The news was updated on August 30, 2019.
One day in Xinhua, a seemingly mundane village sitting in northwest Yunnan’s Heqing county, begins with some rhythmic cling clang sound shrouded in morning mist.
However, only a few know that this is where the secret of it lays.
Xinhua, as a matter of fact, is an unusual place in which nearly every single household has been involved in the making of silverware for centuries.
In here, silver artifacts – even those with the simplest forms – might take a villager’s half month of work.
You perhaps can never believe that a quality and well-designed silver pot would entail up to one hundred thousand times of hammering before completion.
But this is exactly why these handicrafts, marked by durability and elegance, have gained much popularity among customers from the U.S., Japan, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Thailand, Pakistan and many more.
The production of silverware in Xinhua can be traced back to as early as the period of Nanzhao (738-920AD), one locally-built kingdom in Yunnan which synchronized with the Tang Dynasty, a peak for the entire history of ancient China.
But nothing seems to have been forgotten or discarded today – some 1,100 years later – as the enthusiasm of producing silver artworks was, and still is infused in the soul of silversmiths from Xinhua.
Silverware being created here range widely from rice bowls and kettles to tea cups, from bracelets and earrings to small statues and even fairly sophisticated crowns. And it seems that every one of them retains a good story, waiting to be heard.
Source from Yunnan Gateway.
The news was updated on August 29, 2019.
Dai brocade is an ancient handmade craft of Dai people, which is rich in regional and ethnic characteristics. The primitive simplicity and affluent colors and patterns make the brocade outshine those produced by machines. It carries the history and memories of Dai people.
Boasting a long history, Dai brocade is a kind of daily necessities used by Dai people, especially in religious rites and decorations. The materials for Dai brocade range from silk, wool, cotton, and linen to golden thread. And the cloth is made on traditional looms. As products of agricultural society, Dai brocade is extraordinarily precious as many skills of agrarian society died under the impact of the development of machine manufacturing in modern society.
Dai brocade has many kinds of patterns like flowers, grass, trees, elephants, kylins, horses, peacocks, bodhisattva, pagodas, dragon boats, geometric figures, houses, etc. It is often made with a piece of black cloth on which patterns are stitched with red, yellow, green, golden and silver silk. The gorgeous colors and neatly stitched patterns contribute to the uniqueness of the artworks.
As times goes by, the market shares of Dai brocade have shrunk under the impact of modern industry, and some embroiderers changed their careers. However, many craftsmen or craftswomen stay committed to passing on the Dai brocade skills and Lang Er is one of them.
Living in Fengping Township, Mang City, west Yunnan’s Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, Lang Er is a prefecture-level inheritor of Dai brocade. For more than 20 years, she has worked hard to improve her own brocade skills while teaching apprentices how to make the handicrafts.
“As I’m from Dai people. It’s my mission to carry on the skills,” she said.
Lang Er has also promoted the integration of Dai brocade with modern elements, injecting new vitality into the traditional skills.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/craft_0829/17607.html
The news was updated on August 22, 2019.
Ceramists from Australia, Japan and South Korea conducted an investigation tour in Hongta District, Huaning County and Jianshui County of SW China’s Yunnan Province recently, offering suggestions for development of Yunnan’s ceramic industry.
With abundant ceramic resources, Yunnan is famous for its ceramic artworks in China. The white ceramic of Yiliang County, glazed ceramic of Huaning County, black ceramic of Shangri-La City…… just name few, are popular among ceramists and consumers in the country.
However, as Yunnan is promoting the integration between tourism and culture, how to inject vitality into the development of traditional ceramic industry in the province is much talked.
“Yunnan ceramic has a long history. Kilns in Hongta and Huaning impressed me as their architecture and craftsmanship are all in traditional Chinese style,” said Maree, a ceramist from Australia.
She added that owners of the kilns have combined ancient craftsmanship with modern ideals, so she suggested them to focus on the most advanced technology and fashionable trend for the sources of inspirations.
