Nanhua County is a district of hills in the northwest and mountains in the southeast,with some embankment and canyons. The highest peak is Incense temple mountain, rising to 2861.1 meters in the Longtan Mountain of Red Soil Town, and the lowest point is 963 meters in Majie county. It has an area of 2343 square kilometers, population of 239.9 thousand.

By the end of 2012, Nanhua county has an ethnic minority population of 102912 , which accounts for 42.9% of the total population, including 90721 yi, 37.8% of the population; Bai 9215 people, accounting for 3.8% of the population; Hui 2093, accounting for 0.9% of the total population. Various minorities promote the long-standing and colorful culture here.

Traditions and Customs of Torch Festival in Each Dynasty

The Torch Festival or Fire Festival (Chinese: 火把节; pinyin: Huǒbǎ Jié) is one of the main holidays of the Yi people of southwest China, and is also celebrated by other ethnic groups of the region. It is celebrated on the 24th or 25th day of the sixth month of the Yi calendar, corresponding to August in the Gregorian calendar. It commemorates the legendary wrestler Atilaba, who drove away a plague of locusts using torches made from pine trees. Since 1993, the government of the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan has sponsored a modernised celebration of the festival, featuring wrestling, horse racing, dance shows, and a beauty contest. Different groups set the festival at different time.

In the Torch Festival, every family needs to light a torch and hold the torch to illuminate the corners in the room and walk around the fields. Some villagers even have torch parade so as to drive away all bad lucks and pray for a harvest. The custom of holding a torch to shed light on tree and field was found in Han people in Southern Song Dynasty. In Ming and Qing Dynasties, people in Zhejiang and Jiangsu Provinces had the custom as well. The most attractive activity is the Bonfire Party. People play music instruments like Yusheng(乐声), yueqin(月琴) and sanxian(three stringed plucked instrument), singing and dancing for a whole night.

Early Yi History

The ancestors of Yi people, known as Kunming people, had close relations with the Shiqiang people. Historical records written in the Han and the old Yi languages show that the ancestors of the Yi, Bai, Naxi, Lahu and Lisu ethnic groups were closely related with ancient Di and Qiang people in west China. In the period between the 2nd century B.C. and the early Christian era, the activities of the ancient Yis centered around the areas of Dianchi in Yunnan and Qiongdou in Sichuan. After the 3rd century, the ancient Yis extended their activities from the Anning River valley, the Jinsha River, the Dianchi Lake and the Ailao Mountains to northeastern Yunnan, southern Yunnan, northwestern Guizhou and northwestern Guangxi.

In the Eastern Han (25-220), Wei (220-265) and Jin (265-420) dynasties, inhabitants in these areas came to be known as “Yi,” the character for which meant “barbarian.” After the Jin Dynasty, the Yis of the clan named Cuan became rulers of the Dianchi area, northeastern Yunnan and the Honghe (Red) River area. Later those places were called “Cuan areas” which fell into the east and west parts. The inhabitants there belonged to tribes speaking the Yi language.

In the Tang and Song dynasties, the Yis living in “East Cuan” were called “Wumans.” In different historical periods, “Cuan” changed from the surname of a clan to the name of a place, and further to the name of a tribe. In the Yuan and Ming dynasties, “Cuan” was often used to refer to the Yis. After the Yuan Dynasty, part of “Cuan” acquired the name “Luoluo” (Ngolok), which probably originated from “Luluman,” one of the seven “Wuman” tribes in the Tang Dynasty. From that time on, most Yis called themselves “Luoluo,” although many different appellations existed. This name lasted from the Ming and Qing dynasties till liberation.

Yaoan County Culture

Shiyang, one of the earliest historic and cultural towns of Yunnan Province, is 35 kilometers northwest of Dayao County, Chuxiong Prefecture. Shiyang is known for its “salt culture” and Confucian culture.

The salt production can date back to the West Han Dynasty (202 B.C-9 A.D), and it was most booming in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties when the salt output could meet the demand of over 1 million residents of the counties of Yao’an, Yongren, Huaping and Xiangyun etc. Multitudes of traders and horse caravans flocked into Shiyang in the Song Dynasty (960-1279), making it an important stop on the South Silk Road. The Confucian Temple of Shiyang, located at the foot of Xingling Mountain, was first built in Hongwu Period of the Ming Dynasty. A copper statue of Mr. Confucius is enshrined in it. With a weight of 2,500 kg and a height of 2.3 meters, the statue is rare of its kind in the whole country.

Yi Religion

The have traditionally honored a pantheon of spirits and gods—including ones representing animals, plants, the sun, the moon and the stars—and incorporated elements of Buddhism and Taoism into their spiritual belief system. Sacrifices have been made to ancestors and ghost have been placated. According to the Yi creation myth: “In the beginning there was only women.” Protestant and Catholic missionaries had some success converted the Yi in the early 20th century and some of these communities remain alive today.

