Doudiwan Village of Yilong Town in Shiping County, Honghe Prefecture

🏞️ Geography & Ecology

Location Advantage
Doudiwan Village (豆地湾村) lies on the southern shore of Yilong Lake (异龙湖), only 6 km from Shiping County. Nestled between mountains and water, it offers idyllic countryside scenery.

Ecological Resources

• Elevation: 1,420 m

• Climate: Subtropical plateau monsoon, average annual temperature 25°C, rainfall around 1,000 mm

• Crops: sugarcane, vegetables, rice, plus the village’s signature bayberries (杨梅) covering over 2,400 mu.

The Yilong Lake wetland and its vast summer lotus fields create a spectacular ecological painting of “mountain-lake harmony and pastoral beauty.”

📜 History & Ethnic Background

Historical Evolution

• Early 1950s: known as Zhongyan Township (钟砚乡)

• Later: evolved into commune, brigade

• Since 1988: officially established as a village committee

• The name “Doudiwan” reflects both its basin-like geography and traditional bean cultivation.

Ethnic Culture
The village is dominated by the Huayao Yi (花腰彝) community, known as one of the birthplaces of two national intangible cultural heritages:

• Cigarette-Box Dance (烟盒舞)

• Haicai Tune (海菜腔 folk song)

These art forms embody both nature worship and agrarian wisdom.

🍲 Culinary Culture

Key Local Products

• Bayberries (杨梅): fresh fruit & processed goods are popular souvenirs

• Eco-agriculture: sugarcane, early-season vegetables (potatoes, chili), and Qingmian sheep (青绵羊)

• Tofu traditions: close to the famous Shiping Tofu production area, reflected in the local saying:
  “Tofu is not just a dish—without it, the table feels incomplete.”

This forms a distinctive “lake delicacies + mountain flavors” food system.

🎶 Festivals & Intangible Heritage

Daily Traditions

• Cigarette-Box Dance (烟盒舞): rhythm created by tapping small tobacco boxes, with movements imitating farming & hunting.

• Haicai Tune (海菜腔): high-pitched improvisational folk songs echoing across fields and lakeshores.

Festivals

• Torch Festival (火把节): Yi people’s major celebration with bonfires, Datih Dance, and villagers in full ethnic costume.

• Lotus Season (荷花季): summer event at Yilong Lake combining lotus-viewing, folk song duets, farm markets, and lotus-picking boat rides.

🏡 Architecture & Village Landscape

Residential Style

• White walls, grey-tiled courtyards

• Distinctive flying eaves and hooked ridges, reflecting southern Yunnan traditions

• Some homes renovated under the “Ten-Hundred-Thousand Project”, blending historical charm with modern functionality.

Public Spaces

• Vegetable Trading Market: solves farm produce sales issues

• Ethnic Cultural Corridor: showcases local intangible heritage & village history

🌿 Sustainable Travel Experiences

• Farm Activities: join bayberry picking (May–June), or sugarcane harvest; taste freshly roasted cane juice.

• Intangible Heritage Workshops: learn basic steps of the Cigarette-Box Dance, try Haicai Tune improvisation.

• Eco-Study Tours: hike Qianyang Mountain (乾阳山) for panoramic views of Yilong Lake wetlands, observe migratory birds (best in winter).

⚠️ Travel Tips

• Best Seasons:

  • May–July: bayberry harvest + lotus season

  • Nov–Feb: bird-watching & mild winter climate

• Transport: main village road is paved asphalt, but some hamlet access roads remain unpaved—SUV/4WD recommended.

• Festivals: check with local tourism offices for Torch Festival dates. Infrastructure in some hamlets (e.g., Xiaopo Village 小坡村) is still under development.