaxi still has that border-town feel. Old cobble-stoned alleyways still look like they did a thousand years ago. And different minorities, including the Yi and Bai, still clash every Friday during the Sideng Market when mountain villagers come down from the hills to trade their goods. The World Monuments Fund has listed Shaxi as one of the 100 most endangered sites in the world; therefore, Shaxi has recently undergone massive efforts to preserve ancient architecture and culture.
You can see more about our participation in preserving Shaxi culture by going to our sister website and clicking on our blog.
