Xizhou is an important town where Bai people live in compact communities. There are the best preserved Bai folk houses here. From the layout, it is a typical Bai quadrangle pattern of "three squares and one wall" and "four entrances and five patios". The decorative arts of these houses with carved beams and painted buildings, overlapping arches and cornices, gatehouses and gables are colorful, which fully embodies the architectural talent and art of the Bai people. When I arrived in Xizhou, the first thing I saw was two big green trees at the head of the village.
Daqingshu is a symbol of the prosperity of a village, so it is also called "Feng Shui Tree". Daqingshu is an ancient Bai village, and everyone has their own Feng Shui tree. This kind of tree usually forms the group activity center of villagers with the stage. These two trees at the head of Xizhou Village are very old. Legend has it that this is two trees, one is yin and the other is yang, one is budding, and the other is deciduous, alternately flourishing; One tree bears fruit, and another tree never bears fruit.
During the intermission of labor, the villagers often take a nap in the shade; "Around the Three Souls", the long snake-shaped team will carnival around it; Even if the people in the village die, the mourners will gather around and burn paper banners under the trees to express the attachment of the deceased to the village. Not far from the northeast corner of the village, there is also an old lady green tree. Whenever autumn comes, it is often covered with snow-white cranes, which is a unique scenery in Xizhou.
The historical background of the ancient town of Western Zhou Dynasty;
Xizhou is the seat of the town government, with administrative divisions, but it has the size of a city in history. Long before Nanzhao moved around Erhai Lake, this was the settlement of Heman, the ancestor of Bai nationality. At that time, it was called Dali City, and there were already many residents. According to legend, a general named Shi Wansui tied his horse here, which is also called Shicheng, and the nearby Pingbazi is called "Shijie". A palace was built here at the end of Nanzhao.
The pattern of the city can be seen in place names, surrounded by village names such as north, east and south. Archaeologists have also found word tiles, thick cloth tiles and lotus tiles in Nanzhao in the past. Xizhou Town is a military town in Nanzhao in history, with a relatively developed culture, and has exported many celebrities from all walks of life to the whole country. In the past, Xizhou was relatively developed in industry and commerce and was once one of the commercial centers in Yunnan.
The above contents refer to Baidu Encyclopedia-Ancient Town of Western Zhou Dynasty.