Perhaps some of you may have heard of some places such as Dali or Heijing referred to as an Historical and cultural city in the past. These determinations are made on a National level as well as a provincial level and they are also determined by the size of the location. For example, city, town or village. I recently encountered this and found this list to very helpful in understanding the different levels. The year refers to the year the cities or towns were added.

5 NATIONAL Cultural Cities in Yunnan:
Kunming + Dali + Lijiang + Weishan, Dali + Jian Shui, Honghe

10 PROVINCIAL Cultural Cities in Yunnan:
Baoshan – Baoshan - 1993
Tengchong – Baoshan – 1987
Jianchuan – Dali – 2003
Yangbi – Dali - 2001
Shan Gri La – Diqing – 2002
Shiping – Honghe – 1999
Menglian – Puer – 2001
Huize – Qujing – 1995
Guangnan – Wenshan – 1999
Weixin – Zhaotong – 1987

17 PROVINCIAL Towns or Villages in Yunnan:
Banqiao – Baoshan – 2001
ShiYang – Dayao County – Chuxiong – 1995
Heijing – Lufeng County – Chuxiong – 1995
Lianxiangguan – Lufeng County – Chuxiong – 2002
Guanglu – Yao'an County – Chuxiong – 2004
Binchuan – Dali – 2001
Fengyu - Eryuan County – Dali – 2001
Shuang lang – Eryuan County – Dali – 2003
Nuo Deng – Yun Long County – Dali – 2002
Shaxi – Jianchuan County – Dali – 2002
Yunnan Yi Zhen – Xiangyun County – Dali – 2003
Ye zhi xiang – Weixi County – Diqing – 2001
Zhengying – Shiping County – Honghe – 1999
Nagu – Huize County – Qujing – 1995
Jiu mo xiang - Guangnan County – Wenshan - 2001
Tonghai – Yuxi – 2004
Dou sha – Yanjin County – Zhaotong – 2004

hi.baidu.com/santiagoht/item/b01287dc7ee6e04cddf9be12

For those who have people to help them translate chinese - here is a chinese website with the recent changes to the Historical Towns and Villages in Yunnan. There have been many changes to this list, especially several upgrades from Provincial level to National level.

There are several errors on this website. The website states that there are 14 Provincial Towns at the top of the list but there are actually 17 listed. The website also states that there are 18 Provincial Villages but there are actually 28 listed.

Here are some other websites -

www.china.com.cn/aboutchina/data/mzmc/node_7005658.htm

www.whyn.gov.cn/doc/public/protect.php

travelcathay.com/2014/08/15/10-villages-yunnan/

Nice article which includes the villages on these lists.

Here are some GK articles of a few of these Historical Towns:

Salt Towns - www.gokunming.com/[...] -

www.gokunming.com/[...]

Tonghai, Yuxi - www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/3133/the_last_mongols_of_yunnan

Shuang Lang, Dali - www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2275/getting_away_shuanglang

Shaxi – Jian Chuan, Dali - www.gokunming.com/[...]

Dong Lian Hua – Yong Jian County, Dali - www.gokunming.com/[...]

Here are 10 Villages to visit - travelcathay.com/2014/08/15/10-villages-yunnan/ - A few of these are on the Tea Horse Road.

Here is a list of the 28 PROVINCIAL Villages in Yunnan:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1 Jin Ji Xiang - Long Yang District - Baoshan
2 Shui Zhai Cun – Long Yang District – Baoshan
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3 Lian Xiang Guan – Lufeng County – Chuxiong
4 Lang Jing Cun – Tuo An - Lufeng County – Chuxiong -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
5 He Cun - Da Ying – Bin Chuan County - Dali
6 Zhou Cheng Cun – Xi Zhou - Dali
7 Niu Jie Cun – Er Yuan County – Dali
8 Wen Sheng Jie Cun – Mi Zhi - Midu County - Dali
9 Da Bo Na Cun - Liu Chang - Xiang Yun County – Dali
10 Qu Dong Cun – Bo Nan - Yong Ping County – Dali
11 Bao Feng Xiang – Yun Long County – Dali –

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
12 Ci Zhong Cun – Yan Men – Deqin County - Diqing
13 Yu Beng Cun – Yun Ling – Deqin County - Diqing
14 Ni Ru Cun – Luo Ji – Sha Gri La County - Diqing
15 Tang Dui Cun – Ni Xi – Sha Gri La County - Diqing
16 Bai Di Cun – San Ba – Shan Gri La County - Diqing –

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
17 Zuo Fu Cun – Jia Yin - Honghe County - Honghe
18 Xin Fang Cun - Xi Zhuang - Jian Shui County - Honghe
19 Cang Tai Cun – Guan Ting - Jian Shui County - Honghe
20 Cheng Zi Cun - Yong Ning – Luxi County – Honghe –

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
21 Jing Kou Cun – Tong Du - Dong Chuan County – Kunming -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
22 Weng Ding Cun - Meng Jiao - Cang Yuan County - Lincang –

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
23 Jin Man Cun – Luo Ben Zhuo – Lu Shui County – Nujiang -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
24 Ke Du Cun – Yang Liu – Xuan Wei County – Qujing –

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
25 Cheng Zhai Cun – Dong Gan – Malipo County – Wenshan –

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
26 Man Fei Long – Meng Long – Jinghong - Xishuangbanna
27 Zhang Lang Cun – Xi Ding – Menghai - Xishuangbanna
28 Meng Jing Lai Cun – Da Luo - Menghai - Xishuangbanna -

If you can't travel far Kunming has The East Pagodas about 1200 years old - very historical buildings but I don't know how much of them are original materials, maybe HFcampo knows. Also the Yunnan museum has some stuff that's a couple of thousand of years old from Dali / Lijiang like farming tools, old writings, clothes and golden items from temples

How many of these sites are actually reconstructions of the original sites destroyed during the cultural revolution? Chinese travel sites of course never mention this since it "never happened".