Trip to Yuanyang and Jianshui in Yunnan

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That night we costed 7 hours by train from Lijiang to the Kunming. The sky was still black when we arrived in Kunming, the station was so rash. All the people from different place arrived to here. I felt a little tired. Maybe 30 minutes later we took a taxi to the hotel then have rest in the hotel today. Our hotel is close Cuihu Park, here is better than another that I saw. But may be we stay small city longer so I still think here is not suiting for me, I think I away liking the city that like Lijiang, it is quite, no busy and charming. So I was nothing to do and watching TV in the room today and today is cloudy day so it was a little cold outside.
This morning I was got up early, and then we were driving 7 hours from Kunming to Yuanyang County by bus. On the way to Yuanyang County, I was not sleep because I want to see the view that I never to see on the way. We were cost Yuxi city. It is looks bigger than Lijiang city. But may be there are more factories at here, so the sky looks not clearly. Following the bus the altitude is more and lower, of cause the weather is more and more worm. Looking outside wonder we can see some tropic plant like banana, bamboo and so on. It is nice. Haha I like them because I like eating banana. I felt a little tired; it is so long times to take the bus. When we were arrived the small city of the Yuanyang County, it was late. The first we were beginning to find room then went to eat something. On way to eating something we were know some another tourists who from difference place, then we were talking and decided to visit some places together by same car. I thought this is good for us. I felt it is very tired today so we slept very early.
Yuanyang county is located in south of Yunnan and southwest of Honghe Hani minority autonomous prefecture. It is 273 kilometers far from Kunming. Yuanyang was including 2 towns and 13 townships. The main groups in Yuanyang were the Hani and Yi minorities. There are many big gorges and mountains in Yuanyang County. So the farm land at here is became terrace land and the altitude at here is around 1800 meters. There are more tropic fruits and plants were planted here. The fog around the mountain must time during the raining season. In the terrace land the Hani minority were growing more rice. But after harvest the local people would put more water in the terrace land. Some people said it is good for land. So we can see the beautiful land in this season. It is so nice that we saw the sunrise and sunset. The more terrace land like more shape mirrors seat in the middle of the mountain.
That morning we got up around 5 clocks as to see the sunrise in another village. When we left town the sky is so dark, may be we were driving 1 hour to the place that we saw the more terraces land were covered by sunshine. There are more tourists whom all took nice camera to wait here. Everybody was so happy and look forward to the views. Of course I am so exciting. When we waited 30 minutes late we saw a small light in the top of the mountain, some minutes later the light became more and more strong. I thought the sun will rise. And the terrace lands were became more and more bright. It was so like thousands of mirrors. We were cost all of our time to take photos. We saw the view from difference place. The sun was big in the mountain, 1 hour late we with the driver went to have breakfast. We were walking around the Hani village and land. I found the building at here is no more mushroom house. May be the mushroom houses just were built in the ancient. Now the local people’s life is more and better, so every family were built now and good house like Han. Every family was living together. I thought this is a harmonious minority. In the village we can see more local people were wearing own close. The close is very nice. They are more embroidery in the border of the close. In the afternoon the driver took us to go to see the sunset in another place. It was nice and beautiful, too. It was dark when we come back to hotel.
Today is third day that we stay in Yuanyang. I decided to life here when we finished breakfast. After finished breakfast we cost half hour to walk around the town. Then we left here with bus. The next we decided to go to Jianshui County. It was another place in Yunnan. We were driving 3 hours to Jianshui city. But on way to the Jainshui, the road was not good; there are more bamboos near the road. Around 4 clocks we were arriving in Jianshui. Jainshui County was located in south of Yunnan and north of Honghe Hani minority autonomous prefecture. The area at here is 3789 square kilometers. There are many ethnic groups living here lake: Han, Hui, Yi, Hani, Miao,Dai and so on. Jainshui was became old culture town and important travel place in the 1994. So there are more tourists from difference place come to visit here.
Tuanshan, 13 kilometers in the west of Jianshui town, is often referred to as Family Zhang’s Garden, because Zhang Family from Jiangxi Province immigrated here for business since the Ming Dynasty and had prospered into a well-to-do family in the later years. Nevertheless, it was originally a Yi minority community; due to the Zhang Family’s ancestral immigrating from Jiangxi Province in the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty (1376 A.D) and settlement, this village was named Tuanshan in Chinese from “Tushou”, a word of the Yi language that means a beautiful place with gold and silver. Eighty percent of the villagers bear a family name Zhang, who live in good harmony with the local Yi.
The village has preserved a great number of ancient and traditional architectures and decorations; most of the houses are made of clay walls and tile roofs. The entrance to it is a watchtower on which embrasures could be easily seen; exploring into the houses, one can find there are lots of ages-old wood carvings on the doors and windows as special decorations. The Family Zhang’s Garden is the highlight of the village and has been working as an excellent showpiece for visitors. Behind the village, there is a Temple named Dacheng where Buddhist Guardians, Buddhas and Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Liu Bei and Zhu Geliang (historical figures of the Three Kingdoms Period) are enshrined. Other typical old constructions with it include the East Gate, North Gate, South Gate, Upper Temple, Lower Temple Dacheng Temple and Family Zhang’s Ancestral Hall, etc. The East Gate is the main entrance to Tuanshan, it used to work as a natural barrier since there were haunted bandits. As a three-storey arched gate, it’s designed with embrasures and can fort the village very well. The North Gate is facing green mountains with brooks flowing gently, thus named Suocui which indicates to lock in the sceneries. The South Gate is a fort-like tower, and it has embrasures as well. All of the three gates were first constructed in the 30th year of Guangxu Reign (1904A.D) in the Qing Dynasty. The Upper Temple was originally established in the period of Tongzhi. Surviving inside it are a main hall, back hall, and two side rooms; while the Lower Temple could date back to Kangxi Period (18th Century). Both of the two boast traditional Chinese buildings with elaborate carvings and paintings undergoing challenges in either old or modern times. The Ancestral Hall of Zhang Family was first set in the 48th year of Qianlong Period (1783 A.D) in the Qing Dynasty; and it has been left with a hall and two side houses. Family Tree tablets could be seen in the hall together other inscribed plaques.
The year of 2006 saw Tuanshan Village of Jianshui inscribed on the list of the 100 Protected Memorial Architectural Heritages by the World Cultural Heritage Fund. In Tuanshan, there are over 26 well-preserved folk residences combined of Chinese Han and Yi minority, for which it has been regarded as the most primitive and beautiful old complex in Yunnan Province.
This night we were living in Old town of Jianshui. It is nice, but difference with Lijiang old town. May be here is more busy then Lijiang old town, and no water. Another day we went to visit Taunshan old building by local bus. May be we stay this village was 1 hours. There are many old building in this village. It is so nice, the build like Bai minority’s style. It was Great and more carving in the door and houses. The next time we driving 3 hours come back to Kunning then by train went to Lijiang in the night.

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