Chinese Name:云南民族村

Key Words:Cultures of Different Nationalities

Location:the village is 6.2 miles (10 kilometers) far from downtown Kunming

Coverage:84 hectares

Overview:

This theme park displays the colorful folklore and architecture of 25 ethnic groups residing in Yunnan Province. The theme park offers shows and performances, folklore and wax museums, as well as replica buildings found in the villages of each ethnic group.Villages of over 25 minorities including the Yi, Dai, Miao, Jingpo, Wa, Hani, Naxi, Dulong and others have been built here. Through various displays and re-creations of the original villages, the Yunnan Ethnic Village displays the diverse local ethnic culture. Villages of different styles are well arranged and show visitors their unique charm. Displaying a variety of buildings, lifestyles, and religious beliefs in the region, the village is a microcosm of Yunnan's colorful and diverse ethnic culture.

At the main gate hangs a plaque inscribed with five Chinese characters, Yun Nan Min Zu Cun, saying Yunnan Nationalities Village. A logo of a flying golden phoenix is right below the plaque, symbolizing good wishes to the village. On the lawn near the gate is a group of white elephant statues, as it is a custom here to welcome distinguished guests with elephants.

Highlights

Dai Village

After entering, the first site coming into view is the Dai Village. Occupying 4.4 acres (1.8 hectares), the village is surrounded with water on three sides. Bamboo houses built on stilts are shaded with trees and flowers. A meandering path paved with red sandstones leads to a sacred Burmese-style temple. The lofty white tower, exquisite pavilions and bridges are very impressive. As a nationality loving singing and dancing, Dai People are proud of their peacock dance and music played on cucurbit flutes, which perfectly match each other.

Bai Village

The typical Bai Village is composed of some traditional Bai residential houses with rooms on three sides and a wall (with the door) on the southern side. Tourists should never miss the occasions of Bawang dances and March Street (a festival normally celebrated from March 10th to 21st of lunar calendar in Dali)

(The Three Pagodas in Yunnan Ethnic Village)

Yi Village

In the west of Harmony Square is the Yi Nationality village. It covers more than 8.4 acres (3.4 hectares). Since Yi People show respect to tigers, you can see a tiger rockery as well as a wall engraved with three tigers. A giant totem column is erected in the center of the magnificent Solar Calendar Square. Carved on the column are patterns of the sun, fire, tigers and the Eight Trigrams of ancient China. Around the column, there are ten black and white stone spheres facing different directions, symbolizing that life originates from the sun and the moon. The twelve lifelike carvings of Chinese zodiac animals on the peripheral add a lot of fun to the village. The distilleries, bullrings, and Mo Qiu, which is similar to a seesaw, represent authentic Yi culture.

Naxi Village

Naxi Village is located to the east of Bai Village. Tourists can appreciate Naxi folk culture (called Dongba Culture), especially the local Dongjing music, the so-called sound of nature.

Mosuo Village

Next to Naxi Village is Mosuo Village, which still maintains the matriarchy clans and the customs. What are special in Mosuo Village are the exquisite wood houses, delicious food, beautiful girls and last but not the least, the mysterious custom of walking marriage. Mosuo people’s marriage culture is quite uncommon. They prefer a visiting relationship between lovers---an arrangement they sometimes refer to in their language as sisi (zou hun in Chinese, meaning walking back and forth; or azhu zou hun, meaning friend marriage. Azhu means friend in Mosuo language). A Mosuo woman is free to receive male visitors after the coming-of-age ceremony at 12. A lover may stay overnight in her room but will return to his own mother’s home. Children born from such a relationship live with their mother. In Mosuo society, lovers can end their relationship at any time. For example, a woman may refuse her lover by simply no longer opening the door. Their marriage relationship is not a formal one.

Activities in Yunnan Ethnic Village

In addition to the ethnic constructions, clothes and customs, there are activities that take place such as performing white elephants, ethnic singing and dancing performances. The climax of the performances is a film shown on a fountain of water. Tourists can also taste the local food and buy the ethnic art crafts here. They can also attend some typical festival celebrations of the ethnic groups. For example, the March Street (Bai Nationality), Water Splashing Day (Dai), Torch Festival (Yi), Daogan Festival (Lisu), and so on. The “villagers” are all chosen from the youth of the relevant nationalities to act as guides or performers for tourists.

Tours including Yunnan Ethnic Village

4 Days Best Kunming Tour

4 Days Kunming City Tour

5 Days Kunming Golf Vocation and Sightseeing Tour

Attractions Near Yunnan Ethnic Village

The Golden Temple

Golden Temple was built in Ming dynasty and was reconstructed by Wu Sangui in the 10th year of the Kangxi Period (1671 A .D.) made by brass which is the mixture of copper and zinc. That’s why it is named as “the golden temple”. It is totally weighted250 tons and 6.7 meters high; it isthe biggest and heaviest as well as the best preserved copper templein China. It is a key national cultural and historical relics. The whole temple reflects the excellent metallurgical and casting technology more than 300 years ago in Yunnan.

The Western Hills and Dragon Gate,Kunming

Western Hills boasts an excellent environment with flourishing flowers and dense forest, providing tourists an excellent environment to enjoy the tranquility and marvelous scenery. They have also been given another name - 'Sleeping Beauty Hills' for the hills because its skyline looks like a beautiful young lady laying beside Dianchi Lake with her face upward and her hair trailling into water.

The Kingdom of the Little People,Kunming

The Kingdom of the Little People (Chinese: 小矮人王国) is a theme park located near Kunming, Yunnan that features comic performances by people with dwarfism. Supporters of the park claim that it provides employment to people who would otherwise be unable to find work, but it has been criticized for treating dwarfism as a humorous condition.