Naxi everyday life

Traditional Naxi houses are built around a central courtyard, with wooden frames, mud-brick walls, and carved doors and windows. The courtyard is the working heart of the house: cooking, drying grain, washing, and socialising. The main hall faces the entrance, and the layout often follows feng shui principles.

Many old town houses have been converted into guesthouses or shops, but families still live behind them. If you stay in a courtyard guesthouse, you are sleeping in a form of the local house, though often with modern plumbing and heating.

Naxi families in the villages farm wheat, corn, vegetables, and fruit. In the old towns, they run shops, restaurants, guesthouses, and transport. Older women often keep traditional dress; younger people are more likely to wear ordinary clothes and speak Mandarin.

Family life is patrilineal, with strong ties to the village. Festivals, funerals, and weddings draw people back. Tourism provides income but also pushes housing costs and changes the old towns' social mix.

Work is often split between generations. Older relatives keep the courtyard, the fields, and the market stall; younger ones take tourism jobs, drive for ride-hailing apps, or work in Lijiang's new town. In harvest season, the same family may be short-staffed at the shop because everyone is needed in the fields.

Do not wander into courtyards or photograph open doors without permission. Buy from local shops rather than only chain stores. Learn a few words of Mandarin, and be patient with older vendors. If you are invited for tea, accept. Small courtesies matter more than tips. A smile and a little patience open more doors than a guidebook.

The Naxi women guide explains the dress and its meaning. For village life, visit Baisha or Shuhe on a weekday.

• Ask before entering a courtyard.
• Buy from local shops.
• Do not photograph through open doors.
• Weekday mornings are quietest.