Culture and tourism integration brings benefits to Jianchuan
The news was updated on April 24, 2019.
The ancient town of Jianchuan, Shizhong Mountain grottos, Shaxi ancient town, Jian Lake… When it comes to Jianchuan County in west Yunnan’s Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, these are the must-visit destinations. Each of them is like a scroll of painting and represents a kind of lifestyle. In addition, Jianchuan’s charm is also in its folk culture and delicacies.
On March 14 (February 8 of lunar calendar), we came to Jianchuan to participate in the folk cultural activity “Prince Meeting”. What we felt was that: the activity was so attractive, delicacies tasty, but time was too short for us.
As soon as we arrive at the Shilong Village at the foot of Shibao Mountain, we heard the pleasant singing of Bai people. Though the songs were sung in Bai language, the happy melodies and the honest smile of the singers were the best greetings for us.
The villagers, dressed in their traditional Bai costumes, had prepared home-brewed wine for us. Inviting guests to drink wine was their way to express hospitality. And all of these were part of the “Prince Meeting”.
It is said that when Shakyamuni Buddha was still a prince, he traveled and saw the sufferings of human beings on February 8 of lunar calendar. To release them from the sufferings, he founded the Buddhism. Since the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), Jianchuan people have held the“Prince Meeting”on every February 8 of lunar calendar to show their reverences to the Buddha and pray for happiness.
“In Dali, there are many kinds of folk cultural activities, like the singing gathering at Shibao Mountain. These activities have integrated with tourism, increasing the participation experiences of visitors,” said Mr. Zhao Jianjun, the head of Dali Branch, Yunnan Provincial Tourism Planning and Research Institute.
Ten years ago, Shilong villager Li Sikun began to build the brand of “Shanlaotui Ham”. The ham now has become a kind of popular green food and was once reported by CCTV.
Walking into the yard of Li Sikun, we saw hams suspending from the ceiling. “These have been ordered, ”Li said proudly. According to him, hams, which have fermented for three years, can be eaten raw. As more and more tourists come to visit Jianchuan, Li also has opened a restaurant in the county town and ham supply always fails to meet the demand in the restaurant.
Drinking rice wine, tasting delicacies, enjoying the singing and dances, we found that we were sitting in a village surrounded by lush mountains and situated beside the clear water. No doubt, it was a pleasant journey to Shilong Village.
“Jianchuan boasts beautiful natural landscapes and has profound culture. In the future, we will promote the integration of culture and tourism and provide unique experience for tourists,” said Zhong Hongtao, General Manager of Jianchuan Aoyun Cultural and Tourism Development Company, which is entrusted with the development of tourism projects in the county.
