Shaxi Ancient Town
The last surviving market square of the tea horse road, with its theatre stage, inn and caravan gate intact.
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Caravans carrying tea from Yunnan to Tibet and horses back stopped at market towns along the route, and Shaxi's Sideng square is the only one that survives more or less complete: a cobbled space with a Buddhist temple on one side, a two-storey theatre stage opposite, old caravan inns with courtyards and stables, and gates onto the lanes. A restoration project run with Swiss support from 2001 stabilised the buildings rather than rebuilding them, which is why the town looks worn rather than new. Friday market brings villagers in from the valley, and Shibaoshan nearby holds Nanzhao-era Buddhist grottoes.
What you actually see
- Sideng square - the surviving tea-horse market with stage and temple.
- The caravan inns - courtyard buildings with stables off the square.
- The Friday market - villagers trading in the town.
- Shibaoshan grottoes - Nanzhao Buddhist carvings in the hills nearby.
When to go
March to June and September to November for mild dry weather; the Friday market is the busiest day. Winter is cold at night. Summer brings rain but the valley is green.
Honest expectations
Guesthouses and cafés have multiplied and the town is no longer undiscovered. Transport in requires a change at Jianchuan. Nights are cold and heating limited outside summer.
Nearby
Dali lies southeast; Lijiang is north.
What to pack for Shaxi Ancient Town
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.