Twelve Hours in Nanzhao: A Feast of Light and Shadow

The night in Dali is a collision of history and modernity, and a dance of lights and stars. The night tour of the Twelve Hours of Nanzhao (Dali City God Temple) will take you through a thousand years of time and let you feel the poetry and fireworks of the ancient city. 💫The relationship between Dali City God Temple and "Twelve Hours of Nanzhao" 1. The historical status of the City God Temple The Dali City God Temple was first built in the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the largest and oldest existing City God Temples in Yunnan, with both sacrificial and folk activities. Its architectural style is combined with the "benevolence worship" in Nanzhao culture, becoming the core scene of the night tour. 2. Night tour combines time and space The night tour project combines the Ming Dynasty architecture of the City God Temple with the historical narrative of Nanzhao through lighting, performances, and interactive experiences. For example, the temple has set up a light and shadow exhibition "The Twelve Hours of Nanzhao", which uses the hours as clues to display major historical events of Nanzhao (such as the Tianbao War and Yi Mouxun's return to Tang); there is also a blessing ceremony open at night, which restores the Dongjing music and bonfire dancing of the Nanzhao period. 🌙 Night Tour Highlights: 1. Lantern Tunnel·Time and Space Folding When dusk spreads over the 19 peaks of Cangshan Mountain, the stone pavement of Dali Ancient City glows with light, The lanterns of Chenghuang Temple light up one after another—— Red is the fireworks of the world, yellow is the lowering eyebrows of gods and Buddhas, Thousands of bright lights string together the old dreams of Nanzhao and the stars of tonight. Under the vermilion lacquered porch, red and yellow lanterns are like flowing star waterfalls. Raise your hand and touch them lightly. Amid the swaying light and shadow, Ming Dynasty bricks and tiles and Nanzhao totems quietly overlap in the night. The lanterns in Dali City God Temple are not only the visible aesthetics of Nanzhao, but also the audible whisper of time. When the red and yellow light shines on the Ming Dynasty bricks and tiles, it seems as if the torches in the hands of the Nanzhao priests thousands of years ago are still conveying the warmth of faith. When visiting here at night, you might as well slow down and let the light of the lanterns take you to touch the texture of history. The layered arrangement of the lantern strings is inspired by the tassel decorations of the "Yuyituan" ceremonial guards in the ancient Nanzhao painting "Nanzhao Tuchuan", recreating the solemnity of Nanzhao ceremonies. 2. Night Tour Route: Nanzhao Travel on the Tip of Your Tongue When the outline of Cangshan Mountain is immersed in ink, the bluestone slabs of Dali Ancient City begin to breathe—— The crackling of charcoal, the sizzling of oil, the roasting of bait, The wind wrapped in the fragrance of pepper penetrates the red lacquer door cracks of the City God Temple, Gods and mortals share the hot fireworks of this city. If you are tired of shopping, you may want to stop and try Dali's authentic food and snacks. Whether it is traditional snacks or creative delicacies, every bite can let you taste the customs and cultural heritage of Dali. Famous local snacks: milk fan, yogurt, rice noodles, rice noodles, rice blocks, flower cakes, fried insects, and coated tofu... can all be found here. 3. Ancient Music Performance: The Night of Nanzhao Relics At 15:30, the music of Nanzhao Fengsheng Music floated from the teahouse at the corner of the temple. The three-stringed instrument plucked the moonlight, and the ancient music of Dongjing lingered in the corridors. A pot of plum wine and a half-roll of Dehua Stele rubbings, I was intoxicated by the conversation between the Tang Dynasty envoy and the Nanzhao priest. There will be several 20-minute ancient music performances between 19:00 and 22:00 every night. With the history of the Nanzhao Kingdom in the Tang Dynasty as the background, the performances integrate Bai ethnic group songs and dances, ancient music performances and light and shadow effects to recreate the scenes of Nanzhao court banquets and folk festivals. During the performance, guests can enjoy impromptu ensembles of the Bai ethnic group’s traditional musical instruments, the sanxian and suona, as well as classic pieces such as the “Nanzhao Fengsheng Music”. Location: South Gate Square of Dali Ancient City or Ancient Theater on Fuxing Road (subject to the announcement on the day) 4. Handmade Shops: Find a Memory of Nanzhao In the small shops scattered along the way, there are a wide variety of handicrafts and exquisite accessories. Each piece of work here reveals a strong regional characteristic. It is not only a commemoration of the journey, but also a unique gift for relatives and friends. 🌟Tips for night tours 1. Lanterns are lit at 19:30, which is blue time. The contrast between cold and warm tones is the strongest, making it suitable for taking photos of the blend of lights and twilight. There are the most lanterns in front of the main hall, with warm light shining on the carved wooden windows. Any casual shot will create an ancient style movie. 2. There will be more people at night, so please take care of your belongings. 3. You can find out the performance time of the evening in advance to avoid missing the wonderful performance. 4. You can wear some ethnic style clothes, such as the ethnic style shawls that almost everyone on the street has. They are inexpensive, colorful, and especially match the background of the ancient city. 5. Avoid pitfalls: There are silver jewelry stores all over the streets with a wide variety of products. Be cautious when buying expensive jewelry in tourist hotspots. Don't get carried away and buy as soon as the store clerk praises you. 6. It is not recommended to travel in Dali Ancient Town during the day, as it is more exciting and dazzling at night. It is a bit shabby during the day and is not as lively and photographable as at night.