North of Lijiang

Going north the road passes the Ganhaizi (Dry Plain), the last flat stretch of land in this direction until the plateau above the Jinshajiang at Daju, 96 km from Lijiang. After crossing the pass at the northern end of the Lijiang plain the terrain is all mountainous. The road winds past Yi villages and descends to cross White Water Creek (Baishui). A cablecar here takes visitors up to Yunshanping meadow, with its high, close-up view of the mountain. The road from Baishui enters thick forest and soon crosses Black Water Creek (Heishui). Both streams get their names from the colours of the stones in their beds.

Continuing through the highland forests another 15 km from Heishui, the road comes to a junction. The right fork leads to Mingyin. The left fork begins a slow descent to Daju. As the road winds down the mountains Naxi settlements begin appearing on the slopes. Behind them the slopes rise ever steeper, ever more bare of vegetation, with long runnels descending the cliffs. The Daju plateau, 35 km from the turnoff, is fairly broad and besides Daju township, several villages occupy it. In the fields stand stone tumuli, continuing the ashes of Naxi who have been cremated.

Daju has long been familiar with foreigners because of its proximity to the northern end of Tiger Leaping Gorge, a popular trek for the backpacker set. The two majestic peaks of Jade Dragon and Haba tower over the plateau. The northwest edge of it offers a view right up the gorge, while down below a great riverside boulder forces the Jinshajiang into a narrow trench_ It is here, according to some, that the tiger did his leaping.

Back at the fork in the road in the hills south of Daju, the right turn leads to Mingyin, a major logging centre in the area. Passing Naxi villages perched on the slopes of high, forested mountains, the road continues for 12 km, then turns east another 16 km to Baoshan township. From this small administrative centre it's four hours' hike (or pony ride; they don't go any faster), two up and two down, to Baoshan Stone City. The area is densely settled and several Naxi villages cling to the slopes in the vicinity. In the past this area was subject to raids by Tibetan bandits and all but one village suffered their depredations.

Baoshan was the one village unscathed. It is sited on top of a huge boulder overlooking the Jinshajiang at one of the main crossing points taken by Kubilai Khan's forces. A thick wall surrounded its eastern side and from its western side the only approach was by a path which wound its way up the side of the boulder to the crevice that served as village entrance. Here the gate would be shut and from the fortress on the flat summit just above the path Baoshan's defenders hurled stones down on the bandits. And so it remained impregnable.

The fortress has gone, since the raids have long since ceased, but the basic layout of the village has remained the same, except its gates are never locked shut. The name Stone City refers partly to its position on the boulder, but also derives from the use of its stone for kitchen ware like ovens, mortars, milling wheels, etc. Villagers did not cut steps into the boulder, though, and the steep walk down to the lower gate must be taken with care.

Out the lower gate a path descends to the river. On the opposite bank the slope rises sharply, with a few houses higher up, but scarcely any trees. Rubber dinghies ferry passengers across, replacing the inflated goat-skin rafts that conveyed the Mongol armies. All along the river the peaks are high, steep and jagged. But northwest of Baoshan, on the route through the primeval forests to the Fengke-Mingyin-Lijiang road, many of the summits are round and bald. The forest features thick rhododendron trees, larch, spruce and pine, with Yi villages occupying the occasional glens.