Kanmaoniu Village of Songping Town in Yongsheng County, Lijiang

Geographical Location

Kanmao Niu Village （看牦牛村）is located at the southwestern foot of Changping Mountain in Songping Township, Yongsheng County, Lijiang City, and is under the jurisdiction of Xialama Village Committee. It is about 80 kilometers away from the Yongsheng County town and is situated in a high - altitude cold - climate mountainous area with an altitude of around 3000 meters. The village is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the Jinsha River flows by the village, offering extremely beautiful natural scenery.

Ethnic Groups and Traditional Skills

Ethnic Composition (民族构成)

Kanmao Niu Village is a settlement predominantly inhabited by the Naxi people. There are 127 households with a total population of 407 people, all of whom are Naxi. The Naxi people, one of the main ethnic groups in Lijiang, have preserved their rich ethnic traditions here.

Traditional Skills (传统技艺)

• Naxi Handicraft Textile (纳西族手工纺织): Naxi women have passed down the ancient skill of handicraft textile - making. Using traditional wooden looms, they spin cotton grown locally or wool collected into yarn and weave it into cloth. During the weaving process, they incorporate techniques such as pattern - picking and embroidery to create auspicious patterns on the fabric.
• Dongba Paper - making (东巴造纸): This unique paper - making process of the Naxi people is complex and delicate. Using the local endemic Daphne genus plant, Daphne lichiangensis, as the raw material, it goes through many processes, including collection, drying, soaking, boiling, washing, pounding, paper - pouring, paper - sticking, and paper - drying. Dongba paper is strong and has the characteristic of being mothproof, serving as an important carrier for the inheritance of Dongba culture.
• Woodcarving (木雕工艺): The woodcarving skill in Kanmao Niu Village integrates the styles of multiple ethnic groups. Villagers select high - quality wood, such as azalea wood and walnut wood. Carved by craftsmen, various woodcarving works are produced. The patterns cover a wide range of topics, including myths and legends, historical stories, and local natural scenery.

Customs and Festivals

Daily Customs (日常习俗)

• Dietary Customs (饮食习俗): The diet of Kanmao Niu villagers integrates the characteristics of the Naxi ethnic group. The main food consists of rice and noodles. The dining table often features Naxi dishes such as smoked pork ribs and various - flavored baba, as well as Tibetan delicacies such as butter tea and tsampa. In terms of dining etiquette, the Naxi tradition of respecting the elderly and honoring the elders is deeply rooted. Younger generations must wait for their elders to start eating before they can begin.
• Living Customs (居住习俗): The houses in the village are mostly traditional Naxi log cabins, built along the mountain and blending with the beautiful rural scenery of the village. These houses consist of a main room, a room for young men and women, a storage room, and a stable. Every household has a chestnut wood grain rack in the courtyard.

Important Festivals (重要节日)

• Sky Worship Festival (祭天节): One of the important traditional festivals of the Naxi people. Villagers gather together at specific times to hold sky - worshiping ceremonies, praying for favorable weather and a good harvest.
• Torch Festival (火把节): On the twenty - fourth day of the sixth lunar month, the Yi, Bai, and other ethnic groups jointly celebrate the Torch Festival. On that evening, every household sets up a tall torch in front of their door, made of pine torches and firewood, and decorated with colorful flags. As night falls, the torches are lit. Villagers hold small torches and parade around the big torch, chanting blessings. Subsequently, a grand bonfire party is held, with people singing and dancing around the bonfire.

Ancient Architecture

Kanmao Niu Village has completely preserved 117 Naxi traditional log cabins. These log cabins are exemplary buildings of modern - day mountainous Naxi dwellings in Lijiang with a certain scale. In 2012, they were listed as a key cultural relic protection unit in Lijiang City, and in 2014, the village was announced as one of China's traditional villages. These log cabins are built along the mountain, integrating with the beautiful rural scenery of the village and appearing simple and traditional.

Tourism Resources

Natural Scenery (自然景观)

• Rural Landscape (田园风光): Kanmao Niu Village is surrounded by vast and fertile farmlands with different scenery in each season. In spring, the fields are full of tender green wheat seedlings and fava bean seedlings, presenting a scene of vitality. In summer, the golden rapeseed flowers and plump rice panicles sway in the wind, showing the hope of harvest. In autumn, the rice fields are fragrant with a golden carpet covering the earth. In winter, although the farmland looks a bit desolate, the distant mountains and the farmland form a quiet ink - wash painting.
• Forest Landscape (山林景观): The surrounding area of the village has vast forest land with a high forest coverage rate and a wide variety of trees. Walking in the forest, you can breathe fresh air, admire various rare plants, and hear the cheerful songs of birds. There are also some clear streams in the forest, with gurgling water adding a touch of liveliness.
• Ancient Tree Landscape (古树景观): Tall ancient trees in the village overshadow the simple log cabins. These trees are large and thick, with many requiring three or four people to encircle them. The trees have lush foliage, and their crowns are covered with parasitic plants, standing like large umbrellas in the village.

Cultural Scenery (人文景观)

• Cultural Experience (民族文化体验): Visitors can delve into Naxi families to experience their daily lives. Learn traditional handicrafts such as handicraft textile - making, Dongba paper - making, and woodcarving, taste Naxi - specific cuisine, and feel the unique lifestyle and cultural atmosphere of the Naxi people.
• Ancient Architecture Tour (古建筑游览): Visit the traditional log cabins in the village to appreciate the charm of Naxi traditional architecture. These log cabins are well - preserved and are one of the richest concentrations of Naxi traditional dwellings in Lijiang City.

Leisure and Entertainment (休闲娱乐)

• Picking Experience (采摘体验): The fruit - growing industry in Kanmao Niu Village and the surrounding areas is well - developed, with many orchards distributed around. During the fruit - ripening season, visitors can go to the orchards to participate in picking activities. They can pick fresh apples, pears, cherries, and other fruits by themselves, taste the sweetness of nature's gifts, and experience the joy of harvest.
• Hiking (徒步旅行): Starting from Kanmao Niu Village, you can hike to Changping Mountain, enjoying the beautiful natural scenery along the way, including primeval forests and alpine meadows.