Cangyuan Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Wengding Wa Nationality Gregarious Village Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
How beautiful is China's last primitive tribe as featured in National Geographic?
Wengding, in the Wa language, means a place shrouded in clouds and fog😃, and also conveys the spiritual beauty of high mountains, white clouds, and lakes😉. Wengding is a Wa village with a history of nearly 400 years👍, located in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province🤜. The village is shaped like a giant chair😎, surrounded by a continuous range of mountains🧐. The architectural style of the village is uniform✨, all are wooden structures with thatched roofs, divided into stilted and ground styles🎄. Because of its primitive Wa architectural style and local customs, it is known as China's last primitive tribe🤩.
😔Regrettably, a major fire in 2021 destroyed most of the buildings in the village, with only 4 thatched houses surviving😭. Now, reconstruction has been carried out on the original foundation🙏.
📍Address: Wengding Ancient Village, Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province🤩
💰Ticket price: 55 RMB per person (including sightseeing car)
🅿Parking: Free parking at the scenic area😜
🚄Transportation: You can choose Lincang Airport or Cangyuan Airport (Cangyuan Airport is closer, but has fewer flights😅), or take the high-speed train to Lincang, then it is recommended to drive there🚗.
🎁Tips:
1️⃣At the entrance of the village, there is a 'touch your head in the dark' ceremony👼, which is a paint used by the Wa people for blessings and prayers🎨.
2️⃣Inside the village, there is a fire pit storytelling session🧚, where respected elders invite everyone to drink tea and tell stories🎙.
3️⃣You can rent Wa ethnic costumes for photography📷, and sometimes experience face painting✍.
4️⃣When buying tickets, be sure to check the activity schedule📋, if you can catch the drumming event, the sense of ceremony will be maxed out🎉.
5️⃣There are three viewing platforms🎑, from the second one you can overlook the entire village, and if the timing is right, you can also see the fire brigade spraying water, which is quite spectacular🎇.
6️⃣The sacred forest is a must-visit, human head sacrifices were no longer performed after 1958, now replaced with cow heads🐮, but it is still spectacular🐄.
7️⃣Respect the local ethnic customs🤝, the locals are very hospitable🤗.
🏰Accommodation recommendations:
👏Wengding Ancient Village Inn: Located inside the old village🛤, with a beautiful environment😻, complete facilities🎯, and a good choice to experience the local culture👍.
🚇Hotels in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County: Located in the center of the county town, with convenient transportation🚌, and complete surrounding facilities🎡.
😜Homestays in villagers' homes: Homestays in the homes of new villagers in Wengding, priced at 80-160 RMB🤑, and you can negotiate the price with the owner if you plan to stay longer🤝.
Wengding Primitive Tribe
visiting ancient towns and villages urban culture and cultural attractions rural beauty Wa tribe primitive tribe Wengding Primitive Tribe is located in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Yunnan Province. It is a well-preserved primitive communal tribe that has retained the original architectural style of Wa ethnic dwellings and unique local customs. It is considered one of the best-preserved primitive communal villages to date and is also known as the last primitive tribe in China. In 2020, it was rated as a national 4A-level tourist attraction. Unfortunately, it suffered a major fire in 2021, but the rebuilt Wengding still maintains its unique culture and natural landscape. The traditional way of life and cultural customs are well protected and developed, with villagers maintaining the Wa tribe's primitive religion, customs, and lifestyle. The Wa tribe's village gate is an ancillary building to the Wa house architecture and is also the most concrete symbol of a village. The sturdiness of the village gate can reflect the prosperity and decline of the village. The Wa tribe places great importance on the construction of the village gate, which in ancient times not only served to resist invasions by enemies but also to protect against animals and thieves. On the door panels, pillars, and frames, there are carvings or paintings of various figures, hunting dogs, or other images representing defensive actions. In every village, drums are beaten, gongs are struck, and the Wa sing new songs. Chairman Mao's brilliance shines on the borderlands, the mountains laugh, the waters laugh, and the people are joyful. Socialism is good, building a bridge of happiness, the road gets wider and wider as we walk along, these are the lyrics of the new song sung by the Wa people, which once swept across the country. It was originally thought that entering Wengding Village, one would hear this song everywhere, but it was only heard being played on a mobile phone inside a Wa ethnic dwelling. It turns out that this song was born in Ximeng Wa Autonomous County, Pu'er, Yunnan. Ximeng County is located to the south of Wengding Village, about 200 kilometers away. In 2002, Ximeng officially discussed and resolved through the county people's congress to designate 'The Wa People Sing a New Song' as the county song of Ximeng.
