Minzhen Village of Zhonghe Town in Tengchong City, Baoshan

Chinese Name: 保山市腾冲市中和镇民振村
English Name: Mizhen Village of Zhonghe Town in Tengchong City, Baoshan

Minzhen Village Overview

Minzhen Village is under the jurisdiction of Zhonghe Town, Tengchong City, Baoshan, Yunnan Province. It is located in the northeastern part of Zhonghe Town, 13 kilometers from the town government headquarters. The road to the town government is now paved with cement, making transportation convenient. The village is 30 kilometers from the city center of Tengchong.

Village Profile

Minzhen Village, part of Zhonghe Town, is situated 13 kilometers northeast of the town government and 30 kilometers from the city center of Tengchong. It borders Zhongying Village to the east, Yanjiakong Community to the south, Gaotian Village to the west, and Houqiao Town to the north. The village comprises four natural villages and eight village groups. There are currently 442 farming households with a rural population of 1,712 people, including 1,651 engaged in agriculture and 945 in the labor force, of which 900 are involved in primary industries.

Minzhen Village covers an area of 32.96 square kilometers, with an elevation of 1,840 meters. The annual average temperature is 17°C, and the annual precipitation is 1,491 millimeters. The village has 1,705 acres of arable land, with an average of 4.29 acres per person; 24,113 acres of forest land, suitable for growing rice, corn, rapeseed, cardamom, tea, walnuts, and camellia oil. Farmers’ incomes mainly come from agriculture and forestry.

Minzhen Village is located 13 kilometers northeast of the town government and 30 kilometers from Tengchong city center. It is bordered by Mazhan Township to the east, Yanjiakong to the south, Fanjiaying to the west, and Houqiao Town and Zhongying to the north. The four natural villages of Gaoqiao, Kuedian, Houtoutian, and Banglangtian are arranged from south to north. The village has a long history, rich resources, beautiful scenery, and diverse culture. The village is surrounded by mountains, with the Kuedian River meandering from the northwest corner of the village, aligning with the traditional Chinese Feng Shui principle of “resting on the mountain and facing the water.” The houses are built along the mountain, distributed in a staggered manner, stretching for several miles, with farmhouses nestled among the greenery. The overall layout is concentrated yet relatively dispersed, with farmers living by the mountains and scattered among the forests.

Entering Minzhen Community in Zhonghe Town, Tengchong City, one encounters this traditional village surrounded by mountains and water, with the fragrance of rice flowers. It echoes the poetic lines: “The moonlight separates the branches and startles the magpies, the clear breeze sounds the cicadas at midnight. The fragrance of rice flowers speaks of a bountiful year, and the sound of frogs fills the air. Beyond the seven or eight stars in the sky, there are two or three raindrops in the mountains. The old straw hut by the forest, with the road turning and the stream bridge appearing suddenly…”

Minzhen Village, located 13 kilometers northeast of the town government and 30 kilometers from Tengchong city center, is bordered by Mazhan Township to the east, Yanjiakong to the south, Fanjiaying to the west, and Houqiao Town and Zhongying to the north. The four natural villages of Gaoqiao, Kuedian, Houtoutian, and Banglangtian are arranged from south to north. The village has a long history, rich resources, beautiful scenery, and diverse culture. It is surrounded by mountains, with the Kuedian River meandering from the northwest corner, in line with the traditional Chinese Feng Shui principle of “resting on the mountain and facing the water.” The houses are built along the mountain, distributed in a staggered manner, stretching for several miles, with farmhouses nestled among the greenery. The overall layout is concentrated yet relatively dispersed, with farmers living by the mountains and scattered among the forests.

The total land area of the village is 32.96 square kilometers, with a population of 1,672 people. The main crops are rice, corn, and rapeseed. Due to the high forest cover and abundant water resources, the village faced water shortages in the past due to inadequate production infrastructure. To address water management and improve livelihoods, Yunnan’s first frontier supervisor, Li Yuegai, organized the construction of the Kuedian River dam in 1935. The project consists of a river dam, a sluice stone tower, and an eastern water diversion canal. The project is grand in scale, well-designed, and equipped, benefiting tens of thousands of people. It continues to serve as a vital water source for drinking and irrigation for the thousand-acre rice fields. The dam facilities remain in their original state and are now one of the most representative hydraulic facilities and important historical relics in Tengchong.

Attractions in Minzhen Village of Zhonghe Town in Tengchong

Guanyin Temple

Guanyin Temple: Built in 1930, covering an area of 5 acres, it consists of the Guanyin Hall and the Earth God Hall. The building is wooden with stone and earth walls and a volcanic stone paved floor. The main structure is a traditional wooden framework with three beams, 7 meters high, 16 meters wide, and 7 meters deep, with a gray tile roof in a hip style. The interior is primarily wood, featuring painted designs. It serves as the main center for folk Buddhist culture in the village and a place for community elderly activities.

Li Family Ancestral Hall

Li Family Ancestral Hall: Built in the 17th year of the Shunzhi period of the Qing Dynasty, the building was donated by villager Li Tingmei after his appointment to the provincial capital. It was rebuilt in 1810, covering 1.5 acres with a two-story traditional wooden structure, stone and earth walls, 7 meters high, 13 meters wide, and 6.5 meters deep. The roof is a gray hip style, with decorative painted designs, drum-shaped columns, and a floor paved with volcanic stones.

Wang Family Ancestral Hall

Wang Family Ancestral Hall: Built in 1810, covering 1.5 acres.

Ancient Paths

Ancient paths formed during the Ming and Qing Dynasties are the first rest stop for caravan traders entering from Myanmar on the ancient Silk Road. The name “Kuedian” originates from this first stop. The path ascends along a gentle slope, winding and paved with local volcanic stones, and remains well-preserved.

Pingtian Ancient Bridge

Pingtian Ancient Bridge: Built during the Qing Dynasty-Han War, spanning 5 meters, 6 meters high, and 1.2 meters wide. The bridge piers are constructed from volcanic stones, while the bridge surface is made from handmade stone slabs transported from outside the village.

Zhongqiao Ancient Bridge

Zhongqiao Ancient Bridge: Built during the Qing Dynasty-Han War, spanning 4 meters, 5 meters high, and 1.5 meters wide. The bridge piers are constructed from volcanic stones, while the bridge surface is made from handmade stone slabs transported from outside the village.

White Tiger Mountain Ancient Bridge

White Tiger Mountain Ancient Bridge: Built during the Qing Dynasty-Han War, spanning 4 meters, 7 meters high, and 1.2 meters wide. The bridge piers are constructed from volcanic stones, while the bridge surface is made from handmade stone slabs transported from outside the village.

Xiaodiao Tower (Wenbi Tower)

Xiaodiao Tower: Built in the 55th year of the Qianlong period (1790) by the governor Hu Qirong, who was appointed to Tengchong for land cultivation.

Beidong Archway (Kuedian River Dam Project)

Kuedian River Dam Project: Located 2 kilometers northwest of the village at the Kuedian River dam site. Organized by Yunnan’s first frontier supervisor, Li Yuegai, in 1935. The project consists of a river dam, a sluice stone tower, and an eastern water diversion canal. The central canal segment includes a tunnel (1108 meters long) named Beidong Ditch, built in two phases: the first stage started in 1932, with seven years of construction resulting in the completion of the intake dam, an octagonal hollow stone tower, and a water diversion gate. The second stage, begun in 1970 and completed in 1974, involved opening the tunnel and constructing a 12-kilometer earthen canal. The Beidong Ditch was completed in May 1976, with an archway built at the tunnel exit.