Iranian girl fascinated by Lijiang culture

In the performance hall of the Dayan Naxi Ancient Music in northwest Yunnan’s Lijiang old town, the sounds of ancient Naxi music began as usual. Among the musicians playing the ancient Naxi music sits a girl who plucks the pipa and rings the chime, immersing herself in the performance.

This girl, whose Chinese name is Lanlan, comes from Iran. The pleasant climate, diverse ethnic cultures, and characteristic cuisine of Yunnan province excited her. After graduating from Ningbo University, she chose to settle in Lijiang.

"To know more about Lijiang culture, one must learn ancient literature, paintings, and music," said Lanlan. Thus, she became a disciple of Yu Lixin, a young Naxi man, to learn Naxi ancient music.

With great efforts, she eventually stepped onto the stage of the Naxi Ancient Music Performance Hall and, together with the ancient music performers, completed a wonderful performance.

On Douyin, a popular online short video platform, Lanlan's posts are mainly about learning Naxi ancient music, working as a fruit farmer, learning to sing classic Lisu songs, participating in Naxi weddings and shooting photos in Naxi costumes, all depicting her comfortable life in Lijiang.

Source: Yunnan Daily; trans-editing by Wang Yunya