Baishuitai

The Naxi have been occupying some of the most picturesque locations in the northwest ever since they migrated to the Lijiang plain. Going east from Lijiang to Yongsheng the road climbs out of the valley and from Longshan, 18 km east, begins snaking down the mountain to the bridge over the Jinshajiang, 31 km below. Steep mountainsides are the sites of many villages, with magnificent views of the ranges across the river.

In the northwest direction, the road runs beside the Jinshajiang with villages perched on the hills above the river, all the way to Qiaotou and the junction of the river with the Chongjiang rushing down from Zhongdian. Tiger Leaping Gorge ends at this confluence and the serrated snow peaks of Jade Dragon loom magnificently over the valley. But one of the most picturesque areas of Naxi settlement is also one of the oldest-Sanba township, north of the gorge, on the other side of Haba, in southwest Zhongdian County.

Until recently the only access by road was from Zhongdian, from where buses ran every other day. Now a new road connects the district with Qiaotou. The old route from Zhongdian climbed to 4000 metres, passed Yi villages in the mountains and then, crossing one last high ridge, from where Habashan is visible, it wound into the Sanba township valley, where several Naxi villages lie. And just a few km before passing the first village the great white lump of rock called Baishuitai-White Water Platform-can be seen just above the villages and below the woods, lying like it was dropped there from Heaven.

Geologists say it wasn't dropped from anywhere, but in fact took many eons to shape into a rock. Above the sprawling boulder, at the edge of the forest, a cluster of springs leaks from the ground, flows into a pool with inkblot islands, then spills over the slope. The water contains carbonate of lime and left particles of this behind as it flowed. Slowly, ever so slowly, this built up to become
Baishuitai. In many places the water spills over into natural trays that strongly resemble rice terraces.The rock is solid and visitors can walk all over it.The water flows over the entire surface of Baishuitai, but except for the terraces here and there is rarely deeper than the soles of one's shoes. Moreover, it is not a smooth rock, but coruscated with little rills that keep footing steady, even on the slopes. A walk across the boulder, with pauses at the terraces, is one of the most pleasant experiences of nature possible in the province.

The local Naxi say the terraces were built by their gods, to inspire them how to farm the hills. In truth, Naxi rice farms resemble the terraces of Baishuitai. Yet it was local human ingenuity that built channels below Baishuitai to catch the flow and direct it to all the villages in the valley, down to Sanba, 5 km away.

Domestic architecture is the original Naxi type: log buildings with roof shingles held down by stones. The main building holds the kitchen, the elevated dining area and the sleeping quarters for the elder generation. The younger ones sleep in the adjacent building. Small animal sheds stand in the compound, as do the tall drying racks where, as in other Naxi areas, they hang their grain after harvest.

Baishuitai Naxi speak a dialect unlike that used around Lijiang. Their traditional clothing style differs, too. Men wear white jackets that cross over in front and are held in place with a sash belt. The women wear long black cloaks and instead of the seven-starred cape of Lijiang they wear one of handwoven wool, about one metre by two metres, the top end tied around the shoulders. In colder weather they don a sheepskin cape, with the fleece side out. And on festive occasions they braid and coil their hair and around it wear a crown of round discs with agate or jade pieces in the centres.

Culturally, though, the Baishuitai Naxi are like Naxi everywhere. In fact, because of their isolation they assimilated less of Han culture than those Naxi around Lijiang and retained an active dongba tradition right down to the present day. The Sanduo Festival is more spectacular here, chiefly because of the dongbas, who come in full costume for rites and sacred dances on the terraces. The dongbas feel obligated to put on a good show because this area was, after all, home to Dongba Shilo, the father of their entire tradition.