Lawan Village of Fengtun Town in Mouding County, Chuxiong

Chinese Name: 牟定县凤屯镇腊湾村
English Name: Lawan Village of Fengtun Town in Mouding County, Chuxiong
Lawan Village of Fengtun Town is famous for Magu Dance of Yi Ethnic Minority in Mouding County.

Lawan Village is an administrative village under the jurisdiction of Fengtun Town, located 36 kilometers from the town government of Mouding County. The road to the town consists of 30 kilometers of dirt road and 16 kilometers of paved road, making transportation relatively convenient. The village is situated 31 kilometers from the county seat. Lawan Village encompasses 22 villager groups, including Juizi, Baishahe, and Qijia. The area receives an annual rainfall of 1,000 millimeters, suitable for cultivating crops such as corn, white kidney beans, and potatoes. The primary sources of income for the villagers are farming, animal husbandry, and forestry.

In the Zhaizi Mountain area of Fengtun Town, Mouding County, there is a place that is ancient, magical, mysterious, and desirable—Lawan. Situated at the central point of the tri-junction of Nanhua, Yao’an, and Mouding, Lawan is located at a higher elevation where the climate remains cold throughout the year, akin to the month of December. The winding road to the village, known as “Nine Bends and Eighteen Turns,” reflects the meaning of the mountain bays in winter. In the Yi language, “Lawan” means “a place where the moon’s reflection can be seen.”

Historically, Lawan served as an ancient post station along the trade route during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, connecting salt merchants to Xiangyun, Xiaguan, and Zhaotong. It was also a crucial passage on the Southern Silk Road, rich in historical and cultural heritage.

Festivities and Cultural Activities

Every year on the 15th day of the second month of the lunar calendar, Lawan Village in Fengtun Town, Mouding County, and Xinmin Village in Qianchang Town, Yao’an County, celebrate a day of joy with singing and dancing. At the cultural square, villagers from both communities don festive attire, holding hands and standing shoulder to shoulder. They form circles or lines, playing the four-stringed lute and dancing the Left-Foot Dance. Along the roadsides, ethnic costumes, embroidery, handicrafts, and various daily necessities are actively traded, bringing smiles to the faces of market-goers. In the village activity room, officials from both villages gather, enjoying a harmonious and joyous atmosphere.

“Magu Dance”: Preserving and Promoting Traditional Ethnic Culture

Lawan is home to a primitive, unadorned ethnic dance called “Magu Dance,” which has been passed down for over 400 years and is now one of the nearly extinct dance forms, often referred to as the “living fossil of ancient human dance.” “Magu” translates to “the dance of the elderly” in Chinese. According to historical records, this dance originated from the ancient Bimo ritual dance, which was believed to invoke the power to rescue people from leopards. The Yi people of Lawan later adapted and preserved the dance. Accompanied by a three-stringed instrument, the dance features a haunting, lingering melody played by alternating the strings, creating a poignant atmosphere. Dancers move gracefully and slowly, exuding elegance. Scholars believe that the 24 stomping steps in the dance represent the 24 solar terms, closely related to agricultural life, with some gestures reflecting ancient sacrificial rituals. The complete sequence of “Magu Dance” includes 24 stomping steps, starting with the opening dance “Wuzha Ruo,” followed by sequences like “Ruozha Ruo,” “Qizha Ruo,” “Caizha Ruo,” “Tizha Ruo,” and “Mazha Ruo,” ending with the 24th step, seamlessly connected and progressively unfolding.

Lawan Xiangshui River Stone Arch Bridge

The Lawan Xiangshui River is spanned by a stone arch bridge that has been weathered by time, with its surface and railings showing signs of erosion. In the tales of Lawan’s landscape, Yi ancestors used their wisdom to challenge corrupt officials, requiring all who crossed the bridge to dismount from their horses or carriages, hence the name “Dismounting Bridge.” As time passed, the bridge’s original purpose faded, replaced by a modern road bridge. However, this old bridge remains as a testimony to the merchants and traders who once passed through, symbolizing the enduring bond between people and the land.

Travel Tips:

• Lawan is located 31 kilometers northwest of Mouding County town, at the tri-junction center of Nanhua, Yao’an, and Mouding. It was a historical post station for salt transportation to Xiangyun, Xiaguan, and Zhaotong during the Ming and Qing Dynasties and an important passage on the Southern Silk Road.
• Lawan connects with the mountain bay areas bordering Yao’an County to the north, situated along a ridge running north to south. Houses with dragon-scale-like blue tile roofs are arranged from low to high, surrounded by undulating mountains shrouded in clouds and mist. The ancient, magical Yi elders’ dance awaits to bring the ancient music back to life, while the mysterious “Maiden Room” invites visitors to unveil its shy veil.