Shaxi, Yunnan
Encyclopedia
Shaxi is a historical market town in Jianchuan County
, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan
province, China
.
The town is located roughly in between Dali and Lijiang.
The Sideng market square of the town of Shaxi was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 2001.
Shaxi started as a trading point for tea
and horses during the Tang Dynasty
(618 – 907). The prosperity of the town was at its height during the Ming
and Qing dynasties (1368–1912).
It is probably the most intact horse caravan
town on the Ancient tea route
leading from Yunnan
in to Burma and Tibet
and is now being preserved through a cooperation between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH) and the People’s Government of Jianchuan County
.
Nearby Shibao mountain contains Buddhist rock carvings and temples of over 1300 years old with, amongst others, images of the bodhisattva
Guanyin.
The two main ethnic groups of Shaxi are the Bai
and Yi people
.
Jianchuan County
Jianchuan County is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in southern Yunnan Province, China.-See also:*Shaxi, Yunnan: a historical town in Jianchuan County on the ancient tea route-External links:*...
, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
The town is located roughly in between Dali and Lijiang.
The Sideng market square of the town of Shaxi was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites in 2001.
Shaxi started as a trading point for tea
Tea
Tea is an aromatic beverage prepared by adding cured leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant to hot water. The term also refers to the plant itself. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world...
and horses during the Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618 – 907). The prosperity of the town was at its height during the Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
and Qing dynasties (1368–1912).
It is probably the most intact horse caravan
Caravan (travellers)
A caravan is a group of people traveling together, often on a trade expedition. Caravans were used mainly in desert areas and throughout the Silk Road, where traveling in groups aided in defence against bandits as well as helped to improve economies of scale in trade.In historical times, caravans...
town on the Ancient tea route
Ancient tea route
The Ancient Tea Route was a network of mule caravan paths winding through the mountains of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It is also referred to as the Southern Silk Road and Tea and Horse Road...
leading from Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
in to Burma and Tibet
Tibet
Tibet is a plateau region in Asia, north-east of the Himalayas. It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people as well as some other ethnic groups such as Monpas, Qiang, and Lhobas, and is now also inhabited by considerable numbers of Han and Hui people...
and is now being preserved through a cooperation between the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zürich (ETH) and the People’s Government of Jianchuan County
Jianchuan County
Jianchuan County is a county in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture located in southern Yunnan Province, China.-See also:*Shaxi, Yunnan: a historical town in Jianchuan County on the ancient tea route-External links:*...
.
Nearby Shibao mountain contains Buddhist rock carvings and temples of over 1300 years old with, amongst others, images of the bodhisattva
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is either an enlightened existence or an enlightenment-being or, given the variant Sanskrit spelling satva rather than sattva, "heroic-minded one for enlightenment ." The Pali term has sometimes been translated as "wisdom-being," although in modern publications, and...
Guanyin.
The two main ethnic groups of Shaxi are the Bai
Bai
The Bai or Baip are one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. They numbered 1,858,063 as of 2000....
and Yi people
Yi people
The Yi or Lolo people are an ethnic group in China, Vietnam, and Thailand. Numbering 8 million, they are the seventh largest of the 55 ethnic minority groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China...
.