⏳Visiting time:
Buy a ticket to visit, the ticket price (including round-trip sightseeing car) is 55 yuan, and the visiting time is 2 to 3 hours.
Wengding Wa Royal Mansion
Wa ethnic primitive tribe visiting ancient towns and villages Wa village rural tourism Lincang travel The Wa king's mansion in Wengding was rebuilt in reference to the Banhong king Hu Yushan's mansion. In the seventeenth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces requested the court to reward the Banhong headman for his meritorious service in border dispute mediation, conferring him the title of Banhong Tusi (native chieftain), bestowing the surname Hu, the name Yushan, and allowing his descendants to inherit the title. A copper 'Banhong General Manager Tusi Seal' was issued for hereditary succession. During the Republic of China period, he was again appointed by the Yunnan provincial governor Long Yun as the Banhong General Manager, and in 1934, funds were provided for him to renovate the large house meeting hall built during the Qing dynasty, constructing a Wa king's mansion with a structure and layout similar to ordinary residences, but more spacious and grand, divided into three hearths, among which the main hearth was exclusively for the Wa king. The mansion, known as the Wa king's mansion, served as the office of the Banhong General Manager. After the liberation, his descendants handed over the seal to the state, ending the history of the hereditary chieftainship of Banhong. The structure and layout of the Wa king's mansion are the same as ordinary residences, but it is more spacious and grand, divided into three hearths, among which the main hearth is exclusively for the Wa king. The Wa king's mansion has many goddess pillars, shaped as goddesses standing with raised hands, using wood carving to record parts of the creation epic of Sigangli and its interpretation. The goddess pillars consist of three parts: the head with raised hands, eyes, nose, and mouth; the neck without patterns; and the body with many pattern symbols. Dots represent the stars in the sky, diagonal patterns represent mountains and rivers, swallowtail symbols represent the fire god swallow, tooth patterns represent fruits and harvest, triangular symbols represent the ever-burning hearth, and the horizontal and vertical stripes at the bottom represent the wooden drum that can communicate with the gods.
⏳Tour Time:
Purchase a ticket to visit, the scenic area tour time is 2 to 3 hours.
Wa ethnic traditional dwellings
Wa ethnic primitive tribe Wa hometown mystery Lincang visiting ancient towns and villages slow life in rural towns ethnic minority customs and dances Wengding Village is a natural village under the jurisdiction of Mengjiao Dai, Yi, and Lahu Township in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. It is a typical traditional village located in the southwest of Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County. 'Wengding' means a place shrouded in clouds and mist in the Wa language, and it also has the connotation of the spiritual beauty of high mountains, white clouds, and lakes. Wengding Daizhai faces south with its back to the north, and the whole village is shaped like a big chair, surrounded by mountains. The architectural style of the village is uniform, all wooden structures with thatched roofs, divided into two types: stilted and ground-style. The residential buildings include ground houses, stilted houses, and attached structures such as grain storage houses, wooden drum houses, sala houses, Mei Yiji sacrificial houses, and village gates, forming a complete Wa ethnic housing architectural system. The houses are divided into two floors, with the upper floor for living and the lower floor for livestock and poultry activities. Some blacksmith households also have a set of tools for bellows and iron forging on the lower floor. On December 17, 2012, Wengding Village was announced by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Culture, and the Ministry of Finance as one of the first batch of traditional Chinese villages. On February 14, 2021, at approximately 17:40, on the third day of the Chinese New Year, a fire broke out in Wengding Village, and out of 105 ancient buildings, 101 were burned down, with only 4 remaining intact. After the fire, Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County decided to fully restore the Wa ethnic culture, history, and customs of Wengding Village. After nearly two years of reconstruction, the burned Wengding ancient village has returned to people's view and was reopened on December 28, 2022. The Wengding Village in this note is the rebuilt village, and without looking at the data, one can hardly see the traces of the past fire.
⏳Visiting time:
Buy a ticket to visit, the ticket price is 55 yuan, take an electric car into the village, and the visiting time is 2 to 3 hours.
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The Gourd Town Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Cangyuan in Yunnan | Come check in at the Gourd Town
| Come check in at the Gourd Town.
