In 1639, the Ming dynasty geographer Xu Xiake arrived in Lijiang to trace the Jinsha River, the true source of the Yangtze. He was suffering from a severe foot ailment that eventually left him unable to walk. At No. 49 Guanyuan Alley, within the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site of Lijiang Ancient Town, the Lijiang Xu Xiake Memorial Hall stands adjacent to the Mu Mansion. This 750-square-meter courtyard, built in the traditional Naxi "Three Rooms and a Screen Wall" layout, preserves the memory of his historic visit.

Inside, the heavy scent of ink and the glow of modern projection screens recreate his sixteen-day stay. Xu Xiake spent his nights under a flickering lamp, writing over nine thousand words in his journals and editing the literary works of his host, the Naxi chieftain Mu Zeng. Visitors walk through five themed galleries: Life of Xiake, Traveling Across the World, Discovering Lijiang, Aroma of Ink and Brush, and Tragic Return to the East. The exhibition uses back-projection on gauze screens, paper-cut silhouettes, and laser-engraved hollow glass to show his geographic research and his deep friendship with Mu Zeng.

The human cost of this journey remains etched in the history of the building. When Xu Xiake's feet failed him, Mu Zeng ordered eight Naxi men to carry the explorer home to Jiangyin, Jiangsu. For 156 days, these men bore the weight of the dying scholar in a rough bamboo litter, navigating mountain passes and river valleys. Opened on January 15, 2020, this free public museum serves as a quiet space where the rustle of gauze screens and the cold touch of engraved glass connect modern travelers to that arduous, historic rescue.