PICTURESQUE SOUTHWEST |
THREE PAGODS IN
DALI,YUNNAN |
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ERHAI IN DALI
YUNNAN |
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A GIRL OF MINORITY
IN LUGU LAKE,SICHUAN |
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THE FENGYU BRIDGE
IN CONGJIANG COUNTY
GUIZHOU |
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THE ANCIENT CITY
OF DALI ,YUNNAN |
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THE WATER-SPRINKLING
FESTIVAL OF THE DAI
MINORITY IN YUNNAN |
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DRUM TOWER OF THE
DONG MINORTY IN
GUIZHOU |
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THE SNOW-COVERED MEILI MOUNTAIN,
YUNNAN |
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HUANGGUOSHU
WATERFALL,GUIZHOU |
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STONE FOREST,YUNNAN |
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HEILONG POOL,
LI RIVER,YUNNAN |
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A VILLAGE OF THE
DAI MINORITY
IN YUNNAN |
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In the mountains and forests of Yun Gui Plateau, scattered in Yunnan Province, Guizhou Province ,Guizhou Province and the south of sichuan Province of the southwest of China , may national minorities are living there, having beautiful and splendid natural scenic spots as well. Some people say that this is a colorful world for the dazzling sorts of costumes and adornments of different nationalities; and some people say that this is the molding world for its sublime snow mountains, torrential water in the gorges, waterfall dropping directly from very high cliffs and the different shapes and styles of houses and cottages; some people say that this is the source of vitality for the grand festivals and activities of the worshipping the sun and the moon.
The low floating clouds and mist, the downpour of cataracts and waterfalls as fine as beaded curtains and as thick as ice poles appearing in front of us are the views of the great Huangguoshu Waterfall, being 81 meters wide, about 68 meters high, on the Baishui river in guizhou Province. The effusive water falls down sharply and stirs up high waves splitting around, sometimes with rainbows across it, sometimes presenting illusory flickering . Without one's own experience there, one may have no idea of the violent water, and know nothing about the superlative craftsmanship of the great nature.
By visiting the residential place of the Dong minority in the southeast of Guizhou Province, one can often see a kind of tower-shaped construction in the mountain fastness or beside the villages. This construction is built with huge Chinese firs without any nail or rivet, and the crossed poles, beams, the oblique hanging and straight supporting, all finished by dovetailing or with dangling poles, yet the construction is firm and compacted. Usually the first story is in square and the other stories above are mostly in polygon with up turning eaves. On top of the tower there are glaze calabashes, and the spinal edge with smooth curl formed an angle. A "Kuangu"-a kind of drum hanging on the top story is for gathering the folks to discuss issues. The dong people have been living together under same family name , and usually one fastness has one family name and one drum tower. If one fastness has several family names several drum towers will be built. The visitors can know something about the family names just by seeing the symbols of the family names. The drum towers built in seclusion or in rows , all naturally present the specific and different constructive features and has been the must place to visit in guizhou.
Yunan Stone forest is the nearest and important place to be visited in Kunming. The mountains there are steep with stones and peaks in fantastic shape or appearance; the black stone mountains are standing one after another with poles piercing into the sky. In the distant view, these mountains and peaks look like a splendid and magnificent wide forest, so named Large Stone Forest.
The Large Stone Forest is the cream of the Stone Forest scenic spot with the famous Sword Peak standing in Green water like a sharp sword pointing to the sky. The water coming from a hidden river is like a clear mirror or a small piece of jade inlaid among the peculiar stones and peaks. There is a path downstairs leading to a secluded spot with quite different scenery. The small stone forest and the large stone forest are connected and between them there is a grassland of several mu in area which rare flowers and plants grown. The small stone forest attracts people to pay a visit because there is a peak known as Ashima Peak. The Sani people there regard this high and picturesque peak standing by the water, as the embodiment of the pretty girl Ashima. Every year on 24th of the sixth lunar month, the bonfire will be lit in the Torch festival. The sani people around the peak, make contests in wrestling, pole climbing, riding and shooting, singing and dancing all night .
Dali is the key junction of communications from the northwest of Yunnan to the southwest, and the location of the capital city of the Nanzhao Country in ancient time. Upto now the south and north city gate towers and many other constructive remains are still well kept. Walking among the white wall and black tile of the houses of the local residents, appreciating the delicately dyed and sewed products by girls of the Bai minority, leisurely enjoying the combined quietness and comfort formed by Cangshan in the west and Er Hai in the east; and be embraced and soothed by the bright sunshine on the plateau, on one can deny the graceful bearing made by the munificence of the three towers in Chongsheng Temple and the legend of the Butterfly Spring.
