This is a postcard of the Black Dragon Pool Park.
This is my photo of the Black Dragon Pool Park.
The above two pictures were taken on a bike ride with several other bikers, going north from Lijiang to the Yufeng Monastery. In the background is Mt Satseto, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. At the end, two of us walked quite a ways, but didn't find the Monastery.
Lijiang's Naxi orchestra has preserved their traditional Taoist temple music and instruments. From the Lonely Planet Guide to China: What's distinctive about the group is not only that all 20 to 24 members are Naxi but that they play a type of Taoist temple music that has been lost elsewhere in China. The pieces they perform are supposedly faithful renditions of music from the Han, Song and Tang dynasties, played on original instruments (in most of China such instruments didn't survive the Communist revolution: several of this group hid theirs by burying them underground)."
During the performance, the oldest members of the group were introduced: between 82 and 87. Those younger than 82 were considered too young to introduce. They have started a school to teach the music and instruments to younger people, and a few (maybe around 5) were included in the group.
Musicians in a temple in Baisha (north of Jijiang on the way to the Yufeng Monastery)
Back to Fall 1997 picture index
Back to Fall 1997 index page
Back to main index page
Last updated: 6 September 1999