The Dehua Stele in Nanzhao

The Dehua Stele in Nanzhao is at the foot of Fading Peak of Cangshan Mountains in the middle of Dali and Xiaguan and is six kilometers from Xiaguan City proper. It faces Erhai Lake, with its back to the Cangshan Mountains. The stele was built in 766, the first year of the reign of Tang Emperor Dehua. It is 3.02 meters high, 2.27 meters wide and 0.58 meter thick. Made of sandstone, the stele records the defeat of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) Chinese army to the Nanzhao Kingdom, known as the Tianbao War. The distribution of various ethnic groups in Yunnan at the time of the war was also inscribed on the stele. Therefore, this stele is an important relic for researching the social system, politics, economy, culture and religions of the Nanzhao Kingdom. In modern times, it has become famous as a historic relic as well as one of Dali's many tourist attractions.