Mr. Shen Zheng Shun, a ceramist from South Korea said that development of ceramic industry in Huaning County had to keep up pace with that of local tourism. He suggested that ceramic making could be included in the design of travel routes to bring more personalized experiences for tourits. In this way, tourists could know more about the ceramic history and DIY artworks.
For the development of purple pottery in Jianshui, the ceramists advised the local government to launch more public welfare programs to train more experienced workers.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/craft_0822/17559.html
The news was updated on August 20, 2019.
Yang Guobao, a local resident from Shiping cleans up his upturned roof with care
No matter where they locate, old architectures are something that can always trigger people’s memory or imagination of the past. This is not exceptional in Yunnan, either.
However, many hundred-year-old residences here, mostly featured with one or another specific regional architectural style, have been eroded or even torn down by natural forces over the past a few decades.
Shiping, a key historic town in south Yunnan province, received a fund of 20,000,000 yuan from the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation in 2016, which bears a particular mission to save old and fragile folk houses across the country.
This has surely given a new life to these wooden folk houses.
Since the April of 2018, 18 of them have been fully repaired, with the same materials and techniques that were applied hundreds of years ago when they were built in the first place.
A detailed instruction has also been made to guide the further repair and maintenance of these native cultural heritages.
Now, renewed folk houses once again come into the sight and life of local residents.
Cang Xiaoyu, 75, rests at her home in Fujiaying village, Shiping
73-year-old Yang Guobao chats with his granddaughter in the yard.
Yang makes wood beams by hand.
Overlook of a repaired residence in Fujiaying village
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/latestnews_0820/17539.html
When are the best times to visit Jianshui in spring, summer or autumn or winter? The best seasons to visit Jianshui are spring and autumn, when the weather is comfortable for Jianshui Trip. Check the best Weather and Climate information in Jianshui, China. Find out the best time to visit Jianshui, clothes tips, weather forecast for the following 7 days.
The news was updated on August 21, 2019.
There is no doubt that people of different places tend to design and build houses in accordance with their unique natural and geographical settings.
Yunnan, marked by its widespread mountainous areas, subtropical and tropical climates as well as multi-ethnicity, remains some of the most distinctive folk residences across China.
The Yinzi House
Dubbed the Seal, Yinzi house is a common architectural form among the Han and Yi communities of Kunming.
With a small squared courtyard seating in the center, the entire residence looks like an imperial Chinese jade seal from the outside.
In fact, the Seal is a traditional house type of northern China. Residents of Kunming cleverly take the form and make it adapt to the local geographical nature.
The Bamboo House of Xishuangbanna
Thanks to the lush bamboo forests surrounded, bamboo-made houses can be found everywhere in southern Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna, the home of the Dai and Jingpo minorities.
Known as Yunnan’s tropical paradise, Xishuangbanna keeps with a sweltering and humid climate all year around. Such two-storey bamboo houses thus are particularly helpful to avoid the nuisance of dampness and separate people from their livestock in the meantime.
Apart from the commodious and airy space inside, bamboo houses are also featured by their steep slope roofs which can be identified from hundreds of meters away.
The Muleng House of Lisu and Mosuo
Muleng houses refer to homes of the Mosuo and Lisu groups who dwell among the Nujiang or Lijiang regions in northwest Yunnan.
Normally erected alongside rivers and lakes, these cabins are built up purely by pristine round logs without any nails in between to connect one section with another.
The wooden materials have contributed to keeping Muleng house a cozily warm place in winter days and a cooling one during the summer. In addition, because of some wedge shaped parts being employed, the houses could play a vital role in mitigating the effects of earthquake.
The Tuzhang House of Yi
Characterized by their terraced layout and interconnectivity, Tuzhang houses are a symbol of the Yi minority of Yunnan.
A typical Tuzhang house is founded by stones. Once the mud brick wall is completed, planks or bamboos slats are soon laid down on crossbeams to build a deck. And then another layer of mud has to be paved in order to solidify this newly-made surface. Such roof is often used as a field to dehydrate food ingredients.
