Climbing over a 2500-meter-high mountain to see the ancient theater deep in Dali

In my first trip to Yunnan in 2012, I heard about Shaxi Ancient Town and was attracted by the photos of the theater in the town. After many years, Shaxi is now well-known and has completed its commercialization process as an ancient town. But for the sake of this ancient theater, I am still willing to make the trip. The Sideng Street Theater is located in the center of the ancient town and the existing structure was built during the Guangxu period. With its soaring shape, exquisite decorations, and ancient appearance, it is the most beautiful ancient theater I have ever seen. (p1-p4) The Xingjiao Temple opposite the theater is also worth a visit. The outer wall of the main hall in the temple preserves murals from the Ming Dynasty. (p5-p10) As a small town deep in Dali, Shaxi indeed has the charm of a paradise. Of course, the core area of the ancient town has been occupied by shops and guesthouses. (p11-p14) From Dali to Shaxi, I didn't take the highway this time but chose the shorter Niusha Line. Along the way, you need to climb over a high mountain, reaching an altitude of over 2500 meters, and my smart watch started to alert 'Plateau Care'. There are viewing platforms along the road where you can see the Haixi Reservoir landscape.