Yongningping Town of Ninglang County in Lijiang

Yongningping Township (永宁坪乡) is located at the southernmost end of Ninglang Yi Autonomous County (宁蒗彝族自治县), Lijiang City (丽江市), Yunnan Province (云南省), at the junction of Ninglang (宁蒗), Huaping (华坪), and Yongsheng (永胜) counties. The township government is 106 kilometers away from the county town of Ninglang. The road to the township is a cobblestone road, and the transportation is relatively convenient. The total administrative area of the township is 245 square kilometers. The terrain here is higher in the northwest and lower in the southeast, with an altitude ranging from 2200 to 3953 meters, and an average altitude of about 2600 – 2900 meters. The annual average temperature is 9.2 – 9.8℃, and the annual precipitation is 980 – 1100 millimeters. The complex terrain and variable climate have created a rich variety of natural landscapes and ecological environments, with mountains, canyons, forests, and meadows complementing each other.

All the residents in Yongningping Township are Yi people. Yi embroidery is an important part of Yi culture. The embroiderers use colorful silk threads and exquisite needlework to create beautiful patterns on cloth, which contain Yi history, legends, religious beliefs, and life scenes. These patterns are commonly seen on Yi costumes, bags, and handkerchiefs, not only having practical value but also vividly reflecting Yi culture. The Yi silverware making technique is also very exquisite. Silversmiths go through multiple processes such as melting, forging, and carving to create unique and delicate silver ornaments like earrings, necklaces, and bracelets. Each piece of silverware carries the Yi people’s unique pursuit of beauty and deep national feelings. In addition, the traditional wood carving skills of the Yi ethnic group are also very distinctive. Wood carvers use simple tools to carve various exquisite utensils and ornaments from wood, showing the wisdom and creativity of the Yi people.

Although Yongningping Township is mainly inhabited by the Yi ethnic group, there are also a small number of Mosuo (摩梭人) and Pumi (普米族) people in the surrounding areas. The Mosuo people are good at traditional hand weaving. The cloth they weave is colorful and has beautiful patterns, often used to make traditional costumes. The Pumi ethnic group has unique skills in traditional bamboo weaving. The bamboo baskets, bamboo baskets and other utensils they make are practical and beautiful in shape, showing the Pumi people’s concept of living in harmony with nature.

This is the most grand traditional festival of the Yi ethnic group, held on the 24th day of the sixth lunar month every year. On the festival day, Yi people wear colorful traditional costumes, hold torches, and dance and sing around the bonfire. During this period, there will be exciting competitive activities such as bullfighting, wrestling, and horse racing. There will also be a solemn fire sacrifice ceremony to pray for the protection of the fire god, hoping for a good harvest, prosperity and prosperity of livestock in the coming year. The whole festival atmosphere is lively and full of strong national characteristics.

Yi New Year is the traditional New Year of the Yi ethnic group, which is usually held on a good day in October or November of the lunar calendar, and the celebration lasts for 3 – 5 days. During the festival, every household slaughters pigs and sheep and prepares delicious food. People wear gorgeous costumes, visit relatives and friends, and give each other good wishes. Yi families will hold solemn ancestor – worshiping ceremonies to commemorate the achievements of their ancestors and thank their ancestors for their protection. In addition, there will be lively song and dance performances and traditional sports competitions. The whole village is immersed in a happy and harmonious atmosphere.

The Mountain Sacrifice Festival is one of the important traditional festivals of the Yi ethnic group in Yongningping Township, usually held in a specific season every year. On the festival day, Yi people wear traditional costumes and bring offerings to the sacred mountains to offer sacrifices. They pray to the mountain god to bless the village with peace, prosperity of people and livestock, and a good harvest of crops. After the sacrifice ceremony, people will have picnics and sing songs on the mountain to enhance the feelings between villagers.

Although Yongningping Township does not have well – known large – scale ancient buildings, the traditional dwellings of the Yi ethnic group are very unique. The traditional Yi dwellings are mostly made of earth and wood. The house is simple and generous in shape, with thick walls and good thermal insulation. The house is generally centered around a courtyard, surrounded by housing, warehouses and other buildings, reflecting the Yi people’s emphasis on family reunion and practical life. Some traditional dwellings also use traditional Yi patterns and colors in architectural decoration to show unique national styles. In addition, in the surrounding areas of Yongningping Township, such as Yongning Basin (永宁坝), there are ancient dwellings of the Mosuo people. The matrilineal houses of the Mosuo people are built along the mountains and water, similar to a large courtyard like a quadrangle, all made of wood, reflecting the characteristics adapted to matrilineal families and “walking marriage” (走婚).

