China > The Wu Fu Palace in Lijiang

When we wake up, we make instant coffee and I have some yogurt with it. At quarter to eight, the luggage is loaded onto the electric cart again. We follow on foot towards the city gate. It’s drizzling a little, and it’s still fresh so early in the day. At the gate, we have to wait for the bus. I hope my travel bag doesn’t get too wet. My bag isn’t waterproof. When the bus arrives, the luggage is quickly loaded. The driver also switches on the heater. Because of the wait, I got cold, but soon it gets way too warm on the bus. The heater is turned off again. Today we drive towards Lijiang, an important city of the Nakhi civilization. On the way, we pass the Tiger Leaping Gorge. The water of the Golden Sands River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, forces its way violently between the mountain walls. Legend has it that a tiger escaped hunters by jumping across a large rock in the river to the other side. There are dozens of buses at the gorge. It’s busy. I descend the long staircase to the platform at the gorge. I estimate it lies about a hundred meters below. Cautiously, the sun peeks through, although a strong wind also blows between the mountains. From the platform, I see the river water rushing wildly past the huge rock. A beautiful sight. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is part of the Three Parallel Rivers, which together form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The climb back up to the parking lot is quite tough.

China - Legend says a tiger escaped hunters by jumping across the rocks

We are still around three thousand meters altitude. For those who don’t want or can’t make the climb, there is a paid escalator. We spend more time at the gorge than planned, so we arrive in Lijiang later than expected. It is already half past two when we reach the hotel. There is limited time today to visit the old town. I decide not to join for lunch but to go to the Mu Fu Palace first. The palace closes at half past five and I don’t know how much time I should allow for a visit. The old town can also be visited in the evening. That is where I will go after the palace. On the way to the entrance, I pass the local market. There are food stalls everywhere. At one of the stalls, I order a sausage for lunch. The sausage is specially prepared. As soon as I enter the Mu Fu Palace, I see the beautiful reception hall. It reminds me a bit of the Forbidden City, but smaller. The Mu Fu Palace is a historic palace complex in Lijiang’s old town. It was the administrative center and residence of the Mu family, who ruled the Nakhi people as hereditary rulers during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Mu Fu Palace covers more than 30 hectares and is built in traditional Chinese courtyard style. At the library pavilion, I can also go upstairs.

China - The Mufu complex of the former leaders of Lijiang

Via a narrow staircase, I reach the first floor. From the window, I have a view over the roofs of the old town’s houses and the mountains beyond. In the middle of the complex lies the bridge-building. I pass over the underlying street via the first floor and enter the garden. Here too are beautiful buildings from the Yuan dynasty (13th and 14th centuries). At the very back of the Wu Fu complex, I climb the hill. From the temple terrace, I have a lovely view over the entire Mu Fu complex and the old town of Lijiang. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this, and I still have enough time to explore the old town. Right outside the palace, I stroll into the narrow streets paved with large stones. Shops offer all kinds of goods. I follow the route to the Main Market Square. Musicians play music in open windows on the first floor to attract customers. Different music styles echo across the square. Some historic streets run along canals. These canals were once important for the water supply. Nowadays, the city is too large and populated to rely solely on water from the mountains. On the north side of town, I come across two old water wheels. There used to be more of these wooden mills in the city. I wander through the old streets and enjoy the people on the street. Many here also wear traditional Tibetan and Nakhi clothing. My phone starts running low on battery. I have less than twenty percent left.

China - The atmospheric streets in Lijiang

I still need it for photos, payments, and probably most importantly, to find my way back to the hotel. In a café on the first floor, I order a beer and sit by the open window. I plug in my phone to charge and watch the people passing by. After both my phone and I have recharged, I walk back into the old historic town. I still have some time before dinner. I decide to find a barber. The last time was six weeks ago in Indonesia. Using Google, I find a barber shop. The boy starts hesitantly with the scissors. He is used to more coarse Chinese hair. Then he enthusiastically takes the clippers. The result is reasonable — a bit shorter on the sides and fuller on top. Probably at home, the original haircut can be restored. Meanwhile, travel companions message via phone where they are to meet for dinner. The location is near the central square. When I arrive at the spot, I see only a street with high walls and closed doors on both sides. This can’t be it. It turns out the location on WhatsApp doesn’t work well, probably due to the VPN connection. After I receive a better location description, I find it on the other side of the Mu Fu Palace. I walk over there. For dinner, I join a few travel companions back at the restaurant where I had beer this afternoon. I still manage to find it in the maze of streets. Lijiang might be even more fun in the dark. People are everywhere on the streets, and the Market Square is full of young people. N’S Kitchen restaurant mainly serves Western meals. I order a chicken burger with fries — a nice way to end the day.