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Fun-filled study tours

研学有趣味

By our staff correspondents □ 本刊综合

This summer, major attractions in the core while children feel the texture of the paper pulp
area of the Yuanyang section of the Honghe firsthand, sensing the living pulse of cultural
Hani Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage heritage. This dynamic space is the Tengchong
site, have experienced a surge in popularity Rice Paper Intangible Cultural Heritage Re-
for study tours. Here, the living agricultural search Museum, located in Chaoyang Village.
civilization and interdisciplinary learning envi- Through the medium of paper, it bridges a
ronments are becoming vibrant classrooms for millennium of history, allowing every visitor to
children’s development. touch the warmth of tradition and witness the
Recently, faculty and students from the enduring vitality of ancient craftsmanship.
Chinese Ethnic Minority Languages and Liter- As visitors step inside, the warm, humid air
ature program of the School of Humanities at of the paper-forming workshop greets them. An
Honghe University visited the Yuanyang Rice artisan dips a bamboo screen into a vat of pulp;
Terraces scenic area in the Honghe Hani and Yi in a fleeting moment, the fibers coalesce into a
Autonomous Prefecture for a short-term sum- thin, translucent sheet of wet paper, delicate as
mer fieldwork activity. During their visit to the a cicada’s wing. This is the heart of Tengchong
Yi ethnic group’s Bimo cultural heritage base, rice papermaking: the technique called “pa-
a site dedicated to the ritual specialists and cus- per-forming like clouds,” through which a thou-
todians of Yi culture, the delegation was deeply sand-year-old craft flows from skilled hands.
impressed by the preserved Yi scriptures. As he In this intentionally curated “living exhibition”
examined the cotton-paper scriptures bound in space, guests are invited to witness, firsthand,
cowhide, Kong Lingyong, a Yi-language ma- the birth of a sheet of Tengchong rice paper.
jor, shared enthusiastically, “Learning directly “The establishment of this ICH research
from the Bimo taught me so much beyond what museum was driven by our commitment to safe-
textbooks can offer—it has been an incredibly guard and promote our hometown’s cultural her-
enriching experience.” itage,” said Zuo Mingjian, the museum’s found-
The Honghe Hani Rice Terraces stand as a er. “Our goal is to sustain the thousand-year
magnificent testament to the agricultural civili- legacy of Tengchong rice paper, increase recog-
zation cultivated by the Hani people and neigh- nition of this intangible treasure, and transmit
boring ethnic groups. Shaped by the distinctive both the cultural lineage and historical responsi-
local climate, where “four seasons can be felt bility embedded in Tengchong.”
on a single mountain, and weather shifts within When discussing the museum’s functional
a few miles,” and sustained by the ingenious layout and experiential content, Zuo spoke with
system of “water climbing mountains,” these evident enthusiasm: “The museum houses an
terraces are not merely scenic landscapes but ICH demonstration workshop where master
vibrant, living ecosystems. Together with the artisans perform traditional papermaking, creat-
ever-shifting sea of clouds, lush forests, and ing an immersive, multi-sensory classroom that
tranquil villages, the terraces compose a breath- engages visitors visually, tactilely, and experi-
taking canvas that changes with the seasons and entially. We have also designed a comprehen-
transforms with the light of day, a true wonder- sive educational program on rice paper culture,
land on earth. tailored to different audiences. By integrating
The Culture and Tourism Bureau of Yuan- Tengchong’s paper heritage with hands-on craft
yang County has partnered with the Yuanyang education and aesthetic appreciation, we aim to
Management Committee of World Heritage nurture a new generation of cultural inheritors.”
Hani Terraces to design a dedicated curriculum For children, the museum feels more like
for terraced landscape study tours. To support a cultural playground. Under the guidance of
the program, certified guides have received master artisans, they experience rice paper mak-
targeted training, ensuring a meaningful blend of ing firsthand. In the craft workshops, they write
travel and learning. To date, the Hani Rice Terrac- and paint on the very paper they have formed.
es have welcomed more than 1,500 visiting faculty This integrated curriculum, from identifying
members and students from universities including raw materials to creating calligraphy and paint-
Sun Yat-sen University, Ningbo University, and ings, allows young visitors to grasp the meaning
France’s University of Amiens. According to par- of “craftsmanship” through practice. Li Genfan,
ticipants, the terraces provide a living classroom, a parent visiting with his child, found the expe-
not only immersing them in authentic ethnic and rience especially rewarding: “I brought my son
farming traditions but also bringing the princi- here today specifically to learn about ancient
ples of geography vividly to life. papermaking techniques. I had not expected to
In Tengchong City, an ICH research museum find such a complete living heritage preserved
nestled in an ancient village is breathing new right here in Tengchong. From papermaking to
life into a thousand-year-old rice papermaking related printing methods, letting him participate
tradition. Here, skilled artisans demonstrate the in these processes personally has been truly
exquisite “paper-forming like clouds” technique, meaningful.”