Xishuangbanna is such a magical place where “there is no winter in summer, and one rain makes autumn”. In particular, Jinghong, the capital of Yunnan Province, as one of the few areas without winter, has always been a paradise for tourists: the lush Xishuangbanna old-growth forest park can enjoy the eight wonders of the tropical valley rainforest at one time; Buddhist buildings are scattered all over the place, and pagodas filled with Southeast Asian charm can be seen everywhere; A delicious feast showcases the flavor of the Dai ethnic group; The Water Splashing Festival held in April every year brings the national passion of Xishuangbanna to a climax
Jinghong, Xishuangbanna
24 Hours
01
09:00-12:00
Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park forest Park
Drive to Xishuangbanna old-growth forest Park, about 8 kilometers from the urban area. It is located in a valley called Caiyang River east of Jinghong City in Xishuangbanna and north of the Lancang River. It is the closest forest park to the state capital in Xishuangbanna.
There is a saying in the Dai people’s proverb that “foam floats with the waves, and the Dai people follow the flowing water.” “Water creates the world, and the world depends on water.”. Therefore, they believe that water is the milk that nurtures all things and the blood source of life. It is precisely due to the abundant water resources within the territory that Xishuangbanna has unique natural resources.
Entering the old-growth forest park is like being in a tropical rainforest. According to incomplete statistics, the park currently has 174 families of higher plants and 31 species of national key protected plants, accounting for approximately two-fifths of the total number of plants in Xishuangbanna. Here is a panoramic view of the eight wonders of tropical valleys and rainforests that can only be seen in books. The trees are lush, and the vines are intertwined. The roar of cars cannot be heard here. Looking up, one can see towering trees and passing birds.
In the park, the most anticipated thing is to watch a peacock release performance. When the trainer whistled, hundreds of peacocks crossed the shimmering lake and arrived in front of the tourists, the scene was very spectacular. If you are tired from walking, you may take a sightseeing bus to reach the depths of Aini Mountain Stronghold. Here, with dense forests and green mountains and clear waters, you can not only participate in ethnic song and dance performances, visit dwellings, and experience unique Hani folk customs, but also enjoy the natural scenery and feel the unique charm of the “Forest Oxygen Bar”.
02
12:00-13:30
A unique Dai feast
After visiting Xishuangbanna old-growth forest Park, you can certainly enjoy a feast of Dai people. The Dai cuisine is highly distinctive, as one place nourishes the other. On the day of the Water Splashing Festival, every household will wake up early to prepare for the “Water Splashing Baba”, as the name suggests, which is the delicious food to be eaten during the Water Splashing Festival. Although the water splashing baba may not look impressive, its method is extremely meticulous. First, cool the boiled brown sugar water thoroughly, then add it to the prepared flour. Then, take an appropriate amount of dough and knead it into a circular shape. Add crispy seeds and knead them into a rectangular shape. Wrap them on the banana leaves coated with sesame oil and steam them in a steamer for half an hour. Delicious and ready to serve. Before the steamer was opened, the fragrance of banana leaves filled the nose, followed by a faint sweetness. When entering, it is fresh, fragrant, and soft, with a lingering fragrance in the mouth after swallowing.
When it comes to the unique Dai flavor, “sour ants” can be considered a masterpiece. Sour ants, also known as “golden ants,” are a slender yellow ant found in tropical forests. Adults have a strong sour taste and are mainly found in areas such as Lincang and Xishuangbanna in Yunnan. They have a history of over 2000 years in the diet of the Dai people. When Dai people make sour ants, the first step is to place the captured ants in water at 50 ℃~60 ℃, and then perform the first rinse to remove some impurities and soil from the ants. Then, filter out an appropriate amount of ants and mix them cold. Dai people enjoy spicy food, so chili is an essential ingredient in cold dishes. This dish can be eaten directly or dipped in water. Sour and spicy flavors are suitable, with an endless aftertaste.
Due to the hot and humid weather, Xishuangbanna is very suitable for the growth of pineapples. As a result, the intelligent Dai people have invented another world-renowned delicacy – pineapple glutinous rice. The simpler the ingredients, the more exquisite and delicious they can be made. The ingredients for making pineapple glutinous rice are very simple, including pineapple, glutinous rice, salt, and edible oil. However, the final product is amazing, with the delicate aroma of pineapple and the soft and glutinous texture of glutinous rice blending in the mouth, and the taste is completely beyond the imagination of diners for delicacy.
Of course, Dai cuisine goes far beyond this, including roasted buns, elephant ears, spiced pork, and muttered rice, all of which are highly local and worth tasting for tourists.
03
14:00-16:00
After a full meal, he immediately drove to the Dai ethnic park not too far away, as the main event of the Water Splashing Festival was about to begin… As the Dai people’s New Year, the Water Splashing Festival is the most valued festival by the local people of the year. At this season, every household will wear the most beautiful clothes, prepare the most diverse Dai cuisine, and come to the exhibition hall. “Exhibition” can definitely be called the highlight of many celebration activities during the Water Splashing Festival.
