The Ancient Town of Dali, also known as Yeyu or Purple Town in old times, is located 13 kilometres north to Xiaguan, the capital city of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan. The history of Dali Old Town can date back to Tianbao Period of the Tang Dynasty when Ge Luofeng, the King of Nanzhao Kingdom, decided to construct its capital in the west of Dali Old Town (near the Three Pagodas Park). The old town of the present scale was framed in the Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty (1382 A.D). Like other old towns in China, Dali Old Town is built with brick walls and four gateways in every direction.
