Yiran Pavilion

The Yiran Pavilion sits at the edge of a small, quiet pond in the Lijiang Old Town. Its upturned eaves and dark wooden pillars stand out against the backdrop of grey stone homes. Local residents built the structure during the Qing dynasty as a gathering spot for scholars to compose poetry and share tea. A local magistrate once famously walked through these doors to trade his official robes for a simple scholar’s gown, preferring the company of writers to the demands of governing.