The Forgotten Town – Weishan, Yunnan 20 Years Ago
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The Forgotten Town – Weishan, Yunnan 20 Years Ago

weishan town

Beyond the Map · Weishan

The Forgotten Town – Weishan, Yunnan 20 Years Ago

While most travelers head to Dali and Lijiang, Weishan stays as Yunnan was 20 years ago. Walk its old streets, hear Tea Horse Road stories in a caravan mansion, print your own Jia Ma talisman, and sip tea among tombs with locals.

SeriesBeyond the Map
DestinationWeishan
Duration5 hours
Best forTravelers seeking an unspoiled Yunnan

More Than a Visit

Dali and Lijiang show Yunnan's beauty. Weishan shows how Yunnan used to live.

Weishan Town
A Town UntouchedWalk Weishan's Old Streets Before the Crowds Arrive

Most visitors to Yunnan never reach Weishan. Its chessboard streets, courtyard mansions, and tea houses have changed little in two decades. A local guide walks you through the old town — from a Tea Horse Road merchant's home to a workshop where you print your own Jia Ma talisman — showing you a place where spirituality, death, and daily life sit comfortably side by side.

Experience Highlights

What Makes it Memorable

A glimpse of the people atmosphere and connections that give this experience its character.

caravans house
Walk the Old Roads

Tea Horse Road Stories in a Caravan Mansion

Explore a wealthy merchant's courtyard home and hear how caravans once connected Weishan to distant lands.

Jia Ma
Print Your Own

Jia Ma — A Pragmatic Approach to the Divine

Learn how Bai people "hire" gods through woodblock talismans, then print your own to take home.

street food
Taste the Town

Pre-Tourism Street Food, One Bite at a Time

Sample Weishan's local snacks as you walk — one-strip noodles, cross-the-river rice noodles, roasted erkuai, and more.

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The Closer Moment

When You Sit Down for Tea Among the Tombs

At the cemetery tea house, locals sip tea and play cards among the graves, and they pull you a chair. You drink together, talk about nothing and everything, and realize that here, death is not feared or hidden — it simply takes a seat at the table.

Good to Know

Is This Experience Right for You?

Best for curious, slow-paced travelers who prefer conversation over checklist sightseeing. If you enjoy walking old streets, tasting street food, and sitting down with locals to talk about life and death, Weishan will feel like a discovery.

Duration5 hours
Best forTravelers seeking an unspoiled Yunnan
Experience styleUnhurried and mostly on foot — part walking tour, part hands-on workshop, part snack crawl, with time to simply sit.
Your needsMobility, dietary and family requirements will be checked before the experience is added to your itinerary

From Experience to Journey

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The Forgotten Town – Weishan, Yunnan 20 Years Ago

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Journeys Featuring This Experience

See Where This Experience Can Take You

These journey ideas show how this experience can open the door to a wider discovery of Yunnan. Each can be adjusted around your dates, interests and preferred pace.

mushroomCan include The Forgotten Town

Kunming. Dali. Weishan. Lijiang. Shangri-La

Yunnan's Wild Summer: Forest, Feast, and Festival

Private journey · Pace tailored to you

Delve into the soul of the region through seasonal wild mushroom foraging, hands-on cooking, and the exciting Torch Festival.

Customize this journey
an old manCan include The Forgotten Town

Dali. Nuodeng

The Past Prosperity of Dali

Private journey · Pace tailored to you

From Dali, explore ancient Tea Horse Road towns Shaxi, and Nuodeng. Discover the Bai people's great history and culture on this 4-day Dali tour.

Customize this journey

Already planning a different Yunnan route? Tell us which places interest you, and your specialist will advise where this experience fits best.

More Ways to Get Closer

Continue Exploring Yunnan

Different experiences reveal different sides of Yunnan—from everyday kitchens and seasonal landscapes to the living arts of its diverse communities.