Situated in the Yunnan Province, flanked by Cangshan Mountains to the west and Erhai Lake to the East, at an elevation of 1,974meters, DALI was the capital of Nanzhao Empire on the 8th-9th centuries. today its descendants are called the BAI ethnic group, the tibeto-burman people. The Bais are one of the China!s most successful ethnic minorities. They still wear their own traditional dress and speak the indigineous BAI language. The BAI practice a local folk religion linked to buddhism. They are famous for its artistic architecture and batik painting. The symbol of DALI is its main attaction, wich visitors cannot miss, the THREE PAGODAS built in 9THC and restaured during MING DINASTY.