Page 15 - Yunnan Tourism Culture Times (94)

15
VILLAGES | 村寨

Embracing cultural

tourism: De’ang village

takes on a new look

以文塑旅，

绘就云南德昂老寨 s you make your way past the village gate, sheltered by a canopy of banyan

trees, a flagstone-paved road unravels, leading you through a charming land-
scape dotted with farmhouses of yellow walls and black tiles. Meandering
新画卷 Aer in his thirties, belonging to the De’ang ethnic group.
along this path, you will soon arrive at the wooden abode of Li Yan, a villag-

yn.people.com.cn □ 人民网 - 云南频道
The village of Chudonggua is located in the The financial aid from Shanghai paved the
Santaishan De’ang Township, the only township way for the development of tourism in this
in the country predominantly inhabited by the centuries-old De’ang village. Embracing a new
De’ang people. With a rich history that can be approach, the village has harnessed its abundant
Through generous financial support from Shanghai, the traced back to the Ming and Qing dynasties, ecological and cultural resources, as well as its
village of Chudonggua in Santaishan Township, Mangshi this village features the abundance of unique- unique ethnic charm, to foster the growth of
City, Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture has ly designed ancient De’ang-style houses. It is rural tourism. Through the integration of leisure
considered a focal point in China for studying, agro-tourism and rural tourism, the village now
beaten a new path of development. By combining leisure preserving, promoting, and observing the De’ang offers a wide array of services that combine
agro-tourism and rural tourism, the village has elevated
culture. sightseeing, recreation, education, and entertain-
its potential for integrated development to new heights. Over many years, the village has drawn much ment, resulting in an enriched and immersive
attention from ethnographers, film and TV pro- experience for tourists.
duction crews, as well as international visitors. “The presence of the De’ang culture remains
Some professors brought their students for im- the most prominent aspect of Chudonggua Vil-
云南省德宏傣族景颇族自治州芒市三台山乡的出冬瓜村，在 mersive field research, often staying for extended lage,” said Kang Yulong, the First Party Secre-
periods of up to two weeks. Due to its remote tary assigned to the village. Alongside upgrading
沪滇帮扶资金的助力下探索新的发展模式，将休闲农业旅游与乡
location, however, the village had struggled to the village’s infrastructure, considerable efforts
村旅游有机结合，实现了村寨的融合发展。 chart a clear path for development. “Identifying have been devoted to tapping into the rich tra-
a direction for development remained elusive for ditional culture of the De’ang ethnic group.
us,” remarked Li Zhunxing, head of Santaishan “Leveraging the profound history of De’ang sour
Township. “However, a transformative moment tea and the expressive water drum dance, among
arrived in 2021 and 2022 when Shanghai provid- other intangible cultural heritages, the village
ed invaluable financial assistance, serving as a has established such attractions as a De’ang sour
catalyst for a much-needed turning point in our tea tasting and viewing platform, an academy
village’s development.” focused on preserving intangible cultural heritag-
With a donation of over 25 million yuan from es, and a water drum square. Now, visitors to the
Shanghai, the village has undergone a remark- village can immerse themselves in the allure of
able transformation. The funds were utilized to the De’ang culture, witnessing water drum danc-
upgrade the village’s infrastructure, revamp the es, acquiring creatively crafted De’ang brocades,
facades of residential buildings to reflect the eth- and even engaging in a hands-on experience by
nic architectural style, and establish a high-end personally preparing a cup of sour tea.”
guesthouse. After some significant improvements, At the close of 2022, Chudonggua Village
such as burying weak current lines underground received joyous news. The exceptional artistry
and implementing effective systems to separate of De’ang sour tea making, as part of China’s
rainwater from sewage flows, the village presents traditional tea-making techniques and their asso-
a clean and tidy appearance. Moreover, the spa- ciated social practices, was officially inscribed on
cious village roads are now brightly illuminated UNESCO’s prestigious Representative List of the
during the night. Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.