Upon arriving in Cangyuan County, Lincang, Yunnan on the afternoon of the same day, we went to the Gourd Town. The town is located 2Km southwest of Cangyuan County, with convenient transportation, unique culture, and beautiful scenery. It is a cultural and lively tourism complex that integrates 'eating, staying, traveling, touring, shopping, and entertainment'.
Strolling through this small town on the edge of western Yunnan, you can see flowers and plants everywhere, retaining the unique architectural features of the Wa people's dwellings. The walls of the houses are covered with murals rich in Wa ethnic style. The murals are rich in content, depicting the life, rituals, and villages of the ancient Wa ancestors, as well as the modern Wa people's farming, love, and making wooden drums, with vivid images and bright colors.
Recommended dining: roasted suckling pig, chicken mush, Wu King's feast, fire-dried meat, and Wa tribe's rice wine, etc.
If you catch the 'Touch You Black' festival at the end of April, it's even more lively, and you can really get involved haha
Welcome friends who like this to like, collect, follow me, and stay tuned for more exciting content haha
7-day 6-night dream-seeking trip to the primitive tribe of Wengding in Yunnan
⭕️This mysterious tribe, known to few, has been reborn from the ashes,
as if it has awakened us all at once:
If there is a landscape you yearn for, be sure to go and see it,
don't let missing it become a permanent regret!
Follow the dream-seeking Wengding,
enter the world's lowland, the secret Cangyuan,
together to make up for the past regrets...
.
⭕️Itinerary reference:
D1: Gathering in Kunming
D2: Kunming--Huayao Dai Folk Village--Ailao Mountain (Nan'en Waterfall--Shimenxia--Tea Horse Ancient Road)
D3: Sunrise in Ailao Mountain--Jinshan Primitive Forest--Huaguoshan Forest Park
D4: Kilometer-long National Painting Corridor--Cangyuan Cliff Painting--Sigangli
D5: Gourd Town--Wengding Primitive Tribe
D6: Lincang--Mojiang Tropic of Cancer Marker Park--Confucius Temple
D7: Mojiang--Fuxian Lake---Kunming disband
.
⭕️Some scenic spots reference:
📍Mysterious Ailao Mountain--Nan'en Waterfall
Only by visiting the waterfall can you feel the power of nature.
📍Sigangli
Kilometer-long National Painting Corridor, a landscape painting naturally formed by rocks.
📍Cangyuan Cliff Painting
Regarded as a sacred place by the low tribe
📍Wengding
The last primitive tribe in China
📍Mojiang
The place where the sun turns
📍Fuxian Lake
A little-known romantic place
.
Wuyuan Sigangli Scenic Spot Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Zuyin·Sigangli, experience the Wa culture up close
At the end of the year, I came to the Sigangli Performing Arts Center Theater in Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province, to watch the large-scale original Wa song and dance drama 'Zuyin·Sigangli'. The drama is composed of five chapters: the creation ancient song, thanksgiving to heaven and earth, farming praise, new Wa song, and attachment to Wa mountain, with unique elements such as Wa village, cliff painting, knife dance, and rice pounding, showing the production and life scenes of the Wa people, allowing the audience to experience the Wa culture up close. Cangyuan Sigangli Scenic Area
Wa Palace Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Wengding Wa Royal Mansion
Wa ethnic primitive tribe visiting ancient towns and villages Wa village rural tourism Lincang travel The Wa king's mansion in Wengding was rebuilt in reference to the Banhong king Hu Yushan's mansion. In the seventeenth year of the Guangxu reign of the Qing dynasty, the governor of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces requested the court to reward the Banhong headman for his meritorious service in border dispute mediation, conferring him the title of Banhong Tusi (native chieftain), bestowing the surname Hu, the name Yushan, and allowing his descendants to inherit the title. A copper 'Banhong General Manager Tusi Seal' was issued for hereditary succession. During the Republic of China period, he was again appointed by the Yunnan provincial governor Long Yun as the Banhong General Manager, and in 1934, funds were provided for him to renovate the large house meeting hall built during the Qing dynasty, constructing a Wa king's mansion with a structure and layout similar to ordinary residences, but more spacious and grand, divided into three hearths, among which the main hearth was exclusively for the Wa king. The mansion, known as the Wa king's mansion, served as the office of the Banhong General Manager. After the liberation, his descendants handed over the seal to the state, ending the history of the hereditary chieftainship of Banhong. The structure and layout of the Wa king's mansion are the same as ordinary residences, but it is more spacious and grand, divided into three hearths, among which the main hearth is exclusively for the Wa king. The Wa king's mansion has many goddess pillars, shaped as goddesses standing with raised hands, using wood carving to record parts of the creation epic of Sigangli and its interpretation. The goddess pillars consist of three parts: the head with raised hands, eyes, nose, and mouth; the neck without patterns; and the body with many pattern symbols. Dots represent the stars in the sky, diagonal patterns represent mountains and rivers, swallowtail symbols represent the fire god swallow, tooth patterns represent fruits and harvest, triangular symbols represent the ever-burning hearth, and the horizontal and vertical stripes at the bottom represent the wooden drum that can communicate with the gods.
