Dukezong Ancient City
Dukezong Ancient Town is a Tibetan town in Shangri-la District, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, which was built in the 7th century as a stopping point on the Tea Horse Route and a station for the Han-Tibetan trade. It is the largest and best preserved of China's 147 Tibetan counties. Dukezong Ancient Town is located in Diqing, northwest Yunnan Province, 700 kilometers from Kunming. It is in the southern part of Shangri-La city, a short drive or walk from the center.
There have been human settlements in Shangri-la since the Paleolithic. A tribal society lived in the region during the Western Zhou dynasty, from 1100 to 771 BC. In the 7th century, the Tubo Regime conquered the surrounding region of Deqin and built Dukezong. The 1.6 square kilometer ancient city was designed in the shape of an eight-petaled lotus flower in accordance with Tibetan Buddhist geomantic theory, and its 1,084 houses radiate outward from its center on Turtle Hill. .
The city is made up of traditional Tibetan houses, ancient temples and pagodas, with narrow alleys winding between them and buildings decorated with Tibetan prayer flags of many colors. At Dukezong visitors can live an authentic experience of Tibetan culture. Dukezong is also known as the White Stone City. Early in the city's history, white clay was discovered in the region that could be used to make white paint. Tibetans consider the white tone a sign of respect for their ancestors, the ancient Qiang people, who revered white stones, so they painted all buildings white. On clear nights, Dukezong reflects the moonlight with a silvery glow, earning it the name Moonlight City.
The best way to see Dukezong is to walk along its winding paths between historic buildings, houses, markets and shops, selling a wide variety of indigenous products, such as jewelry, thangka paintings, incense and crafts. Dukezong also features several tea houses and restaurants serving authentic local cuisine, as well as bars celebrating the nightlife of the old town. Near Dukezong Ancient City is Guishan Park, home to an impressive Tibetan Buddhist temple with sweeping views of the city. The temple has a huge golden prayer wheel decorated with images of deities and Buddhist symbols. The prayer wheel is so large that it takes at least six people to spin it.
You can actually visit Dukezong all year round, it is advisable to take a trip in summer because then it is very hot. The city is built at the foot of a mountain at 3,200 meters above sea level, so be prepared for the temperature to drop at night. Either way, Dukezong offers visitors an authentic view of Tibetan culture and is a welcome respite from busy big city life.