Local-style dwelling houses
No matter what forms they take, folk residences should be deemed an outcome of the long term mutual adaptation between mankind and the nature. To some extent, it is these highly diverse architectural works that have shaped and reshaped the multi-ethnic culture of Yunnan.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/ethnics_0821/17551.html
There are many hiking opportunities near Shangri-La, but this is one of the more spectacular yet easy ones. Rather unknown and not well connected with roads, hiking to Abujicuo (Abuji Lake, 阿布吉措) is a nice daytrip away from the crowds and tourist attractions of Shangri-La in Northern Yunnan, China.
Abujicuo has recently become a bit more well-known and now attracts locals as well as outdoor-loving tourists. But even though it has stunning views and is quite close to Shangri-La, not many people are visiting due to the rather underdeveloped infrastructure. Thus, the hike to Abujicuo is perfect for you if you’d like to be independent and do your own thing (just as we do).
The hike is easy and offers great views of the valley, mountains and lake. You’ll also see local farmers, herds of yaks, horses and pigs.
Naming
“Cuo” (措) is the Mandarin Chinese spelling for the Tibetan word “tso”, meaning lake. Many lakes in the Tibetan areas of Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, and of course Tibet itself are named with “cuo” in the end.
Legend has it that Abujicuo was undiscovered for a long time. One day, a farmer lost a cow called “Abu” and set out to search for it. During the search, he kept shouting “Abu”, and finally found the animal near this lake. Henceforth, it was called “Abuji Lake” or Abujicuo.
If you happen to be traveling in Shangri-La, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, these days, it is advisable to go hiking in the Abuji scenic area that features a pristine lake and vegetations in early autumn.
Surrounded by lush mountains in Xiaozhongdian Town, the holy Abuji looks like a fairyland with dreamy clouds. It takes around one-hour drive and 2-hour hiking to finish the one-way journey from the Shangri-La county seat to the lake area.
The lake lies at an elevation of 4358 meters above sea level, and it’s great pleasure to admire the rare alpine flowers and clear waters near the traces. The bumpy path to the area can be hard to identify at times, so a local tour guide can facilitate a lot in exploring the holy area.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/travel_0821/17550.html
Jianshui Roasted Tofu建水烧豆腐
Jianshui Steam Pot Chicken
Jianshui Steam Pot Chicken is a traditional dish from Jianshui County, Yunnan Province, China, and belongs to Yunnan cuisine. It is famous for its unique cooking method and delicate flavor, prepared using a special clay steam pot from Jianshui that preserves the original taste and tenderness of the ingredients.
How to Prepare Jianshui Steam Pot Chicken
Ingredients
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Main Ingredient: Free-range chicken (preferably local Jianshui chicken for the best texture)
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Accompaniments: Ginger slices, scallion segments, slices of Xuanwei ham (or Yunnan ham)
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Seasonings: Salt, white pepper, cooking wine, chicken essence (optional)
Steps
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Preparation:
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Clean the chicken, cut it into small pieces, and soak in water briefly to remove blood.
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Pat dry and marinate with a little salt and cooking wine for 10 minutes.
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Setting Up the Steam Pot:
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The Jianshui steam pot has two parts: a bottom pot for boiling water and a top pot with a lid.
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Place ginger slices and scallion segments at the bottom of the steam pot, followed by ham slices, and arrange the marinated chicken on top.
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Steaming:
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Place the steam pot over a pot of water, cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat.
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Reduce to medium heat and steam for 2–3 hours (adjust based on the tenderness of the chicken).
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The steam circulates through the pot, infusing the chicken with moisture and flavor.
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Seasoning:
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After steaming, season with salt and white pepper to taste, and garnish with chopped scallions.
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Special Features
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The Steam Pot: The unique design of the Jianshui steam pot preserves the original juices and flavors of the ingredients, making the chicken exceptionally tender.
