Nalou Zhangguansi Shu in Jianshui County, Honghe

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🏯 Naluo Yi Chieftain’s Official Residence (纳楼长官司署)

“The Miniature Yi Palace Hidden in the Mountains”

📍Location & Transportation

• Address: Huixin Village, Potou Township, Jianshui County, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Located mid-mountain on the northern bank of the Honghe River at an altitude of ~1800 meters.

• Distance: Around 50 km from Jianshui Ancient Town; about 1.5 hours by car. Recommended route: Jianshui South → Jishi Expressway → Potou Exit → winding village road (cement-paved, many curves).

• Public Transport: No direct public transport. Travelers can hire a car or self-drive using navigation to “纳楼长官司署”.

• Parking: Small lot at the village entrance, a 3-minute walk to the site.

🏺Historical Background

• Originally established in 1382 during the Ming Dynasty (15th year of Hongwu reign), this was the hereditary seat of the Yi ethnic Pu family as deputy chieftains (茶甸副长官司) under the Tusi system. It was one of the “Three Great Yi Tusi Clans of Southwest China” alongside the Feng clan of Wuding and the Shui Xi Tusi of Guizhou.

• The current compound was completed in 1907 (33rd year of Emperor Guangxu, Qing Dynasty) and governed the surrounding region until 1949 — a rule that lasted more than 560 years.

• In 1996, it was listed as a National Key Cultural Relic Protection Unit (4th batch).

🏡Architectural Highlights

🏘️Overall Layout

• Covers 28,000 m², with a traditional three-tiered courtyard structure built along the mountain slope. Over 70 rooms rise in layers, symbolizing the authority and status of the chieftain family.

🛡️Four Defensive Watchtowers

• Each corner of the compound has a fortress-like tower, some still bearing bullet marks — a testament to the autonomy and defensive needs of a remote mountain stronghold.

🪵Exquisite Wood & Stone Craftsmanship

• Admire gold-lacquered wooden lattice doors, carved brackets, painted beams, stone bases, and brick-carved screen walls — the residence is often hailed as a “Museum of Yi Woodcarving“.

🧭Functional Zones

• Front Courtyard: Training grounds and communal space.

• Main Hall: Courtroom and administrative center.

• Rear Courtyard (Horse-Galloping Building): Private living quarters for the chieftain’s family.

• Side Rooms & Study: Symmetrical layout on both wings.

📸Photo Spots

• Front Plaza near Screen Wall: Capture the entire compound including the watchtowers.

• Inside the Main Hall: Frame the golden court desk with the richly decorated bracket set.

• Second Floor of Rear Courtyard: Overlook the rooftops descending into the Honghe River valley.

🎟️Visitor Information

• Admission: Free (register at the Huixin Village Committee; gate will be opened by a local caretaker).

• Opening Hours: 08:30–17:30. Suggested visit time: 1.5 to 2 hours.

• Guided Tours: Caretaker can provide basic free explanations in Mandarin (limited fluency). For in-depth knowledge, contact Jianshui County Museum in advance for a professional guide.

🚗Suggested Day Trip Itinerary:

• Morning: Jianshui Ancient Town (Chaoyang Tower, Zhu Family Garden)

• Afternoon: Naluo Yi Residence + Huangcaoba Hani Terraces (for sunset)

• Next Day: Yuanyang Rice Terraces (90 km, ~2.5 hours drive)

   

  

✅Practical Tips

✨One-Sentence Summary

On the cloud-kissed slopes of Honghe in southern Yunnan, this ancient chieftain’s mansion reveals how a Yi clan ruled its mountain realm for six centuries — with the grandeur of a hidden “mini Forbidden City”.

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