Lancang Lahu Autonomous County (simplified Chinese: 澜沧拉祜族自治县; traditional Chinese: 瀾滄拉祜族自治縣; pinyin: Láncāng lāhùzú Zìzhìxiàn) is an autonomous county under the jurisdiction of Pu’er City, in southwestern Yunnan province, China. Lancang is the same as Lan Xang, and refers to the Mekong River (known in Chinese as the Lancang) on its eastern borders and adopted by modern Laos, a Tai word meaning Million Elephants.

Lancang River Culture

The Lancang River is the longest river flowing from north to south in China. It takes its source from the Zhaqu of the Guangguori Peak of Tanggula Mountain Range in Qinghai Province, China. It is called the Lancang River after it reaches Changdu. The river runs south until it leaves China at the Nanla Bayout of Yunnan Province and therefrom changes its name from the Lancang River to the Mekong River. The river finally empties into the Pacific Ocean in the south of Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam. As the longest river in the Southeast Asia, the river has a total length of 2,354 kilometers and a drainage basin area of 165,000 square kilometers. The Lancang River is China’s main artery of water carriage connecting Southeast Asian countries, and it is reputed as the “Danube of the East”. The Lancang River has important value for travel industry, as the soil of the Lancang River valley is fertile, the resources are rich, the products are plentiful, the riverside scenery is beautiful, the ethical cultures and customs are special and the scenic spots and historical sites are numerous.     

The Lancang River is a fantastic river with more than ten ethic minorities living along the river. In China, it is the only river where so many nationalities are living. Boating down with the current, tourists can view not only the rust-red water of the river, the white clouds and green mountains of the riverside, but also the ethical cultures and customs along the river.   

Huonian Bar 火鸟酒吧

Add：Mildle of Wenwei Street of Jiangchuan county in Yuxi.玉溪市江川县文卫街中段

Tel：18724847647

Kangti Teahouse康提茶庄 

Add：Water Conservancy Bureau of Jiangchuan county in Yuxi.玉溪市江川县水利局附近

Tel：0877-2055918

Tianyi House 天颐楼 

Add：Water Conservancy Bureau of Jiangchuan county in Yuxi玉溪市江川县水利局附近

Tel：0877-8011966

Jiangchuan Club 江川娱乐部

Add：No,36 On Ninghai road of Jiangchun county in Yuxi.玉溪市江川县宁海路36号江川宾馆内

Tel：0877-8012203

JiangchuAN Gym 江川体育馆 

Add：No,36 on Xingjiang road of Jiangchuan in Yuxi.玉溪市江川县兴江路36

Impression Universsal Studio 印象影城(江川店) 

Add：No,14 on Fengbao Road  of Jiangchuan in Yuxi宝凤路14号

Tel：0877-8038666

Located in Jiangchuan County of Yunnan, Lijiashan Bronze Wares Museum is the first bronze wares museum in China. It mainly collects the bronze wares over 10,000 pieces between the Warring States Period and the Han Dynasty unearthed in the Lijiashan Ancient Graveyard in Jiangchuan. There are tools of agricultural production, utensils for daily life tools, weapons and musical instruments, etc. Among them thousands of historical and cultural exquisite articles including Bronze Ox and Tiger Altar and Cowries Vessel can be rated as “the cultural flower in the south of Yunnan, the rare treasure in the world”.

The Highlights of Bronze Culture

In 1972, the state authority on cultural relics carried out an excavation to Lijiashan.

At Lijiashan Mountain by the Xingyun Lake, some 87 ancient tombs dated back to Spring and Autumn Period or the Western Han Dynasty were excavated. Over 4,000 pieces of bronze, jade, and stone relics of rich content, fine craftsmanship and striking ethnic feature were unearthed, from which the developing phases of the culture of Central Yunnan can be induced and deduced. Such a large number of relics show a striking ethnic feature and the close relationship between Yunnan and Central China. The world famous “Cattle-Tiger Bronze Table” is the representative masterpiece of Lijiashan Bronze Culture, which displays a relatively high level in form, design and cast skill, being one of the national treasures of bronze relics.

