【Oct-Dec】Xishuangbanna : Tropical Flavor&Dai Culture

ITINERARY

Arrival Xishuangbanna

You can take direct flights from other cities of China to Xishuangbannan. Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport is about 7 kilometers to Jinghong downtown area which needs only 15min driving(7km). 

Manting Park

Xishuangbanna Dai Minority Park

 Xishuangbanna Zongfosi Temple

Wild Elephant Valley

Jinuo Ethnic Village

Tropical Botanical Garden

Free time

Departure

Notice：In case of rain, traffic jam or any other unpredictable situations, FCN reserves the rights to adjust the schedule

BASIC CONTENT

REGISTER

Jinghong is the capital of Xishuangbanna with the best urban infrastructure in the area. Therefore, normally Jinghong is the first place travel to when visiting Xishuangbanna.

Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport (JHG) is the only airport in Xishuangbanna, about 15 minutes’ drive southwest from Jinghong’s city center.

The most popular way to reach Xishuangbanna is taking a flight, as the road journey from Kunming, the nearest major city, is long. 

Gateway Cities for Xishuangbanna

Domestic Gateway Cities:Flights connect about 37 domestic cities with Xishuangbanna:

Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La, Lancang, Zhaotong, Dehong, and Wenshan, which are also in Yunnan province

First-tier cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi’an, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Nanjing, Chongqing, Changsha, Shenyang, Wuhan, and Zhengzhou 

Other cities: Guilin, Lanzhou, Taiyuan, Lincang, Nanchang, Zunyi, Luzhou, Baoshan, Guiyang, Nanchong, Harbin, Linyi, Mianyang, Bijie, Anshun, and Wuxi.

Experiencing Jungle Treks & Dai Villages and Customs

Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture is located at the south end of Yunnan Province. It shares a boundary of 966 kilometers (619 miles) with Burma and Laos to the east, south and west, being a vital pass from China to Indo-China Peninsular by land. There is no doubt that Xishuangbanna is a must-see stop on a trip to Yunnan. This city boasts lush tropical rain forests with a variety of rare animals and plants. It is easy to get close to beautiful peacocks, wild elephants, monkeys and other animals at Wild Elephant Valley and Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park. The exquisite and unique Dai bamboo buildings and ancient Buddhist temples and pagodas are hidden in the green trees, showing a natural, simple and peaceful living atmosphere. The Water-Sprinkling Festival in April is a carnival of the whole city, which should not be missed.

History: To the Dai people, Xishuangbanna was known as 'Mengbanaxi' in ancient times, a name that means a miraculous and nice utopia. It had been a settlement where 13 ethnic minorities have lived in tight-knit communities for generations. The Jino ethnic minority is peculiar to the prefecture. 

 Physical Features: Located in the south extension of the Hengduan Mountains, over ninety-five percent of the area's territory is occupied by mountains and hills. Most of the prefecture is below the altitude of 1,500 meters (4921 feet). Jinghong City is only 550 meters (1804 feet) above the sea level. The Lancang River runs through the prefecture and when it passes through Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, it is known as the Mekong River.      

 Special Local Products: tea, coffee, tropical fruit, herbs, Yunnan tobacco

 Local Highlights: The Water-sprinkling Festival is New Year's Day for the Dai, and is the most important and grandest festival of the year. It lasts three days from 13th to 15th, April (the sixth month of the Dai Calendar). Dai people dip branches into the river and sprinkle the water onto others as a way to express their best wishes. In addition, the festivals of the Hani, Jino and Yao ethnic minorities are also delightful part of local ethnic customs.

This is a modern park that measures about 30 acres in Jinghong in Xishuangbanna. It has a large new Buddhist temple called Zongfo Si. There is a display of ethnic architecture, and people entertain themselves by water fights during the Dai Water Splashing Festival each year. Entertainment is presented in the evening.

With a history of more than 1,300 years, it is the oldest park in Jinghong City. In medieval times, it was where feudal leaders went to relax and enjoy themselves. Manting Park is also called 'Chunhuan Park' which means the place where people can have their soul relax and keep all the earthly cares out of minds. This name came from a legend: One day, the King of the Dai ethnic group came to visit this park with his princess. The princess then was so completely enthralled by the beauty of the sceneries here that she lost her soul and forgot anything else around her.

Some historically meaningful attractions can also been seen in the park. As soon as visitors enter it, a bronze statue comes into view. It depicts Premier Zhou Enlai, who once joyfully spent the Water-Splashing Festival with the Dai people. The statue commemorates that unforgettable day. To the left of the statue is the second historical attraction: two dodhi trees planted by the princess of Thailand symbolize the friendship between Thailand and China.