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Ham Pairing: Xuanwei or Yunnan ham adds a rich aroma to the dish.
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Steaming Time: Ensure the chicken is steamed long enough to absorb flavors but not overcooked.
Cultural Background
Jianshui Steam Pot Chicken is not just a dish but also a cultural symbol of Jianshui, a historic city in Yunnan known for its rich culinary traditions. The steam pot was invented during the Qing Dynasty by a local craftsman to improve cooking methods and has since become a cultural icon.
If you visit Jianshui, don’t miss the chance to try this authentic dish and experience the unique flavors of Yunnan!
The news was updated on August 13, 2019.
Located on the shore of Erhai Lake in west Yunnan’s Dali, the 2,000-year-old Gusheng Village has optimized its ecological environment and generated new vitality.
Bai people accounts for more than 98% population of Gusheng Village. Ancient bridges, temples, trees, opera stages and folk houses have witnessed the time-honored history of the village.
As it is located near Erhai Lake, Gusheng is closely connected to the water quality of the lake. In recent years, local villagers have increased their eco protection effort and local environment have been improved.
The notion of ecological protection has enjoyed wide support from villagers. Every household is now equipped with sewage disposal system for the kitchen, toilet, laundry and breeding. Rainwater and sewage are handled separately, and only the water, of which the quality meets the required standard, can be discharged into the lake.
In the meantime, the villagers have beautified their hometown. Folk houses decorated with paintings has constituted a idyllic picture, together with the blue sky, white clouds and clean water, attracting a large number of tourists.
In 2015, Gusheng Village was listed in the third batch of national traditional villages; in 2016, it was named one of the top 100 beautiful villages in China; and in 2017, it was honored as the fifth national civilized village.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/people_0813/17494.html
The news was updated on August 9, 2019.
Ma Suying, a teacher of Yi ethnic group from Huangmaoling Central Primary School in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, devotes herself to promoting Yi embroidery.
Ma Suying has been working in rural schools for more than twenty years. About ten years ago, she teamed up with Shanghai volunteers to establish a programme in Huangmaoling, which has helped hundreds of students. In order to further improve the lives of local people, she has made efforts to promote Yi embroidery since 2017.
Featuring patterns of animals, plants, mountains, rivers and celestial phenomena, Yi embroidery shows the images of ancient totems and is known for beautiful designs and bold colors.
In 2017, Ma Suying and the volunteers from Shanghai founded the “Cloud Embroidery Workshop” where trainings for local female embroiders have been organized. The workshop is also engaged in designing and producing handicrafts with excellent workmanship and practicability.
Their effort proves successful, as embroidery has brought handsome income for many families in Huangmaoling.
Now, Ma Suying has organized embroidery classes in Shanghai and the traditional craft becomes popular with local citizens.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/people_0809/17462.html
Basic Information
Address: No. 121, Renmin Road, Yuanyang County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province (云南省红河哈尼族彝族自治州元阳县人民路121号)
Contact Number: 0873-5643485
Business Hours: 06:00–19:00
Main Bus Routes
Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal is a key transportation hub in Yuanyang County, operating intercity coaches within Yunnan Province and Honghe Prefecture, as well as rural bus services to surrounding towns.
1. Long-Distance Coaches (Intercity/Interprefecture)
To Kunming (昆明): 2–3 daily departures (approx. 8:00–10:00 AM). A new-energy bus departs from Xinjie Bus Terminal (新街汽车客运站) at 11:00 AM and picks up passengers at Nansha Bus Terminal at 12:00 PM. Fare: 69 RMB/person.
Popular Routes Within Honghe Prefecture:
- Gejiu (个旧), Jianshui (建水), Mengzi (蒙自), Kaiyuan (开远): Frequent departures (approx. hourly), first bus around 7:00 AM, last bus around 5:00 PM.
