By dusk the road leading to the ancient city of Dali would have quieted yet the gleaming pagoda of radiant gold before you stands as a beacon in the dark. Beyond the ramparts of the southern gate is the Wenxian building, a vast construction measuring 60m from east to west and 30m from north to south, as a taste for what the ancient city has in store for its visitors.

The origins of Dali city date back to the 6th King of Nanzhao in the year 779, dominated since its early beginnings by the Bai ethnic minority. Spread out in the traditional “9 streets and 18 lanes” layout of the Ming and Qing dynasty, the ancient city is a neat checkerboard of 5 main streets along the north-south and 8 streets along the east-west. Its narrow lanes are cramped with vendors proudly displaying their wares of marble and finely woven straw. The architectural style of the Bai preserved over the years is a medley of green tiled roofs and ornate engravings. Beneath the eaves of the first building of Nanzhao, the Wuhua building thrive the art of the Chinese brush, its masters intently at work. An enclave of historical majesty, the Ancient City of Dali is a carefully preserved bubble of the past to be discovered.