In the Dai language, the word “rush to put” refers to a grand festival or gathering activity, which is a gathering that integrates worship, assembly, literature and art, and commerce; ‘Gan’ is Chinese, similar to ‘Gan Ji’. Participating in these activities is called ‘catching up’. There are numerous stalls around the market, and vendors are shouting hard, offering a dazzling variety of products.
Among the celebration activities, the most lively ones include ethnic minority themed activities such as throwing away bags, releasing high rises, and folk dances. Among them, elevating oneself always attracts the majority of people to watch. Gaosheng is a type of “earth rocket” made of gunpowder, bamboo tubes, bamboo poles, etc. The large ones weigh tens of kilograms and are 7 to 8 meters long, while the small ones are at least one meter long. When ascending, the middle-aged men from various villages lift it to the launch pad, tie it up, and ignite it. One by one, rising high with thick smoke, roared straight into the sky, and the smoke emitted created a beautiful arc in the sky, filling the entire festival event with a joyful atmosphere.
When the festive atmosphere reaches its climax, the water splashing process also officially begins. Everyone gathered at the water splashing square and took out the already prepared buckets and other water splashing tools. Here, everyone can splash water on each other, and the person who is splashed with the most water is also symbolized as the happiest person, because splashing water expresses the blessings of the Dai people for each other’s peace and happiness. Nowadays, the Water Splashing Festival has also changed with the times, and its form is different from the tedious past. However, every Dai people still welcome their own New Year with gratitude and enthusiasm.
04
16:30-18:00
Xishuangbanna General Buddhist Temple
After leaving the Dai Ethnic Park, go to the Xishuangbanna General Buddha Temple located near Manting Park. Legend has it that the characters carved on the leaves of seashells in the temple can be preserved for thousands of years. In ancient India, Buddhist scriptures were engraved on the leaves of this tree, known as the ‘Beiye Sutra’. In history, every Buddhist temple has a Sutra Pavilion, where all the Beiye scriptures are uniformly placed. In the General Buddha Temple in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, there are two unique palm trees. They only bloom once in their lifetime and bear fruit once, and then usher in the end of their journey of life.
The General Buddhist Temple is located on the south side of the backyard of Manting Park in Jinghong District, Xishuangbanna Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It was established as the highest level Buddhist temple in the area about 700 years ago. The main hall of the temple is located in the north of the park, with an area of approximately 90 square meters. The temple base is about 1 meter high and painted in purple red; The walls are milky white and equipped with aluminum alloy doors and windows; The temple is about 7 meters high and is a brick and wood structure building. The roof of the palace is covered with tiles and has two levels of double eaves. The ridge is high in the middle and low at both ends, forming a stepped shape. There are many decorations on the ridge beam of the Buddhist temple roof, with three small towers sculpted in the middle of the ridge, making the ridge appear colorful.
The the Shakya ManiHall has two floors. The first floor is a place for monks to lecture and believers to worship the Buddha. There is a bamboo Buddha enshrined in it. The second floor is the venue for Buddhist ceremonies, enshrining the largest bronze Buddha in Xishuangbanna Prefecture to date. The exterior wall of the main hall is adorned with traditional twelve zodiac symbols and eight zodiac symbols, and ten dragon sky protectors are carved on the ten entrance halls; At the top of the hall are silver cauldrons, shining brightly in the sunlight; The palace was shimmering with gold all around. The main hall of the General Buddha Temple in Xishuangbanna is a perfect combination of traditional Dai craftsmanship and modern architectural culture. It has now become the largest and most magnificent building in the southern Buddhist region of Yunnan.
05
18:30-21:00
Starlight Night Market
When you enter the bustling starry night market, you come to the last stop of today’s journey.
As one of the largest night markets in Asia, Xingguang Night Market has been favored by countless tourists and has become one of the “check in” attractions for visitors to Xishuangbanna. The Xingguang Night Market covers an area of approximately 2000 square meters and has thousands of stalls with diverse styles, featuring a variety of local specialty snacks, a dazzling array of Dai style jewelry, and crowds of tourists wearing traditional Dai clothing.
One of the best ways to integrate into the local environment is to experience a traditional Dai costume. Dai women’s clothing mainly consists of peacock green, light green, pink, light yellow, and light yellow. The fabric is often sewn with thin and soft georgette cotton and silk. Since the birth of dress styles, they have been developing in the direction of beauty, gentleness and beauty on the basis of absorbing the essence of traditional clothing, showing the splendor of the “hometown of peacocks”. Men are vastly different. Men often wear collarless or large breasted short sleeved shirts on their upper bodies, and wide waisted long sleeved shirts without pockets. The choice of clothing color is also relatively single, mostly white or light tones. The beautiful Dai costumes and the magnificent Hongjing Grand Buddha Temple in the night market make an excellent “photography partner”.
As night falls, amidst a sea of people, the gentle evening breeze by the riverbank touches my face, and the air is filled with a unique sense of atmosphere in Xishuangbanna
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