⏳Tour Time:
Purchase a ticket to visit, the scenic area tour time is 2 to 3 hours.
Nan'en Waterfall Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jun)
Ailao Mountain Off-the-Beaten-Path Hiking Guide
⛰️ Ailao Mountain is located in Xinping County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, with rich natural vegetation and is a famous natural scenic area in Yunnan Province.
🌈 Highlights: Shimenxia Scenic Area, Cloud Sea Sunrise, Nan'en Waterfall, Swallow Cliff Waterfall.
🎫 Ticket Information: Shimenxia Scenic Area 30 yuan/person, other natural attractions are free.
🚗 Transportation Strategy:
Drive to "Cloud Sea Sunrise Viewing Platform", where parking is available. Descend from "Zhongzhai" village to Swallow Cliff Waterfall.
✅ Hiking Route:
Cloud Sea Sunrise Viewing Platform — Zhongzhai Village — Swallow Cliff Waterfall
The one-way trip is 3km, with an additional exploration around the waterfall and the return trip, the total distance is about 6.5km, with an altitude climb of about 600m.
🍜 Must-Try Food:
At the foot of Ailao Mountain is Gasatown, which has now developed into a tourist town with its own characteristics. Gasatown Soup Pot is a local specialty, similar in taste to Xi'an's beef and mutton paomo.
✏️ Fun Tips:
1. Check the weather before you go, the scenery is better on sunny days, and take sun protection measures.
2. Friends who want to watch the sunrise and sea of clouds can stay in Gasatown the day before, or in a homestay on the mountain.
3. The hike to Swallow Cliff Waterfall is mainly on small paths and slopes, which are steep, dusty, and have many mosquitoes. Take precautions, the stones around the waterfall with water are very slippery, pay attention to safety during the visit.
4. There are no supply points along the hiking route, bring your own food and drink, preferably more water, followed by fruits and snacks, take care of the environment, and bring your own garbage bags.
5. Equipment is optional: quick-drying clothes and pants, sun hat, sunglasses, gloves, knee pads, anti-slip hiking shoes, floral water, band-aids, etc.
7-day 6-night dream-seeking trip to the primitive tribe of Wengding in Yunnan
⭕️This mysterious tribe, known to few, has been reborn from the ashes,
as if it has awakened us all at once:
If there is a landscape you yearn for, be sure to go and see it,
don't let missing it become a permanent regret!
Follow the dream-seeking Wengding,
enter the world's lowland, the secret Cangyuan,
together to make up for the past regrets...
.
⭕️Itinerary reference:
D1: Gathering in Kunming
D2: Kunming--Huayao Dai Folk Village--Ailao Mountain (Nan'en Waterfall--Shimenxia--Tea Horse Ancient Road)
D3: Sunrise in Ailao Mountain--Jinshan Primitive Forest--Huaguoshan Forest Park
D4: Kilometer-long National Painting Corridor--Cangyuan Cliff Painting--Sigangli
D5: Gourd Town--Wengding Primitive Tribe
D6: Lincang--Mojiang Tropic of Cancer Marker Park--Confucius Temple
D7: Mojiang--Fuxian Lake---Kunming disband
.
⭕️Some scenic spots reference:
📍Mysterious Ailao Mountain--Nan'en Waterfall
Only by visiting the waterfall can you feel the power of nature.
📍Sigangli
Kilometer-long National Painting Corridor, a landscape painting naturally formed by rocks.
📍Cangyuan Cliff Painting
Regarded as a sacred place by the low tribe
📍Wengding
The last primitive tribe in China
📍Mojiang
The place where the sun turns
📍Fuxian Lake
A little-known romantic place
.
Recommended Attractions at Popular Destinations
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