Yi shaman are known as bimo. Highly respected, they carry out sacrifices and perform healing rituals with incense and bowls of chicken blood. Headmen are responsible for controlling ghosts with magic. Often bimo were the only ones who could read the sacred texts that included clan histories, myths and literature.The chicken is an important totemic animal to the Yi. It is honored in a special dance performed at night by dozens of people wearing hats with strung beads arranged in the shape of chicken combs. To the accompaniment of a moon guitars, the dancers execute fast tempo steps from the knee down that mimic the movements of a chicken.

According to the Chinese government: The Yis in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi believed in polytheism before liberation 1949, combining worship for ancestors with the influence of Taoism and Buddhism. The Yis in the Liangshan Mountains worshipped gods and ghosts and believed in idolatry, and offered sacrifices to forefathers frequently. Their religious activities were presided over by sorcerers.

According to the U.S. Department of State: “Adherents of the Bimo shamanistic religion, practiced by many of the eight million ethnic Yi living in southwest China, continued to seek government approval to register Bimo as an officially sanctioned religion, but were unable to do so. This limited the Yi people’s ability to preserve their religious heritage.

Yongren County History

If you want to spend your leisure time in Yongren County,don’t worry, you can find the the bars and clubs easily in Nanjain County. Maybe you are not interesting in bar and clubs and do not want to watch performance,you can also go to tea house.That is a good choice.

Name：Shenghuang KTV(盛KTV)

Tel:0872-6711770

Address：Around Huangcheng East Road,Yongren County,Chuxiong

Name：Ouxinile KTV(欧西尼乐KTV)

Address：B-(-103)Old Town Business Districted,Yongren County,Chuxiong

Name：Wenmiao Tea House（文庙茶楼)

Tel：0878-6711546

Address：No.18，Jianshe Road,Yongren County,Chuxiong

Name：Ruan Tea Bar(如安茶舍)

Address：Around Huangcheng South Road,Yongren County,Chuxiong

Name：Yunhai Bar(云海酒吧)

Address：Near No.07，Wenhui Road,Yongren County,Chuxiong

Name：Senlinyinxiang Bar(森林印象酒吧)

Tel：15096483927

Address：Near Yongqiao Road,Yongren County,Chuxiong

The Torch Festival (火把节)

The Torch Festival is a traditional festival popular in the regions of the Yi people in Shuangbai county. It is also celebrated among other ethnic groups such as the Bai, Naxi, Jinuo and Lahu. The festival features lighting up torches, hence its name. It usually falls in early June of the lunar calendar or on the 24th or 25th of the month, usually lasting for three days of celebrations. The origin of the festival may have something to do with the worship of fire by ancestors, who believed fire had the power to repel insects, drive away evils and hence protect crop growth. For some ethnic groups, it is a tradition of the festival for elders to share farming experience with young people and admonish them to take care of crops.

Yi Ethnic Costume Festival Held in Yongren

When many parts of Yunnan Province were soaked in the festive ambiance of the Lantern Festival on 24 February (lunar 15 January), the Yi ethnic members of Zhiju Village of Yongren County were busy with a special “fashion show” of their own—the costume festival or contest.

The costume festival has enjoyed a long history in Zhiju Village of Yongren County’s Zhonghe Town, Chuxiong Yi autonomous Prefecture. Spent annually on lunar 15 January by the Yi ethnic people, it is a very important event for the Yis–especially young girls (Lipo in the Yi ethnic language) who get dressed early in the morning and throng into the fairground.

Conventionally, each Yi ethnic village near Zhiju has its own delegation and all the must-wear traditional costumes are embroidered by the villagers themselves. When the event is announced to kick off, participants are seen staging “fashion show” and assorted cultural performances with the accompaniment of musical instruments such as Lusheng instruments and trumpets.

At the events, different colourful embroidered wears bring a scene of grandeur, from the head to feet. It’s said that, by showing the workmanship of the costumes, Yi ethnic young girls are deemed as the most diligent, most beautiful and most preferred by Yi boys (Li’me in the Yi ethnic language).

The Panthay Rebellion (1856–1873), known to Chinese as the Du Wenxiu Rebellion (Tu Wen-hsiu Rebellion;Chinese: 杜文秀起義; pinyin: Dù Wénxiù Qǐyì), was a rebellion of the Muslim Hui people and other (non-Muslim) ethnic minorities against the Manchu rulers of the Qing Dynasty in southwestern Yunnan Province, as part of a wave of Hui-led multi-ethnic unrest.

The name “Panthay” is a Burmese word, which is said to be identical with the Shan word Pang hse.[1] It was the name by which the Burmese called the Chinese Muslims who came with caravans to Burma from the Chinese province of Yunnan. The name was not used or known in Yunnan itself.