Now, Manting Park is a place where visitors not only enjoy the scenes but also the traditional culture of the Dai. Buildings, such as the pavilions, possess the distinguished architectural features of the Dai. In its back, there is a temple called Jiebajie in Dai language. It is the most important place for Buddhists in Xishuangbanna to worship Buddhas. Some other various kinds of entertainments are available too, for example, the peacock park where peacocks strut and the elephant park where elephants do acrobatics. As a former royal park, its natural beauty is fascinating with the hard work of the gardeners. The green trees provide visitors cool shade to have a rest. Next to the park is a traditional village of the Dai where visitors could enjoy Dai Cuisine and get to know their tradition and custom.

Ganlanba is located in the lower reaches of Lancang River, 40 kilometers from Jinghong City. In Dai language, it is called Menghan. There are hundreds of Dai households living in Ganlanba. You will see beautiful rice paddies, coconut palms, oil palms, fruit orchards, bamboo and rubber plantations, traditional Buddhist temples, and simple bamboo houses in all the villages. 

Ganlanba is only 530 meters above sea level, being the lowest and hottest place in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture. Hot and humid weather brings in abundant products for Ganlanla such as a great variety of tropical fruits and plentiful candied fruits.

There is a Dai Minority Park (傣族园, Dai Zu Yuan) in Ganlanba, which contains five Dai villages. A local saying goes that ''if Xishuangbanna is a beautiful green peacock, Ganlanba is its tale and Dai Park is the most eye-catching feather of Ganlanba''. Charming tropical rural scenery along with primitive ethnic culture makes Ganbala an increasingly popular tourist destination. It is not exaggerated to say that Ganlanba is the NO.1 eco-village in China.

- Visit Dai villages and Buddhist pagodas

Dai Minority Park is famed as a ''village of imperial garden'' with two main Dai villages and three smaller villages. One is Garden Village called ''Man Song Man''. Another is Flower and Fruit Village, namely ''Man Ting''. No matter which village you enter, you will find classical Buddhist temples and traditional bamboo houses of Dai people. Coconut palms, areca trees, mango trees, pineapple trees and other tropical trees can be seen in every corner of the village. Bamboo houses are enchanting framed by green trees.

- Join the joyful Water Splashing Ritual

During the grand Water Splashing Festival ( it falls in mid-April and lasts at least three days), New Year celebration day of Dai calendar, Dai people will come to Dai Park to celebrate, worship and go sightseeing. Moreover, there are performances and water splashing activity in the square on every afternoon. Tourists can join them and enjoy themselves in the activity.

-Eating Dai food

In Ganlanba, you will be able to enjoy unique Dai food, which has high reputation in Yunnan Province. Zhutong Fan (rice cooked in bamboo), Nanmi (喃咪), Bamboo Worms are highlights there. At night, visiting food stalls in Ganlanba is a good choice. Local snacks (barbeque, New Year cake, e.g.) and tropical fruits are worth trying.

Jinghong Zongfosi Temple is located in a big courtyard in Jinghong City, near the Manting Park. It is the center for Buddhists to pay reverence to Buddha, also the oldest temple of Xishuangbanna. It consists of the Weihan- Buddha temple, Teaching Building of Buddhist College, Subo Pavilion and monk rooms. It has an area of 3,000 square kilometers.

The temple is built on top of a hill, atop more than 3000 steps. at which visitors can gaze down at the beautiful sight of Jinghong city. Visitors can also participate in Buddhist activities within the temple, and experience Buddhist culture. 

Main Attractions

Bodhi Tree

There is a Bodhi tree in the northwest of yard. It was planted by the princess of Thailand, Shilintong. The Bodhi tree is the symbol of friendship between Thailand and China.

Buddha Statues

There are many statues and scriptures in Zongfosi temple. There is one special Buddha statue, with seven dragon-head shaped hands stretching out and embracing his head.

Why is Zongfosi so special?

Zongfosi is the leading temple of Xishuangbanna, also the oldest one. Before the Reform and Opening, it was the holy land where Zhaopianling, the chieftain of Xishuangbanna, worship Buddha. It goes through the millennium vicissitudes. It is the holy land of Hinayana Buddhism, even renowned in south Asian.