In the northwest of Dali and at the border of Tibet and Yunnan, there is a peak covered by snow all year still unconquered by man . This is Taizi snow mountain, the highest peak in Yunnan of about 6740 meters above sea level, located in the border of the Zang Autonomous Prefecture in Diqing. Owing to the Hengduanshan range from the north to the south, the flowing Jinsha River , Nu River, Lancang River, the plants there are vertically distributed with azalea in full bloom. Mingyonyi-the large glacier know for its lowest sea level (2600 meters )is like a running and roaring river or flood water instantly fixed and frozen by a kind of superman power, which forms into a grand and amazing crystal scenic spot and leaves an ever lasting memory on those who are able to reach to its foot and see it with their own eyes .
Li River is the residential place of Naxi Minority, where the famous Dongba culture was bred and developed. It situates by Hutiao Gorge of Jingsha River. Up it connects the Taizi snow Mountain in diqing and down it goes to Dali, Kunming and Ruili. The name itself presents its elegance and gracefulness. On the south the Yulong Snow Mountain looks like a dragon swallowing clouds and mist, high and steep, imposing and magnificent, covered with silver snow to show its superb splendor. On its south there is Heilong Pond. Its branches are divided into many brooks and flow through the whole city. It forms the feature of the south of Yangtze River on plateau:"clear water of each family is poetic, weeping willow in each yard is like a picture". The gray brick houses of "three walls with a screen wall", a "quadrangle with a yard" bear the features of the quadrangle of the Han people and are also similar to the houses of the Bai people , yet the national constructive features are well displayed. Here the mountains, waters, roads and the natural environment are wonderfully matched as if they are originally created by the nature. "It is not the south of yangtze River, yet it is better than the south of Yangtze River"
Leaving the gracefulness of the Li River , visitors can go to Lugu Lake on the Plateau, where is the juncture of Sichuan and Yunnan Provinces, by way of Ninglang to experience its purify and simplicity, and they can by rewarded by a better understanding of the nature, wild ease, clearness and purity of the plateau and mountains in the southwest. The "Azhu" marriage style-the walking marriage system based on the maternal relationship is the main reason why the Lugu River and the Mosuo residents attract the attention of the world . It is not exaggerated that everything about Lugu River is related with the gentleness, maternal love and the legend about woman. The pigsty shaped boat (also known as canoe )used on the river comes from the legend about woman, even the lofty Lion Mountain on the north bank of the river is related with a goddess, who with no husband had a marriage (the Azhu style marriage )with several male gods in the mountain. On the river one can see the distant Lion Mountain really looks like a lying beauty whose head, neck, breast, legs are all in charming shapes, and her pretty shadow, reflected by water, looks like a lady taking bath , and stirs up one's imagination.
During the festival activities of many national minorities in the southwest, the Torch festival of the Yi people in Daliang Mountain in Sichuan and the Water-Sprinkling Festival of the Dai people in Xishangbanna are most attractive for their pleasing ceremony to the god of fire and the sun , water and the moon. The Torch Festival is for the memory of the Yi people's ancestor the fire god and the red color among the other two yellow and black used on the adornments and wares of the Yi people is the symbol of braveness, hardness and vigor and the worship of the sun; while the revelry and excitement on the Water-Sprinkling Festival of the Dai people is the repayment to the bestow of the nature ( The most popular saying about the Water-Sprinkling Festival is that seven fairy maidens in the moon killed their relatives for the people and blessed them to have good weather for the crops ). The Yi people live in the mountains and forests and the Daliang Mountain stretched in an unbroken range has tempered the intrepid disposition of this nation. The worship of the power and athletics certainly becomes the natural combination of the legend of God of the sun with the living space. As the Dai people have lived on the flat land and the water fields, the crisscrossed network of the irrigation channels and ditches, the bamboo cottages, and the enchanting moonlight all form a hazy view. The saying that the Dai women are made of water should be regarded as proper. The two main different tendencies, "yang" and " yin" , hardness and softness of the custom and culture of the nationality in the southwest will be gradually experienced by each visitor. |
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