Shuanglang sits on the eastern shore of Erhai, the Cangshan range behind it and Bai courtyards crowding lanes that run down to the water. Most visitors come for the waterfront. A short way inland, Chaimiduo Farm works around 250 mu (about 40 acres) of fields and ponds. It is a working farm, not a landscaped attraction, and that is the reason to visit: the fields, animals, market and a restaurant across the lake in Dali city show how some residents are trying to farm and feed their families.
How the farm began
Hong Jiaming grew up in Yangzhou and first came to Dali in 2005, at 23, after several years travelling in western China. He rented a fisherman's house in Shuanglang and opened a guesthouse at a time when few outsiders were doing so. The business brought him into contact with his future wife, a local woman who advised him on legal matters, and the couple made their life in Dali. His parents later moved from rural Yangzhou, and his sister's family followed. The farm came after the birth of his first child, when he began looking for a way to grow clean food for the household.
Fields, water and animals
Hong rented land close to Erhai and named it Chaimiduo, a plain name that suggests plenty of firewood and rice. The farm runs on natural-farming lines, without pesticides or chemical fertiliser, though the change was not immediate: his parents had farmed conventionally for decades and had to be persuaded. The land carries an older story too. Two ponds lay here until the late 1960s, when they were filled in during a push to create more grain fields. The drained ground stayed semi-waterlogged and supported only one crop a year. Working from village memories, Hong had one pond dug out again. Aquatic plants returned, and so did wild birds.
He keeps cattle, horses, sheep, rabbits, chickens, ducks, geese and fish; the pigs and turkeys have a small island instead of sheds. Milk from the cattle becomes fresh milk, yogurt, cheese and rubing, the local milk curd.
A market with a wider circle
As harvests improved, the farm produced more than the family could eat. Hong and other growers started a market for their own vegetables and fruit. Many of the vendors were not long-established Dali farmers but newer residents and foreigners growing food for their own tables. Artists and craftspeople joined later, selling leatherwork, textiles, silver and wooden objects. The gathering is part produce market and part social occasion; Hong's daughter has called it a party of unusual uncles and aunts. It is also a good place to see how the different worlds of Dali overlap, with Bai villagers, migrants, makers and families shopping at the same stalls. The market is not a daily fixture, so check its dates before building a trip around it.
From farm to table in Dali city
Farming alone has rarely paid well, and Hong has put much of the farm's income back into the land. To support it he opened a farm-to-table restaurant in Dali city. Ingredients come from the farm and from nearby growers, and the menu follows what is available rather than a fixed list of signature dishes. For visitors it pairs well with Shuanglang: walk the fields in the morning, eat the produce in town later. Confirm opening hours and booking arrangements with the restaurant before crossing the lake.
Visiting with care
Shuanglang works well as a base for a few days. The old village is compact, with lanes running between Bai courtyards and the lake; early morning and late afternoon are the most comfortable times to walk. From there, ask locally about access to Chaimiduo. This is a working farm, so not every field, barn or pond will be open to visitors. Stay on tracks, ask before photographing workers, keep children away from machinery and animals unless invited, and buy something at the market rather than treating it as a free photo set. Market dates, restaurant hours and the chances of a farm visit change through the year, so check with an official or local source before setting out. The ground is muddy after rain, and work here follows planting and harvest rather than visitor hours. The fields around Erhai are workplaces as much as scenery, and they change with the season.
How this guide was made
This guide combines structured research and automation with source and duplication review. Dates change; verify time-sensitive details before travelling.