Atlas of China
Weishan Ancient Town 巍山古城Wēishān Gǔchéng
An unhurried Ming grid town south of Dali, where the Nanzhao kingdom was born
- Best time
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Time needed
- 1 day
- Days to budget
- 1 day
- Stay in
- Dali
- Region
- Yunnan
- Type
- Culture
- Listed as
- 4A scenic area, National heritage site
Why go to Weishan Ancient Town
Weishan is a low-key old town an hour south of Dali, laid out in the early Ming dynasty as a grid of lanes lined with wooden shopfronts, courtyard houses and snack stalls. Gongchen Tower, the massive north gate, and Xinggong Tower at the centre can both be climbed for views over the tiled roofs. Outside town, the forested slopes of Weibao Mountain are scattered with Taoist temples.
The story
Weishan is where the Nanzhao kingdom began: in the 7th century Xinuluo, chief of the Mengshe, founded a state here that later united the region's chiefdoms and moved its capital to the Dali plain. Legend has it that Xinuluo farmed and herded on Weibao Mountain, where a temple first built by his grandson honours him. Gongchen Tower, a Ming gate tower more than 600 years old, burned down in 2015 and has since been rebuilt.
What to see at Weishan Ancient Town
- Gongchen Tower 拱辰楼: The 23 m north gate tower is the only one of the town's four gate towers still standing, and it is the symbol of Weishan. A fire in January 2015 burned its upper timbers and it has since been repaired.
- Xinggong Tower 星拱楼: A tower at the centre of the checkerboard of lanes, and a good starting point for wandering the surrounding streets.
- Nanzhao Town Ancient Buildings 南诏镇古建筑群: Three clusters in the north-east of the old town: Yuhuang Pavilion, Wenhua Academy and Xiao Gong Temple, listed as a national heritage site in 2013. The Yuhuang Pavilion's main hall was rebuilt around 1900, and Xiao Gong Temple began as a Jiangxi guildhall.
- Nanzhao Museum 南诏博物馆: The county museum, on a site of about 25 mu, holds more than 3,900 objects. It is named for the Nanzhao kingdom that grew out of this valley.
- Weibao Mountain 巍宝山: A Taoist mountain about 10 km south of town, with more than 20 Ming and Qing temples on a forested slope. Xunshan Hall, linked to Nanzhao's founder, and the Changchun Cave, a national heritage site, are the best known.
How to visit Weishan Ancient Town
Start at Xinggong Tower and walk the grid on foot, then climb to Gongchen Tower at the north gate and head north-east to the Yuhuang Pavilion group. The Nanzhao Museum is closed on Mondays except public holidays, and the Wenhua Academy was under restoration in 2022, so ask locally which halls are open. Weibao Mountain, about 10 km south, needs a taxi or minibus and has an 11 km footpath through its temples. Half a day is enough for the lanes alone; a full day adds the mountain.
How to get to Weishan Ancient Town
Frequent buses from Xiaguan, Dali's modern centre, take about an hour, and some trains on the Dali–Lincang railway stop at Weishan station. Weibao Mountain is about 10 km south-east of town by taxi or minibus.
Where to stay
Stay inside the old town grid, where courtyard guesthouses put you beside the breakfast stalls and the quiet evening streets, which is the main reason to come. If time is short, Dali is the alternative base for a day trip.
What to eat
- Pa rou er si 耙肉饵丝: Rice-cake noodles topped with slow-cooked pork that falls apart but holds together, seasoned with chilli, spring onion and sesame to taste.
- Yi gen mian 南诏一根面: One long noodle strand coiled in a big dish, from which every bowl is cut, eaten at breakfast and a symbol of long life.
Tips for visiting Weishan Ancient Town
- Go early for breakfast: Weishan is famous for its snacks, above all rice noodles with tender braised pork (pa rou er si) and 'one noodle' (yi gen mian), a single long strand coiled in the bowl, and the best shops often sell out by about noon.
- Allow half a day for Weibao Mountain, where Ming and Qing Taoist halls are spread across wooded slopes.
- Nearby Donglianhua is a Hui village of former caravan families, with fortified courtyard mansions and a mosque completed in the 1920s.
Nearby
- Dali Old Town & Erhai Lake 大理古城与洱海 50 km
Bai courtyards, old stone gates and lakeside bike rides beneath the Cangshan peaks
Also within 30 km: Nanzhao Iron Pillar 南诏铁柱 (20 km), Tianshengqiao Natural Bridge, Midu 弥渡天生桥 (30 km).
On the map
Open Weishan Ancient Town on the illustrated map to see the terrain around it, what else is close, and to add it to a trip and plan the days.
Open Weishan Ancient Town on the map