Xichang

Xichang is a relatively small city in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan province. While the town may be of little interest, it is an excellent midpoint stop when traveling between Sichuan city and Yunnan, Lugu Lake is 6 hours to the west.

Understand
The area's best-known feature is Xichang Satellite Launch Center or "Base 57", about 64 km (40 miles) northwest of the city. Xichang, the capital of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture is also known as China Moon City, China Space City and Xiaochun City.

Climate
Xichang has a reputation as "Spring City" because it has spring-like weather all year round and a pleasant climate.

Xichang City belongs to the tropical plateau monsoon climate area, known as the small "spring city", rich in climate resources, with warm winter and cool summer, all seasons like spring, abundant rainfall, rainfall concentration, sufficient sunshine, rich light and heat resources. During the day, the solar radiation is strong, and the temperature difference between day and night is large.

Get in
The city is on the main rail line and on the main highway connecting Kunming and Chengdu, and it has an airport.

The Chengdu–Kunming Railway (成昆铁路), while scenic, is extremely slow. By comparison, buses run on the newly constructed elevated G5 expressway.

The Xichang High-speed Railway was opened for operation in 2022. It serves Xichang West Station.

Get around

 * No. 6 bus (xichang West Railway Station-Yuecheng Square）Bus No. 6 goes directly to Yuecheng Square, where you can eat around and visit Jianchang Ancient City.
 * No. 108 Huanhu Bus ：There is a bus from Xichang West Railway Station to the entrance of Wetland Park Party School. After arriving, you can take a sightseeing bus to Jinlin Beach.
 * Bus No. 106： The Huanhu Bus from Xichang West Railway Station to Walnut Village passes through Lushan, Qionghai Park, and Dashiban Ancient Village.
 * Bus No. 111：The bus from Xichang West Railway Station to the small fishing village passes through Xichang City.



See
The ancient city of Jianchang was square in the Ming Dynasty, with four walls each 1,200 meters long, covering an area of 144 hectares. There are more than 2,400 cultural relics in the ancient city. Ancient ruins, ancient tombs, ancient stone carvings, rock paintings, and ancient buildings are all over Xichang City. The existing area is about 130 hectares. The city is centered on the four archways and radiates in all directions. The north is called North Street, the south is called South Street, the west is Cang Street, and the east is Fu Street. The four streets intersect in a "ten" shape. establish. The Ming Dynasty writer Yang Sheng'an, the Qing Dynasty calligrapher He Shaoji, the Qing minister Zha Jiantang, and the modern educator Huang Yanpei all left their ink marks in the ancient city of Jianchang.
 * Xichang Lushan (西昌泸山) Xichang Lu Mountain is one of the famous scenic spots, there are many ways to go up the mountain, you can climb on foot, and the monkeys on the mountain to a zero-distance interactive experience (but be careful of the "mountain king" grab food) you can also take the ropeway up the mountain, take the slide down the mountain. Go to the top of the mountain to enjoy the panoramic view of the entire city of Xichang, breathe the freshest air, and take a spiritual purification trip.
 * Xichang Lushan (西昌泸山) Xichang Lu Mountain is one of the famous scenic spots, there are many ways to go up the mountain, you can climb on foot, and the monkeys on the mountain to a zero-distance interactive experience (but be careful of the "mountain king" grab food) you can also take the ropeway up the mountain, take the slide down the mountain. Go to the top of the mountain to enjoy the panoramic view of the entire city of Xichang, breathe the freshest air, and take a spiritual purification trip.
 * Xichang Lushan (西昌泸山) Xichang Lu Mountain is one of the famous scenic spots, there are many ways to go up the mountain, you can climb on foot, and the monkeys on the mountain to a zero-distance interactive experience (but be careful of the "mountain king" grab food) you can also take the ropeway up the mountain, take the slide down the mountain. Go to the top of the mountain to enjoy the panoramic view of the entire city of Xichang, breathe the freshest air, and take a spiritual purification trip.



