Situated in the southwest of Jianchuan County, Shaxi old town is 90 km from Dali. It’s adjacent to Shibaoshan Mountain which is famous for the religious (Buddhist) grottoes.

Shaxi is home to ethnic groups of Han, Bai, Yi and Lisu etc. Having enjoyed a long history, Shaxi was a metallurgic centre of bronze about 2,400 years ago thus is one of the origins of Yunnan bronze culture. 

Sideng Street, a heritage from the Ancient Tea-Horse Trail (Road) in Shaxi Town, has been dubbed as “the Only Surviving Market on the Tea-Horse Trail” and listed into “the World Endangered Architectures”.