Haiyan: Ancient fishing village at Dianchi Lake

Haiyan is an ancient fishing village in Kunming, sitting on the southeast shore of Dianchi Lake. As time passes, Haiyan has become famous for its long history and fishing tradition.  

In 2016, Haiyan was inscribed into the list of villages and towns of historical fame in Kunming. Its layout is like a fish skeleton with one main street running 1,700 meters from south to north and many lanes extending eastward and westward. The architectures here are in the style of Qing Dynasty(1644-1912). Walking through the village would bring you back to the ancient times.

For generations, the local villagers have made a living by fishing. Nowadays, Kunming government has imposed a fishing ban period in Dianchi Lake. Each year, the Haiyan fishermen have to wait until November for the one-month-long fishing season when they are busiest——rowing a boat in the lake, catching fish and shrimps, and selling them on surrounding markets from dawn to dark.

In Haiyan, there is an old wharf where the visitors can enjoy the beautiful views of Dianchi Lake. Standing opposite the wharf across the lake, the West Hill often presents its most intoxicating sights at sunset. So at dusk each day, the wharf is often crowded with shutterbugs photographing the stunning scenery.

The old houses are the village’s precious heritages. They are composed of principal and wing rooms, both with wooden frames, adobe walls and grey tiles. The layout of them resembles a traditional Chinese seal. Among them, the one with seventy-two gates and doors is the most famous, covering an area of 2,400 square meters. (Photo by Zhang Tong)