Located in the southwest of Lijiang Ancient Town, Mu's Residence is the highlight of this old town. The Mu's Residence was the mansion of the Mu family, the ruler of Naxi people that ruled Lijiang for about 470 years during the Yuan (1271-1368), Ming (1368-1644), and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. Now it is a grand garden opened to the public.

History of Mu's Residence
The history of Mu's Residence can date back to the Ming Dynasty. In Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the leader of Naxi ethnic group led his people to come over and pledged loyalty to Zhu Yuanzhang (the first emperor of Ming Dynasty). Then he was given the family name of Mu. After being appointed as Tu Si (the official position), the Mu family built large-scale architectures with the imperial style - the Mu's Residence. The original Mu's Residence was burned out in war in the early years of Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and during the reign of Guangxu Emperor, descendants of Mu rebuilt some part of the former Residence but it was just a small part.

Architectures in Mu's Residence
The Mu's Residence sits against the Lion Mountain and faces east. Covering an area of 46 mu, it consists of two parts: the office area and the living area. Follow the traditional architecture style, all the main buildings are located on the central axis. Step into the courtyard, first of all visitors will see the Meeting Hall at the end of a vast square surrounded by the white marble balustrades. It is the beginning of the office area, where Tusi conducted the official business. In the hall there hanging three wooden steles written with the characters of 'Cheng Xin Bao Guo' by three Emperors of Ming Dynasty. Behind the Meeting Hall is the Wanjuan Pavilion where houses thousands of sutras, paintings and calligraphy works of famous scholars. Behind the Wanjuan Pavilion there lies the Hufa Hall, where hold the sacrificial activities. In the north part of the residence is the living area of the Tusi and his families.

Most of the decorations in Mu's Residence are simple but shows the dignity of the ruler. Besides the architecture value, it can be also regarded as the outstanding plants museum with ancient trees and precious plants. If time allows, never miss the chance to visit the Mu's Residence in Lijiang Ancient City.