History

Zongfosi Temple in Jinghong City, XishuangBanna

Xishuangbanna Zongfosi Temple was built in 615 by two monks from Burma at first, enjoying the history of 1300 years. Zongfosi is the oldest Buddhist Temple of Xishuangbanna, also the leading temple in Xishuangbanna. Before the Reform and Opening, it was the holy land where Zhaopianling, the chieftain of Xishuangbanna, worship Buddha. It goes through the millennium vicissitudes. After five-time reconstruction, it is renewed and becomes the grandest temple in Xishuangbanna.

Legend

According to the local legendary, Buddhism was very popular when it was introduced to Xishuangbanna. Local people pay high reverence to Buddhism. They made the Buddha statues by diverse materials. One day, they found there was no bamboo statue. Though Xishuangbanna boasted bamboos, it was too hard to waving the statue with bamboos. However, they still tried hard. Finally, a skillful craftsman nearly finish, but without the head of Buddha, because it was difficult to show the mercy and kindness of Buddha. There was a old man coming here and telling local people he can do it when they were very disappointed. After a night, the Buddha statue was vivid. Local people believed that it was Buddha who made the wish of Buddhists come true.

Located in the south of Mengyang Natural Reserve, 48 kilometers from Jinghong City and 115 kilometers from Pu’er City in Xishuangbanna, the Wild Elephants Valley is the most fascinating forest park known for primeval tropical rainforest and flocks of Asia wild elephants. The Wild Elephant Valley Rainforest Scenic Area is also called Sanchahe Forest Park. It is said that currently about 130 wild elephants frequently appear in the Wild Elephant Valley. In China, Asia elephants can only be seen in the rainforests of Xishuangbanna while the Wild Elephant Valley is the sole place where wild elephants frequently show up .

Originally, People found lots of wild elephants and other animals bathing or drinking water in the "elephant pond" of the Wild Elephant Valley. Since 1980s, subordinate of National Nature Reserve Bureau has been throwing salt at the bank of the pond to entice wild elephants. Flocks of wild elephants were frequently attracted to lick the salt since then. In 1991, the Nature Reserve Bureau of Xishuangbanna established an observation tower in the park. In the following years, The Wild Elephant Valley was developed into a forest park equipped with air corridor, cableway, houses built on crotches of tress, pedestrian path and other facilities.

Highlights in the Wild Elephant Valley

The Wild Elephant Valley covers a total area of 3.7 square kilometers, a water area of 8000 kilometers with an elevation of 747-1055 meters. Apart from the most eye catching rainforest and wild elephants to view, the park has been established with several scenic zones to serve tourists, such as Tree houses, Butterfly Park, Snake Park, Orchid Garden and the Bainiao Garden (where a hundred of rare birds perch in).

Tropical forest

Three are two ways to explore the boundless forest, by the cable way and the thrilling air corridor. In the Forest Exploration Area, a 2063-meter-long cableway will send passengers to view the sights of tropical rainforest in the valley and mountains and monsoon broadleaf forest. Along the pedestrian sightseeing path, landscapes of exposed roots of arbors, old vines winding trees and "strangling tree" (a tall and thick tree whose seeds is spread by bird droppings and grows by absorbing nutrition of another tree) can be seen. In the center of the park, a T-shaped air corridor was built along limpid streams with a length of 200 meters, a height of 6 meters and a width of 1 meter. It is actually a suspension bridge tied between trees. Visitors may indulge in the scene of elephants playing water or seeking for foods and even stay one night at the inns built along the air corridor.

National Elephants & International Elephants

Xishuangbanna Wild Elephant & Nature Reserve lies at the crossroads between the eastern and western zones of the Mengyang Tourism Area, at 747–1055 meters above sea level. The reserve is made up of low hills and small hillocks, with wide valley bottoms rich in waterholes that contain enough salt to meet the biological needs of the wild Asian elephant. The wild elephant groups that roam about in the protection zone between Mengla and Mengyu are designated as National Elephants, while those that roam about inside the Mengla protection zone are designated as International Elephants, as the latter often come and go across the China-Laos border.

In China, wild elephants are only visible in the Wild Elephant Valley in Xishuangbanna. A flock of wild elephants appear in the Wild Elephant Valley within one or two days. There are observation towers for visitors watching wild elephants. Lucky tourists may have the chance to enjoy the scene of wild elephants bathing, playing and strolling. Tourist can also observe them by infrared binoculars at night. The best time to find wild elephants is at dawn or dusk.

