One City, One Dream: The LOHAS Life in Lijiang — Sherry & Rain's Selfie Wedding Journey (Completed)

Prologue: When Travel Becomes Healing

Have you ever thought that travel doesn't have to be a frantic checklist of attractions, but rather a complete mental reset?

Buy a plane ticket to a long-cherished destination — not for sightseeing, not for shopping, but simply to sit in the sunlight, watching clouds drift and listening to the wind whisper past your ears. Hold a cup of bitter buckwheat tea and let time flow slowly through your fingers. It sounds like a luxurious dream, but for Sherry and Rain, it was their real four-day experience in Lijiang.

On April 27, 2015, this couple — battling colds, coughs, and a heart yearning to slow down — set foot on this land known as "soft time." They didn't visit Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, didn't go to Lashi Lake, and skipped Lugu Lake entirely. The only thing they did was lie lazily in rocking chairs, letting the sun smooth away accumulated fatigue and the wind carry away their worries.

"Travel is nothing more than going from a place you're tired of to a place others are tired of," Sherry said with a smile. But in Lijiang, they found a corner where they could plant dreams, listen to lotus blossoms, and follow their hearts. There were fallen petals covering the ground, spacious courtyards, lush vegetation, and a dusting of green that could cleanse the soul.

And this journey began with a bowl of warm, nourishing pear soup with Sichuan fritillary bulb (chuan bei mu xue li).

Departure: Starting with a Bowl of Fritillary Pear Soup

Before leaving, both of them had coughs. Sherry insisted on bringing Sichuan fritillary bulb (chuan bei mu) — she said it enters the lungs, transforms phlegm, and stops coughing, more gentle and effective than syrup. So this "journey back to basics" began with this small insistence.

Of course, they had an even more important plan: taking their own wedding photos. No makeup team, no reflectors. The groom, who also served as photographer Rain, had to master the super-skill of tossing the veil while shooting. The bride Sherry had to carry her wedding dress and tripod. Tired but happy — that was their wedding photography philosophy. Behind every photo, there's a little story of their own.

"I hope that on our wedding day, when everyone comes to see our wedding photos, I can tell the story behind each one," Sherry said.

First Stop: Wenyun Mountain Villa, a Mountain-Top Paradise

A Peaceful Location Amid the Bustle

Their first stop was Wenyun Mountain Villa (Wen Yun Shan Zhuang), located at the top of Lion Hill. Many people give up on this place because of the climb, but to find a quiet spot away from the noise in the ancient town, climbing a small hill is worth it.

The villa sits next to the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower (Wan Gu Lou) in the Lion Hill Park of the ancient town, right inside the scenic area — a location that got them excited. When the young man picking them up drove them up the hill, they were already looking forward to the next two days.

Details and Warmth in the Room

As soon as they entered the room, a writing desk made of elm wood held a copy of "Flower Room Messages" (Hua Jian Liu Yan Ji) and Lijiang's bestseller "The Soft Time of Lijiang" (Li Jiang De Rou Ruan Shi Guang). The room had cozy corners for every lounging position, and a bathtub rumored to offer views of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain — though poor visibility meant they couldn't see the mountain, it was still one of the world's finest window views.

The room was spotlessly clean. For the next two days, this was their home.

Slow Time in the Dining Room

With few tourists, the villa was incredibly peaceful. The only sounds were insects chirping, birds singing, and the soft sunlight tumbling through the leaves. The dining room with its floor-to-ceiling windows was the best spot for afternoon tea. You could do nothing but stare at the dovetail joint on the table, sip the local rose buckwheat tea, and think about useless things — you'd discover that useless things are actually wonderful.

The afternoon light changed quickly. It was gloomy when they arrived, then suddenly radiant. It was all the clouds playing tricks. The wisteria in the courtyard bloomed brightly, the sunlight's color seemed to soak up human emotions — one moment it appeared pure white, the next it flowed out like lemon-yellow juice.

The Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower: Best View of the Ancient Town

About a hundred steps from the villa gate is the highest point of the ancient town — the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower (Wan Gu Lou). Climbing up, you can take in the entire ancient town, with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Wenbi Peak, and other beautiful views all around. Looking at Wenyun from the tower, you can see how high the villa's location is — a truly captivating perspective.

Walking down the stone steps takes about 8 minutes to reach Sifang Street (Square Street) in the heart of the ancient town. Up the mountain, down the mountain — fairyland and mortal world, separated by just a moment.

Second Stop: Strolling Through the Ancient Town, Feeling Lijiang's Night

The Interplay of Bustle and Peace

At the foot of the mountain lies the Dayan Ancient Town area, with one path leading to a food street and another to a commercial street. Down there, they fully experienced Lijiang's vibrant nightlife. People came and went, brushing past each other. Lijiang's nights were all warm-toned lights, colors overlapping. Shops and bars lined both sides of the streets, with a fork every few dozen steps leading to another street stretching onward.

