Top 10 Famous Tourist Attractions Must-Visit in Jianshui

Once known as Lin’an, Jianshui was the political, military, economic, and cultural center of southern Yunnan, with the prestigious Lin’an Prefecture flourishing in its prime. The town is still home to historical relics such as Confucian temples, imperial examination halls, and grand private residences of officials and wealthy merchants dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

Compared to well-known tourist destinations like Lijiang and Dali, Jianshui is more authentic than Dali and quieter than Lijiang. With minimal commercialization and crowds, it evokes the feeling of Lijiang 20 years in the past. The entire ancient town is filled with the vibrancy of everyday life. Jianshui also boasts a pottery-making history even older than Jingdezhen, giving the town a unique charm that blends living traditions with cultural depth. Jianshui is like a unique jade, quietly waiting to be discovered.

Top 1: Zhu Family Garden — Grand View Garden of South Yunnan

Known as the “Grand View Garden of South Yunnan,” the Zhu Family Garden is a magnificent private residence built in the late Qing Dynasty. The layout is intricate and elegant, blending the refined beauty of Jiangnan gardens with the distinctive charm of Yunnan ethnic culture.

The mansion features interlinked halls and courtyards, with 42 courtyards and 221 rooms arranged like a carefully designed labyrinth. Exquisite carved doors and windows showcase the peak craftsmanship of artisans from over a century ago. At dusk, light filters through the hollowed wooden carvings, casting delicate shadows on red walls. With rockeries, flowing water, pavilions, and a traditional opera stage, the garden exudes both grandeur and elegance.

More than just a model of private gardens, it stands as a masterpiece of architectural art and a vivid reminder of the prosperity once enjoyed by Yunnan merchants.

• Address: No. 16, Hanlin Street, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province (near Shuyuan Street)
• Open Hours: 08:00-18:00
• Tour Length: 2-4 hours

Top 2: Chaoyang Tower — “Little Tiananmen” and Six Centuries of Vigil

Chaoyang Tower is the iconic landmark of Jianshui Ancient Town, built in 1389 during the Hongwu years of the Ming Dynasty, twenty-eight years earlier than Beijing’s Tiananmen. Known locally as the “Little Tiananmen,” the tower presents a grand and solemn facade: three stories topped with layered eaves and a xieshan roof supported by twenty-four sets of intricate dougong brackets. Flanked by long stretches of ashlar city wall, it has stood watch over the town for more than six hundred years.

Climb the tower to enjoy a panoramic view of the ancient town: waves of blue-tiled roofs, the delicate flying eaves of the Zhu Family Garden peeking through the trees, and a skyline that unfolds like a living painting. Chaoyang Tower is especially captivating at sunset, and after dark it becomes the heart of the old city’s nightlife, where lantern light and evening activity bring the streets to life.

• Address: East end of Lin'an Road, the center of Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province.
• Open Hours: 08:00-18:00
• Tour Length: 1 hours

Top 3: Jianshui Confucian Temple – A Sanctuary of Confucianism

The Jianshui Confucian Temple is the second-largest Confucian temple in China, surpassed only by the one in Qufu, Shandong. Since the Yuan dynasty, Jianshui has served as the political, military, economic, and cultural center of southern Yunnan, and local authorities placed great importance on the construction of the temple. After more than forty rounds of expansion and renovation, it has become the largest Confucian temple in southern China.

In front of the temple lies a 700-year-old pond known as Pan Pond, unique in China for its elliptical shape and poetically called the “Sea of Learning.” In summer, when the lotus flowers are in full bloom, the scenery is particularly enchanting, and visitors often toss coins into the water to make wishes.

The temple complex is oriented north to south and stretches 625 meters in depth. It consists of seven successive courtyards and 31 well-preserved structures, including one pond, two main halls, two side halls, two auxiliary halls, three pavilions, four gates, five pavilions, five ancestral halls, and eight archways. At its heart are the Hall of Great Achievement (Xianshi Hall), the Lingxing Gate, and the Zhusiyuanyuan Archway. The latter, made of both wood and stone, is grand in scale and exquisitely carved, praised as the most beautiful archway among all Confucian temples.

• Address: No. 268, Lin'an Road, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: 08:00-18:30
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 4: Shuanglong Bridge (Double Dragon Bridge) – The Poetry of an Ancient Bridge

The Shuanglong Bridge, built during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, stretches across the Lu River and the Tachong River. Its name, meaning “Double Dragon Bridge,” comes from the way the two rivers wind like twin dragons. Locals also call it the “Seventeen-Arch Bridge” because of its seventeen arches.

Constructed from massive stone blocks, the bridge is 148 meters long and 3 meters wide, with stone railings carved with flowers, birds, insects, fish, and legendary figures. At its center stands a pavilion with upturned eaves, commonly called the Wind and Rain Pavilion. The main tower rises three stories, 20 meters high, flanked by two two-story side towers. Integrated seamlessly with the bridge, they not only enhance its beauty but also strengthen its structure. The lower level serves as a passage for pedestrians and horses, while its sweeping eaves with upturned corners give the bridge a rustic yet elegant charm.

• Address: Baijiaying Village, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: All day
• Tour Length: 1 hours

Top 5: Tuanshan Historic Residences – A Living Example of Southern Yunnan Architecture

Tuanshan Village, home to the Zhang clan, was established during the Hongwu reign of the Ming dynasty. Its name, meaning “round mountain,” comes from the circular shape of the terrain. century. At the village gate, a narrow-gauge train still runs, adding a nostalgic touch to this living ancient village.