- Other Destinations: Such as Meihekou (梅河口), Jinkuang (金矿), Honghezhou (红河州), etc. Please inquire at the terminal for specific schedules.
2. Rural Buses (Local Routes)
Xinjie Town (新街镇, old county seat), Niujiaozhai (牛角寨), Majie (马街), Shalatuo (沙拉托), Huangcaoling (黄草岭), Aicun (爱村), etc.: Frequent departures, but vehicles may be smaller. Advance ticket purchase is recommended.
Ticketing Services
Purchase Methods:
- On-site ticket counters
- Online booking via the “Honghe Hongda” (红河红达) WeChat mini-program
Fare Reference:
- Yuanyang → Kunming (昆明): 69 RMB/person (new-energy bus)
- Short-distance within Honghe Prefecture: 10–50 RMB (varies by destination)
Terminal Features
- A small convenience store is available for snacks, drinks, and travel essentials.
- Efficient ticketing and waiting services ensure a smooth travel experience.
Nearby Transportation
- Taxi: No direct public transit available near the terminal. Taxis are recommended, with a starting fare of 5 RMB (first 3 km) and 1.2 RMB per additional km.
- Self-Driving/Pickup: Located in downtown Nansha Town (南沙镇), navigable via “Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal” (元阳南沙汽车客运站).
Travel Tips
- During holidays, additional departures may be available. Advance booking is advised.
- Some rural routes may be affected by weather. Call ahead (0873-5643485) for updates.
Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal is committed to providing safe and convenient travel services, serving as a vital hub for trips to Kunming, Honghe Prefecture, and surrounding towns in Yuanyang.
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Xinhua: a thousand-year-old silver village
The news was updated on August 30, 2019. One day in Xinhua, a seemingly mundane village sitting in northwest Yunnan’s Heqing county, begins with some rhythmic cling clang sound...
Dai brocade: Weaving the memories of Dai people
The news was updated on August 29, 2019. Dai brocade is an ancient handmade craft of Dai people, which is rich in regional and ethnic characteristics. The primitive simplicity and affluent...
Int’l ceramists offer suggestions for Yunnan ceramic industry
The news was updated on August 22, 2019. Ceramists from Australia, Japan and South Korea conducted an investigation tour in Hongta District, Huaning County and Jianshui County of SW...
Traditional folk houses revive in Shiping, S Yunnan
The news was updated on August 20, 2019. Yang Guobao, a local resident from Shiping cleans up his upturned roof with care No matter where they locate, old architectures...
Best Time to Visit Jianshui
When are the best times to visit Jianshui in spring, summer or autumn or winter? The best seasons to visit Jianshui are spring and autumn, when the weather is...
Come to have a home stay in Yunnan
The news was updated on August 21, 2019. There is no doubt that people of different places tend to design and build houses in accordance with their unique natural...
Shangri-La Hiking Tour through the Abujicuo Lake and Abuji Pasture
There are many hiking opportunities near Shangri-La, but this is one of the more spectacular yet easy ones. Rather unknown and not well connected with roads, hiking to Abujicuo...
Steam Pot Chicken in Jianshui, Honghe
Jianshui Steam Pot Chicken Jianshui Steam Pot Chicken is a traditional dish from Jianshui County, Yunnan Province, China, and belongs to Yunnan cuisine. It is famous for its unique...
Ancient village in Dali generates new vitality
The news was updated on August 13, 2019. Located on the shore of Erhai Lake in west Yunnan’s Dali, the 2,000-year-old Gusheng Village has optimized its ecological environment and...
Rural teacher makes Yi embroidery popular with city dwellers
The news was updated on August 9, 2019. Ma Suying, a teacher of Yi ethnic group from Huangmaoling Central Primary School in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of...
Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal
Basic Information Address: No. 121, Renmin Road, Yuanyang County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province (云南省红河哈尼族彝族自治州元阳县人民路121号) Contact Number: 0873-5643485 Business Hours: 06:00–19:00 Main Bus Routes Yuanyang Nansha...
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