Lijiashan Bronze Museum  

Lijiashan Bronze Museum is in Dajie Township of Jiangchuan County. It collects most of the unearthed relics from Lijiashan, including weapons, musical instruments, ceremony devices, production tools, weaving tools, living utensils, ornaments, horse decorations, and other articles. The materials are of copper, iron, gold, silver, jade, stone, wood, and lacquer, of which most are bronze. 
 
From January to May in 1972, an archaeological team made up of Yunnan Provincial Museum and Jiangchuan Cultural Center made a 60-day excavation and unearthed 27 tombs in total. The No. 21 tomb was revealed to be about 2,500 years old by radiocarbon assessment. About 1,300 burial articles were excavated including the famous Bull-Tiger Bronze Table. 
 
In May 1991, villagers discovered new tombs and burials in their prospecting for mine and the burials were identified from Bronze Age. A second large excavation was then conducted by Yunnan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Yuxi Cultural Relics Administration Center and Jiangchuan Cultural Relics Administration Center from December 1991 to June 1992. Fifty-eight tombs were cleared within 1,100 square meters and 2,066 burials of copper, iron, gold, and jade were discovered. Most of the burials were similar to the ones from the first excavation, but there were still many that first appeared among Dian bronze relics. The excavation was selected as one of the ten greatest discoveries of the year in 1992 and some of the articles were exhibited in Exhibition of China’s Greatest Cultural Relics in Shanghai in 1993. In the spring of 1994, another tomb was excavated as one program of Sino-Japanese Cultural Exchange and about 100 bronze and iron articles were unearthed. 

The Bull and Tiger Bronze Table 

The Bull and Tiger Bronze Table unearthed in 1972 is the representative of Dian bronze relics. The table is made up of one tiger and two cattle. The major body is a standing bull with its hoofs as the table feet. A calf is under the belly of the bull. A tiger is at the hinder hoofs of the bull, biting the tail of the bull. The bull is full of muscles and the tiger shows strength in biting. The combination of dynamic and static images reflects the struggling in the nature as well as the power of Dian king. The table which has unique form and exquisite craft is considered a rare treasure. Another bull-deer shell container is in cylinder shape with three feet that are of squatting human figures with head and hands supporting the body. The container has intaglio patters that are in peacock and human figures. The lid has a bull in the middle and one tiger and three deer on the edge. 
 
Of all shell containers, the most impressive one is sacrifice container. Its main body is in drum shape with four ears and three feet. Boating and dancing figures are carved around the body. There are 35 human figures on the lid, with some sitting noble women, following servants, planting farmers and business people having deals in the sacrifice spot. There is a hole in the middle of the lid with a copper stick in it.
 
Yunnan is in the southwest of China. Due to its geographical location, natural environment and transportation restrains, it was cut off from the Central China for a long time. Therefore the people in Yunnan got little influence from the Confucius tradition in the Central China. They worshiped nature and ethnic characteristics. In artistic design and presentation, it was seen with primitive patterns and rich imaginations. Though bronze crafts in Central China was matured in Shang and Zhou dynasties, the forms and patterns of the wares look dull and lifeless. For example, the ancient Ding (cooking vessels), Zun (wine vessels) and chimes that symbolize emperors and authority are large and heavy and appear to be solemn without vitality. As to the material varieties, due to scarcity of copper and tin in Central China, bronze wares are mostly weapons, ceremony devices and court appliances which are used only by aristocratic class not only by ordinary people. In Yunnan, however, the production tools, articles for daily use, weapons, musical instruments and ornaments of all kinds are made of bronze. For instance, the bronze umbrella and bronze pillow that are common in ancient Dian are not seen in Central China. 
 