Everywhere were women in shawls — perhaps because of Lijiang's temperature swings, no female tourist left without buying a Naxi-style shawl. Sherry said they were beautiful, so she kept staring at the shawls in the shops, but miraculously, she didn't buy a single one until they left. A Libra girl — truly unpredictable.

Returning to the Mountain-Top Peace

After a short stroll, they bought some flower cake (hua xian bing) souvenirs, walked through various smoky bars, and returned to the mountain top. After 8 PM, the scenic area closed, and they needed to contact the front desk to be let in — like coming home late and having to tell the family. Watching the stunned expressions on other tourists' faces when they saw them use the secret code to enter the scenic area was quite amusing.

Passing through the gate connecting Wenyun to the ancient town seemed to leave the noise of the foot of the mountain behind. As they climbed higher, the clamor gradually faded. At night, looking at the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower from Wenyun, it was stunning with all the landscape lights on, the tower's body glowing translucent and radiant. In the distance, lights were hazy and blurred, bars roaring with rock music, but within the embrace of Lion Hill, Wenyun remained so peaceful. This was a unique flower-room sentiment. Compared to the lively streets, they preferred this quiet place.

Goodnight, Lijiang.

Third Stop: Selfie Wedding Photos — Tired but Happy

Morning Warmth

Waking up to the sound of birds and the fragrance of flowers — could anything be more delightful? The cough was still annoying, but the resourceful Sherry insisted on carrying the Sichuan fritillary bulb (chuan bei mu) with her. She breezed in and out of the hotel kitchen, chatting happily with the staff. Soon, a hotel staff member helped them stew the fritillary pear soup (chuan bei xue li), with pear slices cut perfectly, sweetness just right. Watching Sherry bustle about, Rain's heart felt warm enough to bubble over.

The Joy of Selfie Wedding Photos

In the afternoon, they decided to rest, preparing to start their selfie wedding photo shoot in the evening. Lijiang's sky darkens late; at 4:30 PM it was still a bit warm. Travel photography was a joy. They didn't like the studio model from the beginning — wanting something more natural and memorable, they embarked on the "road of no return" of selfie wedding photos.

No makeup team, no one holding reflectors. Rain, doubling as photographer, had to master the super-skill of tossing the veil while shooting. Sherry had to carry the wedding dress and tripod. The whole process was filled with laughter and play. Taking group shots was especially funny — at first they used a phone's WiFi to control the camera, but the phone kept appearing in the shots with them. Finally, they decided to use the camera's timer for continuous shots, letting the models improvise. And so, all kinds of fun photos emerged.

Sunset at the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower

After dinner, the sky wasn't dark yet, and the sunlight was perfect, so they continued their photo plan. A short walk up from the hotel was the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower (Wan Gu Lou), the highest point on Lion Hill in Lijiang's ancient town. Climbing the tower, you can look north to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, east to the ancient town, west to Lijiang's new city, and south to fields and villages. The Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower is a landmark of Lijiang, explained in Dongba script as "the tower of a thousand generations."

The sky gradually darkened. Lijiang's nights were a bit cool, so they wrapped up and headed back. When they returned to the room, the hotel staff had already turned on the underfloor heating, switched on the heater, and tidied up the room. He said, "I saw you two weren't feeling well but still went out. You'll catch a chill when you come back. Get some rest early." In Lijiang, even though their lips were peeling from dryness, their hearts were truly warm all the way through.

Fourth Stop: Shuhe — The Gentle Charm of a Modest Beauty

Saying Goodbye to Wenyun

Another beautiful morning. Good morning, Lijiang! After breakfast, the restaurant chef asked if they wanted to stay for lunch before leaving. After checking out, the front desk帅哥 (handsome guy) patiently explained the walking route down the mountain and even helped carry their luggage to the bridge. They were reluctant to leave everything they had experienced at Wenyun — they had spent two dreamlike days at the villa.

Duoduo's Bread Tree: A Lazy Coffee Hour

Saying goodbye to Wenyun, they took a taxi to their next accommodation, dropped off their things, took a short nap to recharge, and then decided to go to Dayan Ancient Town for a lazy coffee. Once out, they chose the most direct mode of transport — a taxi to the entrance of the ancient town. The afternoon was a bit warm, and there weren't many people on the streets.