The village is regarded as a fine example of traditional residential architecture in southern Yunnan, with 16 well-preserved Qing-era houses, four village gates, and one ancestral hall. The centerpiece is the Zhang Family Garden, once the clan’s ancestral hall, with a stunning brick relief Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix above the main gate. Highlights include the General’s Residence, with intricate stone and wood carvings, and the Scholar’s Residence, where the study still retains original bookshelves and brush stands. A unique feature of Tuanshan homes is the Three-Eyed Well, divided into three mouths for drinking, washing vegetables, and doing laundry—a clever design reflecting the wisdom of the past.

• Address: 50 meters west of Baituan Highway, Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: 08:00-18:00
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 6: Swallow Cave– A Spectacle of Nature and Swallows

Swallow Cave, praised as the “Number One Cave in Asia,” is a vast karst wonder named for the countless swallows that nest inside. With dim light and towering rock walls, the cave provides an ideal habitat for these birds. Each year from spring to summer (May to August), tens of thousands of swallows fly into the cave to build their nests, giving the cave its name.

For more than 600 years, local villagers have carried on the daring tradition of climbing the sheer rock walls—some rising 50 meters high—by hand to collect bird’s nests hidden among the stalactites. Since ancient times, edible bird’s nests have been prized as a nourishing delicacy, and this age-old practice has become one of the most distinctive sights of the area.

At the cave entrance, numerous plaques hang, inscribed with prayers for safety and blessings from the gods. The visitor route through the cave extends over 4,000 meters, showcasing a dazzling array of colorful stalactites. The journey concludes with a boat ride from the innermost chamber, offering a memorable finale to this subterranean adventure.

• Address: Lujiang River Gorge in Miandian Town, Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture
• Open Hours: 09:00-17:00‌
• Tour Length: 1 hours

Top 7: Yuanyang Rice Terraces – A Masterpiece of Hani Agricultural Wisdom

Although not located in Jianshui, the Yuanyang Rice Terraces are only about a two-hour drive away. They are the result of the wisdom and hard work of the Hani people, who carved this magnificent landscape out of the mountains ranging from 144 to 2,939 meters in elevation, over the course of 1,300 years. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage site, the terraces embody a unique harmony between humans and nature.

At the mountaintops, forests serve as the water source; intricate canals, like capillaries, channel the water down into the terraces; and Hani villages are nestled among the fields, positioned both for farming convenience and to safeguard the land that sustains them. Layer upon layer, the terraces cascade down the mountainsides like the rings of the earth, recording centuries of cultural wisdom. The scenery changes dramatically with the time of day and season. At sunrise and sunset, when golden light falls upon the flooded paddies, morning mist and colorful clouds reflect on the water’s surface, creating the famed “pink terraces” spectacle. The most celebrated viewing spots include Duoyishu Terraces, Laohuzui (Tiger Mouth) Terraces, and Bada Terraces, each offering breathtaking perspectives of this cultural landscape.

• Address: Southern Ailao Mountain, Yuanyang County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: 06:00—19:30
• Tour Length: 2-3 hours

Top 8: Daban Well – The Soul of Jianshui Tofu

Jianshui, this thousand-year-old ancient city, is home to 128 wells, among which the most renowned is Daban Well, regarded as the “leader of them all.” First dug in the early Ming dynasty, it is located just outside the West Gate on Xizheng Street. The well is celebrated for its crystal-clear water and its distinctive circular design. Its smooth, rounded stone rim gives it a graceful form, and at night the water glimmers like jade, glowing with a mysterious bluish hue.

Many locals come here every day to get water. Known as “the finest water in Yunnan”, Daban Well’s water is sweet, mineral-rich, and above all, the essential source for making authentic Jianshui tofu. Only tofu made with Daban Well’s water captures the true flavor of Jianshui—delicate, silky, and irresistibly delicious.

• Address: Jianshui County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: All day
• Tour Length: 0.5-1 hours

Top 9: Wanyao Village – Embrace the Charm of Purple Pottery Culture

Wanyao Village, one of the birthplaces of Jianshui’s renowned Zitao (purple pottery), boasts a pottery-making history of over 4,000 years. Celebrated as one of China’s four great ceramics, Jianshui Zitao is treasured for its unique texture, exquisite patterns, and superb craftsmanship. Its beauty owes much to the local “five-colored clay,” rich in iron minerals, which, after high-temperature firing, reveals a metallic sheen and warm, smooth finish.

The village is dotted with pottery workshops, and its most iconic feature is a century-old, 132-meter-long dragon kiln built along the hillside, resembling a reclining dragon—still in use today. Visitors can witness the fascinating process of pottery-making, learn about the history and culture of Zitao, and even try their hand at crafting a teapot to take home as a memorable keepsake.

• Address: Lin'an Town, Jianshui County,Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: All day
• Tour Length: 1-2 hours

Top 10: Honghe Prefecture Museum – Discover Ethnic Cultures

The Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture Museum offers a fascinating window into the region’s diverse history and cultures. Its collections include traditional clothing, tools, and artworks of the Hani, Yi, and other ethnic groups, vividly showcasing their unique lifestyles and customs. The museum also features exhibitions on the Yunnan–Vietnam Railway and the local tin culture, making it a perfect stop for families to explore and better understand the heritage of Honghe.

• Address: No. 65, Tianma Road, Wenlan Street, Mengzi City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province
• Open Hours: 09:00-17:00
• Tour Length: 1 hours

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