Elephants Show

Outside the main scenic spots of the Wild Elephants Valley, tourists can appreciate wonderful performances given by the first elephant-domesticating school of China, the butterfly world inside the first butterfly-farming park in China, and the tropical birds in the hundred-bird park.The Wild Elepha annts Valley will show you a genuinely beautiful and mysterious Xishuangbanna.

The Jinuo (alternatively, Jino) ethnic minority, also known as the Youle folk due to their homeland in the Youle mountains, a sparsely-populated, densely-forested, mountainous region of Yunnan Province not far from Xishuangbanna Nature Reserve, live in a number of small enclaves in and around the village of Jinuo in Jinghong County (but with some scattered about in Mengla and Menghai Counties).

Mention of the Jinuo first appeared in Chinese historical annals during the 18th century, though their presence in Yunnan Province is believed to have predated their historical mention by several centuries. It is believed that the Jinuo may be descendants of the Qiang folk of present-day Sichuan Province who, it is commonly believed, are one of the original, once-populous and dominant peoples to inhabit China (in today's China, Qiang culture, with its oral-only language tradition, is in danger of disappearing) and who were thus forbears to a number of later peoples, including the Tibetans as well as a number of smaller present-day ethnic minorities of southwestern China, including possibly the Jinuo.

According to this theory, the Jinuo migrated into present-day Yunnan from Sichuan to the north, settling alongside the more dominant and much more numerous Dai folk, whom the Jinuo apparently served as vassals. The Junuo were for centuries mistakenly considered as a subgroup to the Dai. It was not until 1979 that the Chinese government officially recognized the Jinuo as a separate Chinese ethnic minority, China's latest, the 55th**, and numbering about 18,000 individuals (there are a number of Chinese ethnic minorities numbering fewer than 4,000 individuals).

Therefore, a visit to Jinuo Ethnic Village may enhance your travel experience in Xishuangbanna. And you’ll truly get in touch with local minority people, learning more about local culture as well as unique customs.

The language of the Jinuo, which is oral only, is phonetically close to Yi and Burmese, being part of the Tibetan-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. The Jinuo never developed their own written language, and since they number so few individuals, the Chinese government did not feel compelled to develop a written language for the Jinuo, as, for example, it has done for the Dong ethnic minority. Instead, many Jinuo use Mandarin Chinese where a written language medium is required, just as many Jinuo, especially youth, use Mandarin Chinese as a second language. With the pressures of modernization mounting on the Jinuo, it is therefore doubtful whether the oral language tradition of the Jinuo will survive except as historical recordings to be preserved in museums as a cultural curiosity.

The Jinuo are farmer-hunter-gatherers. They plant tea (their trademark tea is the Puer "brand"), rice, maize, bananas, papayas, and even cotton. Jinuo men, however, remain at heart hunters, being proficient with poisoned arrows, traps, crossbows, and - today - rifles and shotguns. Besides providing meat, game also provides pelts to be used for clothing and as a trade item along with tea, cotton, and handmade rattan items. The Jinuo also gather nuts and wild fruits, as well as herbs.

Jinuo women, like women in most patriarchal societies (the Jinuo were matriarchal until about 300 years ago), dress much more conspicuously than do their male counterparts. Their dress includes: a white, pointed, cape-like hood, or cowl, that reaches the shoulders in back; a short, collarless, embroidered tunic made of cotton that buttons in front, and typically has horizontal stripes in eye-catchingly bright colors on the front and an embroidered image of the moon on the back; a wrap-around black skirt hemmed with a broad red-lace border; and leggings, or heavy stockings, that go from the ankle up to just below the knee.

Jinuo men wear a collarless, long-sleeve tunic similar in form to that worn by Jinuo women, except that the male's tunic is of white cotton with a band of narrow, horizontal stripes - usually in muted shades of brown and black - near the mid-section, and with similar but vertical stripes on either side of the front opening. There are also a couple of broad bands of narrow, horizontal stripes on the sleeves of the tunic, in the same color scheme as the stripes on the body of the tunic. The back of this tunic is either of the same motif as in front, or embroidered with an image representing the sun. Jinuo men wear knee-length, broad-legged trousers made of either flax or cotton, dyed black or blue.

Both Jinuo men and women go barefoot, and both men and women in Jinuo culture have large holes pierced in their earlobes, the larger the hole the more appealing. Jinuo women have also traditionally blackened their teeth with the sap of the lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum), partly because blackened teeth in Jinuo women is considered a thing of beauty, and partly because the sap of the lacquer tree reduces the incidence of tooth decay.