Lijiashan Bronze Relics Museums

Lijiashan Bronze Relics Museum started construction in January 1993 and was completed in October 1994. It is the first bronze museum at county level in China. It occupies an area of 2,343 square meters. 
 
Address: No. 1 West Xingyun Road, Dajie Township, Jiangchuan County, Yuxi
Open: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Admission: 10 yuan
Telephone: 0877 – 8013320

The Chengjiang Lakeside Music Festival — Yunnan’s most recent returnee to the ever-changing landscape of outdoor jamborees — will soon pitch a tent for a weekend of summer revelry. The event will take place just east of Kunming on the beautiful shores of what is arguably China’s cleanest lake — Fuxian (抚仙湖).

Known for its little-explored sunken city, Fuxian will play host to 13 local bands along with 13 DJs. Performances will be split between the ‘Rock’ and ‘Electronica’ stages. Held Friday and Saturday, August 21-22, the Chengjiang Lakeside Music Festival will feature everything from funk, soul, punk and reggae to metal, hip-hop and Sino-pop, all beachside at the Luchong Scenic Area (禄充风景区). An exact schedule has yet to be hammered out, but the following acts are currently on the bill.

Chengjiang’s  Summer Festival 立夏节

Chengjiang’s traditional folk festival begins in summer and lasts five days. It is held north of Fuxian Lake. Learn folk traditions. Watch Yunnan opera. Take snooooooooooooChengjiang’s Summer Festival, which dates back to 1755, now marks the official start of the summer season at Fuxian Lake and is celebrated with a large market on the lake’s shore.

Additional activities

Along with the wide variety of musical acts, organizers have set up fun-filled athletic competitions and other interactive games. Between or during musical sets, visitors looking for entertainment can enjoy bouts of water tug-of-war and games of beach volleyball. There are even rumors of remote controlled boat races. Attendees keen on demonstrating their eating prowess may want to head over to the hot dog eating contest, while automobile aficionados can gawk at the modified car show.

In addition to hot dogs, the event will feature a large medley of Chinese and international tastes. A food truck — perhaps the first of its kind in Yunnan — will feature handmade Mexican dishes. In addition to this culinary surprise, delicious local fare will also be available. A cocktail and wine bar with more than 40 different varieties of drinks will take care of the thirsty.

Tickets, travel and accommodation

Advanced tickets to the Chengjiang Lakeside Music Festival cost 120 yuan and can be purchased online or by calling 65372555. Tickets purchased at the festival entrance cost 150 yuan. There is an additional 15 yuan entry fee, separate from event itself, to enter the scenic area where the festival is held.

Event organizers have chartered a shuttle service to the event from Kunming. Buses will depart from the Expo Garden Hotel at 8pm on the evening of August 21. Tickets are one-way only, cost 40 yuan and can be purchased when boarding.

Concertgoers need to arrange their own accommodations, of which there are many, many options. Prices per room can range anywhere from 50 to 1,500 yuan depending on the required level of opulence. However, for those wanting to sleep under the stars, organizers have a limited number of tents available for rent. These cost 80 yuan per day and can be reserved in advance by calling 65372555.

An ancient settlement site containing ancient tombs and ancient houses was found recently in Chengjiang County of southwest China’s Yunnan Province. It is a rare settlement site with the characteristics of the ancient Dian culture, which will help fill a gap in the history of ancient Dian culture.   

Chengjiang creature oryctocoenose

Chengjiang creature oryctocoenose is located in the Maotian Mountain of Chengjiang in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province. There are many fossil remains of more than 80 species of creatures such as Yunnan worms, Fuxian Lake worms, Maotian Mountain worms, trilobiteugo  

eshhhhpecific environment of Chengjiang River enables the mollusk to be turned into fossils, which is a mystery in science.

It takes 1 million to 3 million years for Chengjiang creature oryctocoenose to form. In such a short geologic period, the paroxysmal evolutionary process of animal population was completely recorded, revealing the “Big Bang of Creatures” in the Cambrian period. Scientists regard Chengjiang creature oryctocoenose as one of the world-class scientific discoveries in the 20th century, which is an unparalleled golden key to uncover the secret of “Big Bang of Creatures” happened in the Cambrian period.

