Zhenyuan County Culture
Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County (镇沅彝族哈尼族拉祜族自治县) is an autonomous county under the jurisdiction of Pu’er Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China. Zhenyuan is famous for the ancient tea tree in Qianjiazhai. Qianjiazhai is in the north of Zhenyuan County, where the altitude ranges from 2,000 to 3,137 meters above the sea level. It includes Qianjiazhai Village, Wanhe River, Zhedong and Enle-Shuitang travel route, covering 44 sq km. Major tourist sights feature primeval forests, ancient tea trees, waterfalls, springs, exotic plants (such as rhododendron), and ethnic customs. In the tea bushes, a striking view is a 18.5-meter-tall, 2.82-meter-round wild tea tree; it is believed to be 2,700 years old. In Zhenyuan County, there are a lot of ethnic groups such as Yi, Hani, Lahu and so on. These ethnic groups promote various cultures here.
The Culture of Hani People
Hani houses are usually two or three stories high, built with bamboo, mud, stone and wood. The traditional clothing of the Hani is made with dark blue fabric. The men dress in short jackets and in long wide pants. They also wear white or black turbans. The women dress depending on which clan they belong to. There is no gender difference in the clothing of children under the age of seven. Hani are known for their vocal polyphonic singing. Eight-part polyphony was recorded in the 1990s. They play traditional musical instruments, end-blown flute labi (俄比). and three-stringed plucked lute lahe. Part of thousand years old culture are terraced fields.
The Culture of Lahu People
Lahu communities are very gender equitable, and the men are often described as caring and considerate. Although there are differences in their responsibilities of the sexes, both men and women contribute to the household work and share their meals and food together. Lahu men also have a reputation for being excellent hunters, and hunting, rather than farming is how most Lahu traditionally earned their living. Nowadays, Lahu people often work as hired laborers for other tribal groups. This is perhaps the reason why many from other tribes, especially the Akha, can also speak and understand the Lahu language. Within the Lahu tribe itself there are many sub-divisions. Of all the tribes, the Lahu have had the least success in maintaining a uniform tribal culture as it has migrated south from China into Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. The migration route and history of each sub-group is reflected in their language and their dress, as well as strongly influencing their religious beliefs, cultural celebrations and other festivals.
