Chaoyang Tower
The east gate.
Ping an Chang — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Ping an Chang — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Anja Disseldorp — CC BY 2.0 · User:Vmenkov — CC BY-SA 3.0 · 源義信 — CC BY 4.0 · 源義信 — CC BY 4.0 · 源義信 — CC BY 4.0 · Anja Disseldorp — CC BY 2.0
An old town in southern Yunnan once known as Lin'an and for centuries one of the province's leading centres, so it keeps cobbled lanes, old wells, courtyard houses and carved wooden doors, guarded by the Chaoyang Tower, the old east gate built in 1389 under the Ming. Its best-known sights are the Confucian temple, among the largest Confucian temples in China after the one in Qufu, his birthplace, with its wide courtyards; the Zhu family garden, restored to its Qing-era form; and the old prefectural office. Five kilometres west, the stone Shuanglong Bridge of seventeen arches spans the meeting of two rivers, and in the countryside nearby lies the Swallow Cave with its limestone formations. Walking the old town is free; the Confucian temple costs about CNY 60, the Zhu garden about 49, the Chaoyang Tower 15, and a combined ticket for the temple, the garden and the Swallow Cave about 133, with the temple and garden open from 8 am to 6 pm, per visitor guides.
The east gate.
A restored Qing garden.
Seventeen arches.
Lin'an town, Jianshui County, about 220 km by road south of Kunming, Yunnan
Southern Yunnan has a Hui Muslim community and Jianshui has restaurants under the halal sign serving noodles and beef, while other restaurants may serve pork, so ask before ordering.