Secret spots: Dali-Midu-Mizhi Ancient Town

Mizhi Town Midu County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province Mizhi Town is located in the southwest of Midu County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It borders Juli Town to the east, Nanjian Town of Nanjian Yi Autonomous County to the south, Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County to the west, and Yinjie Town to the north. It is 30 km from the county seat and has a total area of 132.05 square kilometers. As of the end of 2019, Mizhi Town had a registered population of 16,473. History: In the second year of the Yuanfeng era of the Western Han Dynasty (109 BC), after "Emperor Wu of Han had affairs with the southwestern barbarians," the Han people from the inland moved here to settle. During the Nanzhao period of the Tang Dynasty, Mizhi was a must-pass place on the "Kainan Ancient Post Road" (the Ancient Tea Horse Road) in western Yunnan. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was the 15th mile of Zhaozhou; after Midu County was established, it belonged to Chengnan 2 Township. In the 20th year of the Republic of China (1931), it was the fifth district. On February 1, 1940, Mizhi Township was established. History and culture: Intangible cultural heritage Mizhi Town is the birthplace of the world-famous song "Xiao He Tang Shui" (Small River Flows), the cradle of Midu folk songs and lantern culture, which are national intangible cultural heritage, and one of the birthplaces and gathering areas of national intangible cultural heritage (lantern folk songs). It is known as the "Hometown of Chinese Lantern Art." During the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month every year, more than 30 lantern performance teams with more than 5,000 people in Mizhi Town perform cultural programs such as "Double Dragons Playing with a Pearl," "Double Lions Dancing," "Phoenix Leading a Kylin," "Song and Dance Performance," and "Beauty Rowing." Scenic spots: Mizhi Town has provincial-level scenic spots such as Taiji Mountain, Mizhi Temple, Wensheng Street, a national historical and cultural village, the former residence of Yin Yigong, Osmanthus Ke, and Pearl Spring. Local specialties: Mizhi Town has local specialties such as Mizhi tofu, red snow pear, wild edible mushrooms, morel mushrooms, honey, and Ligusticum wallichii.