Lijiang: A town of "Tian Yu Liu Fang"
In front of the Mu Mansion at Sifang Street in Lijiang old town, stands a stone archway inscribed with four large characters: “Tian Yu Liu Fang”
在丽江古城四方街的木府前
矗立着一座石牌坊
上书四个大字
“天雨流芳”
Literally, “Tian Yu Liu Fang” means “Heavenly rain nourishes all things, leaving fragrance in its wake.” But if pronounced in the Naxi language, the phrase carries a different message: “Go for studies!”
“天雨流芳”意思是天降润雨、滋生万物
但如果用纳西语发音
其纳西音意为“读书去吧”
This archway was erected by the local chieftain who ruled the region at the time, in a bid to encourage the Naxi youth to pursue knowledge and education.
这座牌坊
是当时治理此地的土司
为了鼓励纳西族子弟努力读书向学而立
天雨落，似流芳，润泽万物
亦润泽人心，恰如读书一事
作为世界文化遗产的丽江古城
就是这样的一部好书
Strolling in Lijiang old town, sojourners are greeted by the winding alleys, upturned eaves, and scenic vistas at each step. They can trace the footprints of the Dongba culture.
走在丽江古城里
街巷曲径通幽，飞檐往往
步步都能踩到纳西东巴文化的足迹
From Kegong Arch to Taishi Lane and from ancient archways to the Mu Mansion, visitors can sense the town’s thick cultural air in the globally renowned Naxi ancient music and Dongba hieroglyphic art.
从科贡坊到太史巷
从古牌坊群到木府
还有誉满天下的
纳西古乐和东巴文字艺术
你会深深感受到古城文化的浓郁厚重
在“天雨流芳”劝学古训的鞭策下
丽江的学风一代比一代盛旺
清末至民国年间
丽江成为滇西北文化教育重镇
培育出不少人才
丽江也是文化高地
有东巴文化、摩梭风情
他留文化、边屯文化等
东巴文是目前世界上
唯一还在使用的象形文字
Through the ages, countless poets and scholars have been captivated by the town nestled in northwest Yunnan—whether by the sunlight gilding snow-capped peaks, the mysterious mountain ridges, the moonlight bathing ancient towers, or by the eternal flow of rivers and lakes.
古往今来
无数文人墨客
为这座坐落滇西北的小城所倾倒
或为日照金山的伟丽
或为山峦叠嶂的神秘
或为月照高楼的风雅
或为江涌湖澜的绵长
After rain, the sunlit cobblestone paths in Lijiang gleam spotless, as if freshly washed. The paths blend antiquity with a breath of renewal.
雨后晴日，
明晃晃的石板路洁净无尘
仿佛刚刚洗濯过
古朴中透出一份清新
天雨流芳，读书去吧
整合：朱东然
翻译：王世学
审核：罗蓉婵
Heaven’s rain falls like flowing grace, nurturing all life and folks’ hearts. This is much like the process of reading. The Lijiang old town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is itself a masterpiece awaiting readers.
Inspired by the maxim “Tian Yu Liu Fang,” Lijiang has seen scholarly traditions flourish across generations. From the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) to the Republic of China (1912-1949), Lijiang emerged as an educational hub in northwest Yunnan, nurturing countless talents.
Lijiang is also a cultural mosaic, housing Dongba culture, Mosuo customs, Taliu culture, and frontier settlement traditions. The Dongba script remains the world’s only still-in-use pictographic writing system.
Why not let heavenly rain leave its fragrance? Go for studies.