Shaxi Ancient Town: A Key Hub on the Ancient Tea Horse Road

Shaxi Ancient Town is a place where time seems to flow backward. Instead of moving forward, time drifts far back to the distant age of horse caravans. What captivates visitors most about present-day Shaxi is its serene seclusion from the hustle and bustle of cities, paired with the profound, age-old history of the ancient trade route. Stepping into this town fills people with a sense of homecoming—a return to nature, to one’s inner self, to the era of horse caravans, and to the paradise cherished by caravan traders.

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Located in the heart of Shaxi Town, Sideng Street is the sole surviving ancient market square along the Tea Horse Road. In 2001, it was inscribed on the World Monument Watch List alongside landmarks such as the Great Wall of Beijing. Bearing witness to the rise and fall of the Tea Horse Road, Sideng Street still operates as a bustling market to this day.

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The Ancient Opera Stage, erected during the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, stands as the highest point in the entire ancient town. It once hosted operas, folk dances and lion dances, and serves as an exemplary masterpiece of Bai ethnic architecture. The opera stages at the Chinese Ethnic Culture Park in Beijing and Foreigner Street in Dali were both modeled after this very stage.

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Xingjiao Temple, constructed in the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, is China’s largest and most well-preserved temple of the Esoteric Buddhist Acharya sect. Over twenty well-preserved Ming Dynasty Buddhist murals adorn its main hall, invaluable treasures of ancient art.

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As a vital courier station in bygone centuries, Shaxi Ancient Town is dotted with countless horse inns along its alleys. The most renowned among them is the Ouyang Courtyard, hailed as a five-star horse inn of its time.

The ancient town is also home to numerous rustic inns and cafés. Visitors may pick one to unwind with soft music and coffee, savoring peaceful leisure cut off from the outside world.