Spring in the Dali Old Town - Yunnan - China

At the heart of Yunnan Province, Dali has long been a regional centre of commerce, being located at a crossroads of trade routes between China, Burma, and Southeast Asia. The Bai People first settled the region 3000 years ago. Dali was capital of two large kingdoms from the 8th and 10th centuries, until conquered by the Mongols in the 12th century. The present Old Town was rebuilt by the Ming dynasty in the beginning of the 14th century. It has been preserved in a 1.5 by 1.5 km wide townsite surrounded by its ancient walls. Due to its relatively well-preserved architecture, the town has developed as a major tourist attraction in recent decades. 00:33 - The South Gate. The South Gate, the first of the four ancient gates of the old city, was built in the 15th year of the Ming Hongwu reign (1382 AD). The characters on the gate represent the country's name, meaning “Great Rule, Great Dali, Prosperous Nation and Flourishing People“. The South Gate tower was rebuilt in 1984, maintainin