Yongningping Township is located in the mountainous area and has magnificent mountain scenery. In spring and summer, wild flowers in the mountains bloom in competition, and the mountains are covered with colorful flowers, like a colorful picture. Golden rapeseed flowers, pink azaleas, purple irises and other wild flowers are interwoven, competing for beauty and emitting a pleasant fragrance. In autumn, the golden leaves and ripe crops complement each other, forming a picture of a bountiful rural landscape. The crops in the mountains sway in the wind, showing nature’s generous gifts. In winter, in high – altitude areas, you can sometimes enjoy the snow – covered scenery. The mountains are covered with snow, like a fairyland. In addition, there are also vast alpine meadows in the township. In spring and summer, there are herds of cattle and sheep on the meadows, like a pastoral picture. The white flocks of sheep move like clouds on the green meadows, and the cattle leisurely graze on the grassland, forming a harmonious natural landscape.

Yongningping Township has a good ecological environment and rich flora and fauna. There are many wild animals in the township, such as bears and musk deer, as well as rich wild plant resources and a variety of traditional Chinese medicinal materials. When walking in the mountains and forests, tourists may be lucky enough to see the figures of some wild animals and feel the magic and beauty of nature. At the same time, under the guidance of professionals, you can also recognize various rare wild plants and understand their medicinal value and ecological significance.

Yongningping Township is mainly agricultural, producing crops such as buckwheat, oats and potatoes. In recent years, with the development of special agriculture, some areas have planted large – scale economic crops such as walnuts and Sichuan pepper. Tourists can visit farmland, understand the planting process of crops, and participate in agricultural experience activities such as sowing and picking to experience the fun of rural life. During the harvest season, you can also taste fresh agricultural products and feel nature’s gifts. For example, in the walnut – ripe season, tourists can pick walnuts by hand, experience the joy of harvest and taste the crispy taste of fresh walnuts.

By going deep into the Yi villages in Yongningping Township, you can experience the unique Yi culture. You can enjoy Yi embroidery, silverware making, wood carving and other traditional skills, participate in traditional Yi festivals, and taste Yi special foods such as tuotuo meat and sour soup. In addition, there are also rich cultural landscapes in the surrounding areas of Yongningping Township, such as the place where Kublai Khan of the Yuan Dynasty stayed when attacking the Dali Kingdom in Yongning Basin (Riyuehe) (日月和), the remains of Kaqi Bridge (开基桥遗址), Yongning Zhami Temple (永宁扎美寺), Zhebo Sakya Temple (者波萨迦寺), the remains of the chieftain’s government office (土司衙门遗址), natural hot springs for men and women to bathe together, and the ancient town of tea – horse – leather – shoemaker – street (茶马古镇皮匠街). Tourists can go to these places to understand the local historical changes and national culture.

Starting from Lijiang City (丽江市区), you can first take a bus to Ninglang County (宁蒗县) at Lijiang Passenger Station (丽江汽车客运站). The journey takes about 2 – 3 hours. After arriving in Ninglang County, transfer to a rural passenger bus to Yongningping Township. However, the rural passenger bus has relatively few schedules, so it is recommended to check the departure time in advance and leave enough waiting time.

If you choose to drive yourself, start from Lijiang City and drive along the Lijiang – Ninglang Highway (丽宁公路) to Ninglang County, and then go to Yongningping Township according to the navigation. The overall road conditions are acceptable, but some mountain roads have many bends and require careful driving. During the self – driving journey, you can enjoy the magnificent scenery from Lijiang to Ninglang. With the change of altitude, the scenery is also constantly changing, gradually transitioning from the beautiful mountains and rivers of Lijiang to the mountainous scenery of Ninglang.

The roads in Yongningping Township are mainly rural roads and dirt roads, and some sections are relatively rugged. When traveling in the township, you can rent local motorcycles for free travel to various attractions. If there are more people in the group, you can also consider chartering a car, which can save time and better arrange the itinerary. It should be noted that when driving or riding a motorcycle, be sure to wear a safety helmet to ensure travel safety. When renting a motorcycle or chartering a car, you should negotiate the price and itinerary with the owner to avoid unnecessary disputes.