As for nightlife activities,Yuanmou does not differ a lot from other cities in China. Bars, KTV, disco and other clubs can easily be found around the city. Jingcheng Bar (景城酒吧) gathers a lots of bars and clubs for people to enjoy their night inYuanmou Shang Cheng shuiyi 尚城水逸Xiangshuiming Tea house (湘水名茶楼)Ying tai Hotel KTV( 盈泰大酒店-KTV) You can enjoy your time here.Besides ,there are many festivals .

Jingcheng Bar 景城酒吧

Address：On Faxiang RoAD OF Yuanmou county in Chuxiong.楚雄彝族自治州元谋县发祥路

Tel：13578455511

Shang Cheng shuiyi 尚城水逸

Address：Fanahe village of Yuanmou county in Chuxiong.楚雄彝族自治州元谋县元马镇法那禾村

Tel：13618789939

Xiangshuiming Tea house 湘水名茶楼

Address：2nd floor in Xintiandi of Yuanmou county in Chuxiong.楚雄彝族自治州元谋县新天地2楼

Tel：0878-8223466

Ying tai Hotel KTV 盈泰大酒店-KTV

Address：No,27 on Fengxiang Street of Yunmou county in Chuxiong.楚雄彝族自治州元谋县凤翔街27盈泰大酒店内

Tel：0878-8317366

Festivals

Torch Festival of Yi

The Torch Festival, which falls on June 24 – according to the Lunar Calendar of the Yi nationality — every year, is the most important traditional holiday of Yi people.

During the festival, people burn torches for three days and nights to drive away insects from eating crops.

The Torch Festival falls on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month. On that day, Yi people from Shilin County gather at the Stone Forest and participate in various activities, such as shopping in the open market fair, bull fighting, dancing and a fireworks display. It is also a good opportunity for young men and women to meet their prospective spouses.

Chahua festival

Chahua festival is another characteristic festival which is held to commemorate the hero, Mi Yinu, who helped the Yi people overcome the tyrannical ruler. When the Maying flowers blossom, people will wear them on their hairs or present them to each other and sing to their heart’s content to celebrate their happy life.

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Nanhua County Culture

Nanhua County is a district of hills in the northwest and mountains in the southeast,with some embankment and canyons. The highest peak is Incense temple mountain, rising to 2861.1...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Nanhua County

Yaoan County History

Early Yi History The ancestors of Yi people, known as Kunming people, had close relations with the Shiqiang people. Historical records written in the Han and the old Yi...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Yaoan County

Yaoan County Entertainment

If you want to spend your leisure time in Yaoan County,don’t worry, you can find the the bars and clubs easily in Nanjain County. Maybe you are not interesting...

Festivals and Events    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Nightlife and Entertainment in Chuxiong
• Yaoan County

Yaoan County Culture

Yaoan County Culture...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Yaoan County

Dayao County History

Shiyang, one of the earliest historic and cultural towns of Yunnan Province, is 35 kilometers northwest of Dayao County, Chuxiong Prefecture. Shiyang is known for its “salt culture” and...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Dayao County

Dayao County Entertainment

If you want to spend your leisure time in Dayao County,don’t worry, you can find the the bars and clubs easily in Nanjain County. Maybe you are not interesting...

Festivals and Events    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Dayao County
• Nightlife and Entertainment in Chuxiong

Dayao County Culture

Yi Religion The have traditionally honored a pantheon of spirits and gods—including ones representing animals, plants, the sun, the moon and the stars—and incorporated elements of Buddhism and Taoism...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Dayao County

Yongren County History

Yongren County History...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Yongren County

Yongren County Entertainment

If you want to spend your leisure time in Yongren County,don’t worry, you can find the the bars and clubs easily in Nanjain County. Maybe you are not interesting...

Festivals and Events    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Nightlife and Entertainment in Chuxiong
• Yongren County

Yongren County Culture

Yi Ethnic Costume Festival Held in Yongren When many parts of Yunnan Province were soaked in the festive ambiance of the Lantern Festival on 24 February (lunar 15 January),...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Yongren County

Yuanmou County History

The Panthay Rebellion (1856–1873), known to Chinese as the Du Wenxiu Rebellion (Tu Wen-hsiu Rebellion;Chinese: 杜文秀起義; pinyin: Dù Wénxiù Qǐyì), was a rebellion of the Muslim Hui people and...

Overview    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Yuanmou County

Yuanmou County Entertainment

As for nightlife activities,Yuanmou does not differ a lot from other cities in China. Bars, KTV, disco and other clubs can easily be found around the city. Jingcheng Bar...

Festivals and Events    Veiw

• Chuxiong
• Nightlife and Entertainment in Chuxiong
• Yuanmou County