Zhoucheng Village, Dali
Zhoucheng village, located in Xizhou Town, Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, lies east of Erhai Lake and west of Cangshan Mountain, is recognized as the biggest Bai ethnic natural village in Yunnan Province and is renowned as the “Hometown of Bai Batik”.
Zhoucheng Bai Village, Dali is rich in culture and history and an ideal destination for those tourists who delight in foods, sunshine and natural scenery. It spans 4.7 square kilometers with a population of 8,868, almost entirely of Bai ethnicity. Home to over 1,500 Bai households, it also serves as an open-to-the-public destination for Bai folk tourism.
Dali Zhoucheng Village Facts
The Highlights of Zhoucheng Village
When we talk about Zhoucheng village, the first thing may jumped into your mind is the Butterfly Spring in its rural area or the Xizhou Ancient Town nearby it. However, as the largest Bai people settlement in the region, Zhoucheng is renowned not only for its Butterfly Spring but also for its remarkably well-preserved Bai ethnic customs, earning it the title of “living fossil of Bai ethnic culture.” Zhoucheng Bai Village offers travelers an authentic immersion into traditional crafts and daily life.Zhoucheng Village Tie-dye
The most famous is the Zhoucheng Village tie-dye. It represents more than just a textile technique - it’s a centuries-old tradition preserved through generations. When you visit a tie-dye workshop, you’ll witness Bai people practicing methods unchanged for centuries. Begins with designers drawing intricate patterns on white cloth, followed by skilled stitchers who sew the designs using specific stitching techniques. The fabric is then repeatedly dipped in indigo vats, with the stitched areas resisting the dye to create beautiful blue-and-white patterns. The final reveal, when threads are removed to uncover the stunning designs, remains the most magical moment for visitors.
Zhoucheng Bai Ethnic Architecture
Besides, traditional stone wall architecture of the Bai is well preserved in Zhoucheng. These houses are characterized by ‘3 rooms and a wall screening’ and ‘4 joints and 5 courtyards’, which refers that every house boasts a major room flanked by two wing-rooms, and facing the middle room erects a wall screening for the house privacy, then have a central courtyard with rooms in all directions; other smaller four courtyards join the central one from four sides to make five courtyards. All these houses are decorated with woodcarvings, colored patterns, marbles and wash drawings, which represents the masterpieces of Bai’s architecture. What’s more, as a village with a long convention of Buddhist faith, you can also visit Yinxiang Temple and Longquan Temple in Zhoucheng.
Finally, you cannot miss the Torchlight Festival of the minority peoples. It attracted faraway tourists every year by their distinctive national features, magnificent scope and vivid atmosphere.
Things to Do in Zhoucheng
Wondering in Zhoucheng village, you can not only overview the beautiful houses of Bai people, but also take a part in the process of tie-dying.After that, you cannot miss those magnificent dishes in Bai’s style.A wonderful experience of Dali tie-dye workshop
In Zhoucheng, you can see a rich variety of ethnic tie-dye products. Tie-dyeing is a traditional folk craft practiced by the Bai people of Zhoucheng since the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, blending cultural heritage with artistic expression. Zhoucheng village has long been enjoying the fame as ‘Hometown of Tie-dyeing Art’, In Zhoucheng village, there is tons of Dali tie-dye workshop, providing tourists a chance for experiencing tie-dye in person.
The 4 steps for tie-dye is as follows:(1)Make the cloth into certain shapes by sewing, tying, pinching, creasing, or flanging according to a pre-drawn pattern.(2) Tie it tightly together to make a bunch of knots.(3) Soak the ‘knots’ in a vat of natural vegetable dye.(4) Dry the cloth.
After your experience, you can take your work back to home. What’s more, you can also buy the Dali tie-dye craft made by Bai people in the workshop.
>> Recommended 3 Days Dali Old Town Tour with Xizhou & Zhoucheng
Visit the Bai people’s Residential houses
In Zhoucheng village, here you can see classical houses of Bai people. These typical Bai ethnic dwellings constructed in the enclosed courtyard style, with a wall with a high central section and two lower sections, it features projecting eaves, flying corners, and a blue-tiled roof. Bai people live harmoniously in the square shape town with row upon row of houses. These houses are well preserved with blue-tile roves and grey-coated walls row in lines orderly like a comb.Magnificent Cuisine in Zhoucheng Village
In Zhoucheng village, it’s worth to visiting the Zhoucheng Local Markets to taste the local Dali food. At its peak time, when the locals, in traditional clothes, are busy with their business, selling all kinds of foods and traditional snacks, such as Baking Er Kuai (Bait): a conventional snack in Yunan and made by rice. For your lunch, Sour and Spicy Fish is always recommended as the signature dish served to honored guests at Bai ethnic restaurants in Zhoucheng. Additionally, if you enjoy dairy products, Zhoucheng Fried Milk Fan is also your top choice.
How to Get to Zhoucheng
Zhoucheng Village is located 23 kilometers (14 miles) to the north of Old Dali Town. There are 2 ways to get to Zhoucheng Village.
Dali Ancient Town to Zhoucheng
Dali Ancient Town is the most popular starting point for Dali travels to Zhoucheng Village. Here are the 2 most convenient methods provided for your Dali tour.Take a taxi or By car
Taking a taxi or a chartered car is the best way to get to Zhoucheng. It is about 30 minutes’ drive from Dali Ancient Town. For the fee, taking a taxi from Dali Ancient Town to Zhoucheng may cost you 50 yuan.By Bus
Departing from Dali Ancient Town, you can spend about 7-10 yuan to take a bus heading toward Eryuan at the bus station near the West Gate of Dali Ancient Town and tell the driver to drop you off at Zhoucheng Village. This drive will take about 40 minutes. Also, a tour bus from the North Bus Station in Dali brings you here in 50 minutes.
>> Learn more about Dali travel tips
