From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dali (Chinese: 大理; Pinyin: Dàlĭ; Bai: Darl•lit; Hani: Dafli) is a city in Yunnan province in the south of China, located on a fertile plateau between the Cangshan mountains to the west and Erhai lake to the east. It has traditionally been settled by the Bai and Yi minorities. It is also the capital of the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (Chinese: Dàlǐ Báizú zìzhìzhōu 大理白族自治州; Bai: Darl•lit Baif•cuf zirl•zirl•zox).

History

Dali is the ancient capital of both the Bai kingdom Nanzhao, which flourished in the area during the 8th and 9th centuries, and the Kingdom of Dali, which reigned from 937-1253. Dali was also the center of the Panthay Rebellion from 1856-1863.

Dali is also famous for the many types of marble it produces, which are used primarily in construction and for decorative objects. In fact, Dali is so famous for the stone that the name of marble in Chinese is literally "Dali Stone" (Chinese: 大理石; pinyin: dali shi).

Dali is now a major tourist destination, along with Lijiang, for tourists from both within and outside China.

Culture

• Third Month Fair (Sanyue Jie)

Sites of interest

Dali is one of Yunnan's most popular tourist destinations, both for its historic sites and the "Foreigners' Street" that features western-style food, music, and English-speaking business owners, making it popular among both western and Chinese tourists, who come to gawk at the foreigners. There are also multiple "coffee shops", such as those in Amsterdam, where foreigners smoke marijuana that grows in the hills surrounding the town. This has caused some tourists to have an extended stay in this beautiful old town.

• Dali museum
• Chong Sheng Temple
  • Guanyin Palace of Copper Rain (rebuilt in 1999)
  • Jianji Great Bell of Nanzhao (recast in 1997)
  • Three Pagodas
  • Surrealist Group
  • Butterfly Spring

Economy

• Marble (Dali Stone)
• Tea

Transportation

• Freeway between Dali and Chuxiong
• Railway between Dali and Guangtong
• Dali Airport

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