Do

 * Xichang Haihe Park（海河公园）It is a good place for locals to take a walk after dinner. You can drink a cup of good tea in the riverside teahouse and steal half a day's leisure.
 * Xichang Haihe Park（海河公园）It is a good place for locals to take a walk after dinner. You can drink a cup of good tea in the riverside teahouse and steal half a day's leisure.

Festivals
Xichang Torch Festival: The most grand annual event of the Yi people, also called the Oriental Carnival, starts at the end of July every year. The opening ceremony in Xichang is particularly large in scale and is divided into main venue and branch venues, which is full of atmosphere.

There will be many ethnic minority girls who will help everyone dance together and feel the ethnic customs here. There are different performances at each venue. Among them, the torch parade is the highlight of the Torch Festival.

The Torch Square is located in the central area of Xichang City.

Xichang Yi Year: Yi Year is a traditional festival of the Yi people in China. In history, the Yi ancestors once created the October solar calendar, 10 months a year, 36 days a month, October for the festival, so it is also called October year.

The festival generally has no fixed date, and is mostly held in October after the autumn harvest by the Bimo (wizard). Others are determined by the head of the family. During the New Year, kill pigs and worship ancestors, bake around the fire, listen to the old man, pray for grain harvest. 3 days later, visit relatives and friends, greet each other and drink "round wine" together. In the old days, slaves would send pigs' heads and goods to the head of the household. The time of the New Year is determined by the people according to the busy or idle farming, and it is not uniform in all regions. During the festival, archery, wrestling, bullfighting and other entertainment activities are also held.

Buy

 * Xichang Wanda Plaza (西昌万达广场) Xichang Fire Pit BBQ: Xichang Barbecue is a specialty of the Xichang area in Liangshan Prefecture. Xichang barbecue is divided into "skewer grill" and "net grill". A short wooden table is hollowed out in the center, a simple fire pit made of enamel pots is placed under the table, and a wire net is placed on the table, so that all the ingredients can be put on the wire net and roasted.

Eat

 * Side fried potatoes It is a specialty delicacy of Xide County, Liangshan Prefecture. You can also taste the authentic local taste in Xichang.
 * Fishing Village Spicy Fish Fillet： It is a special delicacy developed by local villagers in the small fishing village of Xichang. It tastes delicious and spicy. The ingredients are made from fresh fish from the local Qionghai Sea.
 * Vietnamese bean curd：A home-cooked delicacy from Yuexi County, Liangshan Prefecture. The tofu curds made from beans are cooked together with the fried crispy pork. It is paired with the boss’s secret sauce. It tastes great and is highly recommended.
 * Old Yi flavor,（老号家彝家风味餐厅）Here you can taste authentic Yi specialties. You must order the pickled cabbage and potato soup, it is very appetizing!
 * Cupot vegetables（铜锅野菜）This is a copper pot hot pot that uses many local wild vegetables and a soup pot base made of chicken stock. Taste sweet and delicious
 * Huili chicken fire wire bait block（会理鸡火丝饵块）It is a delicacy that locals often eat in the morning. It tastes a bit like thin shreds of rice cake. The soup is very delicious and is served with shredded turkey and local specialty ham.
 * Fat Brother Chuan Chuan（胖哥串串）Highly recommend buckwheat jelly, roll noodles, cold noodles, sweet and sour taste, very delicious

Drink

 * Liangshan snow yogurt（凉山雪）Xichang’s unique specialty yogurt, paired with barbecue to relieve the spicy taste and is refreshing
 * Xichang special rice wine（西昌特色米酒）

Stay safe
Fire alarm number 119,Police phone number 110,Emergency hotline 120

Go next

 * Chengdu — 3 hours by train, 6 hours by bus
 * Kunming — 4 hours by train, 6 hours by bus
 * Lugu Lake — 6 hours by bus
 * 3 hours to Chengdu
 * to Kunming