Cut a slice of sunlight, stir a cup of coffee, and feel Lijiang's soft time. They wandered aimlessly on the cobblestone paths. Sherry stepped into a clothing store, and when she came out, there was a coffee bar right next to it — Duoduo's Bread Tree (Duo Duo De Mian Bao Shu). Rattan furniture, fresh flowers, a little cat, wooden tables, a small bridge, flowing water, and homes — a gentle breeze brushed their faces. No noise, no restlessness, only inner peace.

Ordering a matcha latte, accompanied by a book, they sat quietly for an entire afternoon. The shop had a mother cat who had just given birth to seven kittens, standing guard at the door. There was also a celebrity dog named Zhizunbao (至尊宝), who sat obediently on a table after a bath. The second-floor terrace was the best spot — if the weather wasn't too hot, it was the brightest and laziest corner of the entire café.

The Fun of Getting Braids

Everywhere on the streets were elderly women offering to braid hair. Sherry eventually couldn't resist and became one of the "colorful braid" crowd. The original price was 10 yuan for 5 braids, but after bargaining, it became 6 braids. The woman was very confident, not letting them choose colors, proudly saying her combinations would look perfect. During the braiding process, she kept saying, "Girl, your hair is so long, why not add a few more?" Sherry remained unmoved, but Rain was worried about whether the braids would be easy to undo — because if they weren't, he'd be the one dealing with it.

A Feast of Wisteria and Roses

At this time, Lijiang's wisteria was in full bloom. This Libra girl, who loves purple, was utterly captivated by wisteria, taking photos with every vine she encountered. Paired with her colorful braids, she looked absolutely stunning. The entire stroll was a complete feast — roses climbing over eaves, wisteria so abundant it seemed to cover the sky — all unforgettable visual elements.

As night fell, the hanging lanterns seemed to be lifted by countless pink balloons. Though reluctant to leave, they had to quicken their pace as it grew late. Lijiang's ancient town had many characteristic inns. With a friendly greeting, they could enter and explore. Every courtyard at night was so beautiful it made it hard to tear themselves away. Thinking about leaving tomorrow, Sherry lingered for a long time.

Her heart, strand by strand, softened with tenderness. This was where Lijiang's dream began.

Epilogue: Riding Alone Across the Prairie

Compared to Dayan Ancient Town, Shuhe is more like a quiet, modest maiden — light and graceful, far from the city's chaos, authentic and simple. Knowing they had to leave today, they came to Shuhe early in the morning to wander.

Shuhe was much quieter than Dayan, with few tourists on the streets. In the early morning, they encountered a big white dog, met a cool teacher, and saw a cat drinking from a water basin — it knew the principle of "no regrets once you start" and began drinking as if it would go on forever. There was also a dog named Laifu (来福), lazily basking in the Shuhe sun, happy enough to bubble over.

Knight Sherry looked quite dashing. After wandering around Shuhe, they hurriedly left Lijiang. The trip was too short, leaving behind so many thoughts and attachments.

Lijiang, I miss you so much.

Practical Tips

About Clothing

Lijiang's weather is cool in the morning and evening, warm at noon. Visitors should bring a jacket. Pay attention to sun protection and hydration. If you want to take wedding photos, it's best to choose a lightweight mermaid-style dress — compact and easy to pack. Compress it in your suitcase before departure, and hang it up the day before shooting. For headpieces, you can get creative — long veils and flower crowns are great options.

About Photography

For photography equipment, following the principle of light travel and packing light, the main camera was a Sony a7, paired with a kit lens (its wide focal range was the only reason for using it) and a Shenyang Zhongyi 50mm f/0.95 (nicknamed "Night God"). Basically, the prime lens was the workhorse, while the kit lens and iPhone 6 covered the wide-angle end. There was also a QX100 lens camera for food and animal shots — lightweight and fun.

About Itinerary Suggestions

If you prefer peace, choose inns or hotels a bit farther from the ancient town, because the old town gets extremely lively at night. This time, they mainly stayed at Wenyun Mountain Villa on Lion Hill, taking leisurely walks to Sifang Street, Dayan Ancient Town, the Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Tower, and Shuhe. Due to time and health reasons, there were many regrets, but Lijiang — we must come again!

Afterword

"On the prairie where gods have died, wildflowers bloom one by one. The wind from afar is farther than the distance..."

Zhou Yunpeng's "September" (Jiu Yue) played in their ears. Though the Lijiang trip was short, those softly spreading flowers, trees, courtyards, and homes — carrying the fragrant breath of spring — melted worries and healed wounds, indescribably wonderful.

This is a travelogue that doesn't quite feel like a travelogue, recording those warm days. Whenever they think of Lijiang, there are so many beautiful memories — wanting to sit quietly with Sherry in the warm afternoon sun, basking, daydreaming, with melodious or soulful folk music in their ears.

Missing it, so recording it.

The flowers are not yet over, the dream is not yet finished. Next time, Lijiang — see you again.