Brief information on Yan’s Compound  

According to a public survey, "if you have 101 things to do in Dali, what’s the most important of all?" 100 percent answered "to visit Zhoucheng and Xizhou." Surely, it’s a "must" for the travelers. Because you can enjoy lovely ethical clothes, fairylike programs, decorative architectures, gifted garden parties and wonderful handicrafts in here.

Located at only 18 kilometers north of Dali, Xizhou faces Erhai on the east and rests on Cangshan in the west. It’s not only a historically famous city but also a typical commercial center of Bai Nationality. Speaking of Xizhou, people of course take importance to the Bai-style architectures. Example is Yan’s compound.

The Bai houses are very distinctive. Entering Xizhou, capacious courtyard and peaceful streets treat visitors with calmness and elegance which were typical in the ancient times. The Yan’s compound lies in the central part of Xizhou. It is made up of five courtyards from north to south, including Sanfangyizhaobi (compounds with three houses on each side and a screen wall facing the main house), Sihewutianjing (compounds with four houses in the center and five light wells in each corner) and an independent three-storied western-style building. Each of the houses puts great emphasis on designing the front gate of the compound, because it shows the owner’s economic status and also is the symbol of bringing honor to his ancestor. Doors, windows and walls are designed delicately and beautifully. The doors and windows are engraved with the figures of different birds and flowers. The walls are decorated with wash paintings. All of these reveal the superb skills and creative talents of the Bai Nationality.

*You can download the bilingual note to show it to a taxi driver or someone else to find your way to Yan’s Compound if you plan to visit Yan’s Compound and have language problems.