Emergencies in Lijiang

Good to Know

• China does not have one all-purpose emergency number — dial 110 for police, 119 for fire, and 120 for ambulance/medical, and expect the operator to speak Chinese only, so having a Chinese-speaking person nearby (hotel staff, colleague) or a translation app ready is genuinely useful.
• Calling 110 and 119 is free, but 120 ambulance dispatch is a paid service — expect a fee typically in the low hundreds to low thousands of RMB depending on distance and treatment given, billed separately from hospital costs.
• For lost/stolen items or scam disputes at tourist sites, on-site 'tourist police' (旅游警察) — where present — can often resolve things faster than calling 110, and are more likely to have some English ability.
• Lijiang sits at roughly 2,400m elevation, so altitude sickness is a real practical concern for new arrivals; this isn't an 'emergency number' issue but is worth planning for given how it can escalate into needing medical help.
• For serious or complex medical cases, Lijiang's own hospitals (e.g. Lijiang People's Hospital) handle general care, but travelers with serious conditions are often advised to consider transfer to larger facilities in Kunming.
• Lijiang People's Hospital is the only Grade 3A (top-tier) general hospital in the city — for serious trauma, this is where you will end up regardless of where you first seek care.
• Public hospitals in China, including this one, generally require cash or card payment upfront before treatment; foreign insurance is rarely accepted directly at the point of care — you typically pay first and file for reimbursement later.
• English-speaking staff are not guaranteed, especially at night; bringing a Chinese-speaking friend, a translation app, or calling a travel-insurance assistance line (e.g. International SOS) before or during your visit is genuinely useful.
• Because Lijiang's Old Town sits at moderate altitude and many day trips go higher (Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, Shangri-La), the hospital's dedicated plateau/altitude-sickness treatment center is a relevant resource if you or a travel companion develop altitude symptoms.