This isn't abroad, it's Dali.

🌊 Dali, the thousand-year-old city of romantic charm At the foot of Cangshan Mountain and by Erhai Lake, this ancient capital of Nanzhao Kingdom holds countless stories. As early as the Tang Dynasty, Dali served as the capital of Nanzhao Kingdom and later became the political and economic center of Dali Kingdom. Strolling along the bluestone-paved streets of the old town, you can still feel the bustling atmosphere of the ancient Tea-Horse Road. 🕌 Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple This Buddhist sanctuary built during the Nanzhao period features the main Qianxun Pagoda standing 69.13 meters tall - the highest surviving Tang Dynasty brick pagoda in China. The three pagodas stand majestically against Cangshan Mountain facing Erhai Lake, forming one of Dali's most iconic landmarks. Legend says these pagodas were built to subdue a dragon spirit in Erhai Lake. 🏯 Dali Ancient Town With 1,500-meter-long walls on each side, the Foreigner Street inside was once the main tea trading place for caravan merchants. Walking along Fuxing Road, you'll see elderly Bai people basking in the sun under the eaves while the melodious sounds of three-stringed instruments transport you to another era. The Confucian Temple and Martial Temple stand opposite each other, symbolizing Dali's historical tradition of "combining culture and martial arts". 🌅 Xizhou Ancient Town This well-preserved Bai ethnic town boasts over 200 intact Ming and Qing courtyard houses. The Yan Family Compound is the most renowned, featuring typical Bai architecture with "three rooms and one screen wall", showcasing the glory of the ancient Tea-Horse Road. I highly recommend experiencing an early morning by Erhai Lake. I woke up before dawn at Longkan Dock and saw golden ripples on the lake at sunrise, with Cangshan Mountain in the distance like an ink painting - truly embodying the poetic line "Cangshan without ink forms an eternal painting". Local fishermen using cormorants for fishing added special charm to this scene. When visiting Dali, remember to slow down. Find a teahouse in the old town to hear locals tell the legend of "Wangfu Cloud", or stay overnight at a lakeside homestay in Shuanglang Town to watch moonlight dance on Erhai Lake. Every brick and tile here tells a story of time.