However, it must be said that these particular customs are disappearing rapidly, especially among Jinuo youth, except that the traditional costume is of course standard dress at festivals.

The Jinuo are animists (animists believe that all things on earth have souls, or spirits, whereas non-animists distiguish between the animate, which can have a spirit, and the inanimate, which can't) and, like Taoists, worship their ancestors (the name Jinuo means "descendants of uncle", or "the ethnic group that respects its forbears"), whom, it is believed, can affect outcomes - for good or for worse - in the world of the living. The Jinuo are especially sun worshippers. The sun-drum is a sacred musical instrument in Jinuo culture. Each Jinuo village has two sun-drums, the Father Drum and the Mother Drum, which are the embodiment of the divine spirits and which therefore may not be handled except during sacred ceremonies, or festivals, where villagers pay homage to the divine spirits and entreat them to bless the Jinuo with a bountiful harvest, ward off disease, etc. The Sun-Drum Dance is performed during such ceremonies.

Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park, also called Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park,  is 8 kilometers east of the Jinghong City and north of the Lancang River. Situated in a river valley of 720 to 1,355 meters above sea level, the forest park has an area of 1,700 hectares of which 98％ is covered by trees, and is thus the largest comprehensive ecological place of interest in the prefecture. The park gives prominence to the features of primeval forest, wild animals and ethnic culture and custom. 

Park locates in a valley, famous for its three main characters –Primitive Forest, Wild Creature and Minority Culture. The whole park can be divided into 6 areas, which are Reception Area, Outdoor recreational Lounge, Sightseeing Area, Forest Reserve Area and Fruit Trees Area, Recreational Center, etc.  

Why is Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park so special?

Xishuangbanna primitive forest park provides a unique primeval forest natural scenery and charming ethnic customs. Chinese National Geography magazine rewarded it as one of China’s top ten most beautiful forests.

In the Primitive Forest Protection Zone, you will have chance to find out several types of trees which be referred to as “live fossil”, like Homalium, Cyathea Spinulosa and Podocarpus Imbricatus Blume, etc. Giant Parashorea Cathayensis is also an amazing site in this zone.

Main Attractions in Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park

The park boasts 10 scenic areas such as the well-preserved Ravine Tropical Rainforest in the south of Tropical of Cancer, Peacocks Raising Base, Monkey Taming Base, Cultural Show Plaza, Ai’ni (a branch of the Hani minority) Village, Nine Dragon Waterfall, Manfeilong White Pagoda, 100-meter-long Granite Relief Carvings, Jinhu Lake Folklore, and Barbecue Rank etc. 

● Peacock Park

At the heart of Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park is the Peacock Park. The Peacock Park recreates the legend of Jinhu Lake, complete with an artificial lake. 

Legends of Peacock

Xishuanggban is widely crowned as “The Home of Peacock”, because there are a lot of peacocks living in Xishuangbanna. Peacock owes a holy position among Dai people and is the totem of Dai people. Peacock stands for happiness, beauty, goodness and luckiness.

Peacock plays an essential role in locals’ daily life. Visitors can find that some folk customs and events such as the ritual of worshiping ancestors, Legend between Prince and Peacock Princess are related to peacock.

● Flight of a Thousand Peacock

The highlight of Peacock Park is the daily Flight of a Thousand Peacock, a performance involving one thousand peafowls. They flew out of their sanctuary to land on the lakeside, where they were fed, before eventually returning to their sanctuary on the opposite bank of the lake. Visitors are invited to feed the peacocks as well as to have their photographs taken with them.

● Nine-Dragon Waterfall

The Nine-Dragon Waterfall is a waterfall within the Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park. In front of the waterfall is a statue entitled Jiulong Subduing Nine Dragons. There is also a pavilion here where tribal performances are stage. You can also try out some local candy on sale at the stall near the waterfalls.

● Ainu Village

Located within the Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park is an Ainu cultural village. In this village, we get to know the Ainu people, their history and lifestyle. There are also songs and dance performance, and welcome dances where visitors are invited to join in.

Gaozhuang Xingguang night market is a shining visiting card of Xishuangbanna. Ignited with diverse colorful lights and neon along the streets and river, this night stroll place is really attractive for you to take a leisure stroll to see various local snacks, fruits, specialties, ethnic costumes, handicrafts, etc. The giant golden pagodas behind the market also look charming and mysterious for a feeling of belief and life. Furthermore, you can also take a local characterized long boat to cruise along the narrow river paths to immerse into the neon world.

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