Chengjiang’s  Summer Festival 立夏节

Chengjiang’s traditional folk festival begins in summer and lasts five days. It is held north of Fuxian Lake. Learn folk traditions. Watch Yunnan opera. Take snooooooooooooChengjiang’s Summer Festival 立夏节, which dates back to 1755, now marks the official start of the summer season at Fuxian Lake and is celebrated with a large market on the lake’s shore.

Sounds of Nature Music Hall

Address: around the Tonghai people’s Pocuratorate

Tel: 0877-3012220

Jitian KTV(集天KTV)

Address: Around the Huanglong Road in Tonghai county

Tel: 0877-3012558

Tongyin Hotel KTV(通印大酒店KTV)

Address: No.47 on the North street

Tel: 0877-3021666

Black Tea Entertainment Club

Address: in the Liyue Shopping mall

Tel: 0877-3026311

Kama Bar

Address: in the Liyue Shopping mall

Tel: 0877-3026418

Traditional values

Among the topics that are mentioned from the oldest works of Mongolian literature to modern soft pop songs are love for parents and homesickness, a longing for the place where one grew up. Horses have always played an important role in daily life as well as in the arts. Mongols have a lot of epic heroes from the ancient time. Hospitality is so important in the steppes that it is traditionally taken for granted. The Mongolian word for hero, baatar, appears frequently in personal names, and even in the name of Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar (Mongolian: Улаанбаатар, Ulan Bator). The word was introduced in the Middle Ages to many non-Mongolic languages by conquering Mongol-speaking nomads, and now exists in different forms such as the Bulgarian language, Russian, Polish, Hungarian, Persian, North Indian and Georgian. Traditional words such as temul signified a way to describe creativity and passion; temul was used in several Mongol words and had the meaning to: “rush headlong, to be inspired or to have a sense of creative thought, and even to take a flight of fancy. It can be seen from Mongolian perspective as “the look in the eye of a horse that is racing where it wants to go, no matter what the rider wants.”

Festivities

The most important public festivals are the Naadam (English: game). The biggest one is held each year on July 11–13 in Ulaanbaatar, but there are also smaller ones on aimag and sum levels. A Naadam involves horse racing, wrestling, and archery competitions.

For families, the most important festival is Tsagaan Sar (English: white month), which is roughly equivalent to the Chinese New Year and usually falls into January or February. Family members and friends visit each other, exchange presents – very popular presents for all opportunities are the khadag – and eat huge quantities of buuz.

Under the Soviet influence, New Year became a big event, and it is one of the biggest celebrations, comparable to Christmas in the West.

Literature

The oldest completely passed down work of Mongolian literature is probably also the most well-known abroad: The Secret History of the Mongols. It does, however, contain passages of older poetry. Otherwise, few examples of Mongolian literature from the time of the Mongol Empire have come down in written form: fragments of a song about the mother and the area where one grew up were found in a soldier’s grave at the Volga river in 1930, 25 manuscript and block print fragments were found in Turpan in 1902/03, Pyotr Kozlov brought some fragments from Khara-Khoto in 1909.

Other pieces of literature have long been orally traded and typically consist of alliterative verses, and are known as Üligers, literally meaning tales. They include the proverbs attributed to Genghis Khan, and the epics around the Khan’s life, or the one about his two white horses. Other well-known epics deal with Geser Khan. Famous Oirad epics are Jangar, Khan Kharangui, Bum Erdene, and more.

Beginning from the 17th century, a number of chronicles have been preserved. They also contain long alliterative passages. Notable examples are the Altan Tovch by Luvsandanzan and another anonymous work of the same title, Sagang Sechen’s Erdeniin Tovch, Lomi’s History of the Borjigin clan (Mongol Borjigin ovgiin tüükh), and many more.