Brief information on Rock Joseph’s Former Residence  

Rock Joseph’s Former Residence was located in Yuhu village to the north of the Lijiang Old Town. Yuhu village is called “wuluken” in the Naxi language which means ‘village at the foot of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain’.

There are three houses. The one facing east is the headquarters of the US National Geographic Academy. Upstairs is the living room of Rock Joseph. The bed, desk, chair, bookshelf, and clock here are all his personal possessions. On the first floor of the south-facing house is the Exhibition Hall of Rock Joseph’s Former Residence, where many pictures were taken by Rock and many objects imported from western countries, such as a shotgun and a fur overcoat.

Rock was a botanist, who was appointed by the US Department of Agriculture to conduct a botanic research and specimen collecting in the Hengduan Mountain range in the May of 1922. However, Rock was deeply attracted by the beautiful scenery and local customs. He transferred to instead research the Naxi culture. He lived there for almost 27 years and became the “Father of Naxiology”.

 

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

   

Location: Yuhu village