Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna means twelve in Dai language, and Shuangbanna refers to the twelve Bannas: Banna Jinghong, Banna Mengyang, Banna Menglong, Banna Mengwang, Banna Menghai, Banna Menghun, Banna Meng'a, Banna Mengzhe, Banna Xiding, Banna Mengla, Banna Mengpeng, Banna Yiwu.

Located in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in southern Yunnan, 101°50′E, 21°08N--?22°36′N. It belongs to the tropical humid area south of the Tropic of Cancer. Due to the high incident angle, during the winter solstice The minimum altitude angle is 45°. This area is rich in heat, warm all year round, and evergreen all year round. It has the characteristics of "always summer without winter, and one rain becomes autumn". The year is divided into two seasons, namely the rainy season and the dry season; the rainy season lasts for 5 months (late May to late October), and the dry season lasts for 7 months (late October to late May of the following year). It accounts for more than 80% of the annual precipitation. This area is rich in heat, warm all year round, and evergreen all year round. And because it is close to the ocean, it is controlled by the southwest monsoon of the Indian Ocean and the southeast monsoon of the Pacific Ocean. It is humid and rainy all year round, so the forests are dense and dense, and there are many plants. Therefore, Xishuangbanna is known as the "Kingdom of Plants". United Nations on October 8, 1993 UNESCO officially accepted Xishuangbanna as a national nature reserve and an international biosphere reserve. At a glance from the world map, you will find that almost all other areas at the same latitude of Xishuangbanna are vast and uninhabited deserts or Gobis. Only the 20,000 square kilometers of land here are like an emerald inlaid in a crown, which is particularly dazzling. . In this fertile land, there are 1/4 of the animals and 1/6 of the plants in the country. It is a veritable "animal kingdom" and "plant kingdom".

The scenic area includes three major areas: Jinghong City Scenic Area, Menghai County Scenic Area and Mengla County Scenic Area. There are several scenic spots in each area. There are 19 scenic spots in total and more than 800 scenic spots, with a total area of ??1202.53 square kilometers. This area has a wide variety of animal and plant resources and is known as the "tropical animal" kingdom. Many of the rare, ancient, peculiar and endangered animals and plants are unique to Xishuangbanna, arousing great interest from domestic and foreign tourists and scientific researchers. The landscape is dominated by rich and charming tropical and subtropical rainforests, monsoon rainforests, valley rainforest scenery, rare animals and colorful national culture and customs. The area has unique landscape and high reputation. It was approved by the State Council on October 8, 1982 and designated as one of the first batch of national key scenic spots.

Xishuangbanna Prefecture has a total area of ??19,582.45 square kilometers and a population of more than 1 million. It governs Jinghong City and Menghai and Mengla counties. There are more than a dozen ethnic groups living here, including the Dai, Hani, Bulang, Jinuo, Lahu, Wa, and Yao ethnic groups, including more than 500,000 Dai, 250,000 Han, and 250,000 other ethnic groups. It borders Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam, with a border length of 1,069 kilometers.

[Edit this paragraph] Transportation

Xishuangbanna is about 550 kilometers away from the provincial capital Kunming. It can be reached by car in two days or one day and night (9 hours). Banna Airport can take off and land "Boeing 737" and "Airbus 319" aircraft. There are direct flights from Kunming to Xishuangbanna every day. The flight time is about 50 minutes (cost: full ticket 780 yuan/person). In addition, there are flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Direct routes from Chengdu, Chongqing, Bangkok and other cities to Xishuangbanna. The highways in the territory extend in all directions, which is very convenient.

Aviation

Xishuangbanna Jinghong Airport is the second largest aviation port in the province after Kunming, 5 kilometers away from Jinghong City. Since the airport was opened to navigation in 1990, it has successively opened domestic routes to major cities such as Dali, Lijiang, Shanghai, Zhengzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu, and Chongqing. In 1996, international routes to Bangkok were launched. Airports have been opened from Kunming to Xishuangbanna and from Lijiang to Xishuangbanna.

Highways

The highway from Kunming to Xishuangbanna was opened on April 6, 2006. The highway mileage is 550 kilometers and can be reached in up to nine hours. It can be reached at Kunming Railway Station Buy tickets at the nearby Kunming Long-distance Bus Terminal. There are more than 20 sleeper buses and ordinary buses to Jinghong every day. The journey takes 24 hours and the fare is about 110-150 yuan. During the Spring Festival, it will go up by 15-20 yuan.

Waterways

The waterways include the Lancang River Channel. Jinghong Port is a national first-class water port and consists of three terminals: Jinghong, Lanyanba and Guanlei. Jinghong Port is a water transport port and has opened international water transport routes from Jinghong to Chiang Mai, Myanmar, Vientiane, Laos and other places.

Map of Xishuangbanna:

Map of Xishuangbanna

[Edit this paragraph] Origin of the name

The name Xishuangbanna came from the fourth year of Longqing in the Ming Dynasty ( 1570), the Xuanwei Division (the highest local chief executive) divided its jurisdiction into twelve "Banna" ("Twelve", "Xishuang" and "Banna" in Dai language mean a thousand acres, that is, one Banna, one expropriated area levied unit). From then on, the Dai name "Xishuangbanna" came into being. In ancient times, it was called "Mengbaranasi".

[Edit this paragraph] Resources

Xishuangbanna is one of the first 44 key scenic spots in the country. It has more than 3 million acres of nature reserves, of which 700,000 acres are well-protected. The large primeval forest accounts for nearly 60% of the total area of ??the state. It is surrounded by lush green mountains and green waters and is famous for its beauty and richness.

There are more than 20,000 kinds of plants in Xishuangbanna, including more than 5,000 tropical plants, more than 10,000 edible plants, more than 50 kinds of wild fruits, and more than 40 kinds of fast-growing precious timber trees. Many plants are precious materials or have special uses, such as the anti-cancer drugs maytank and Gloriosa; rauwolfia to treat high blood pressure; areca nut to strengthen stomach insects; and the seed oil of Fengchuan is an important ingredient for tanks, car engines and oil drilling in alpine areas. Special lubricants with viscosity-lowering and pour-pouring double-effect additives; tung oil can replace diesel; ylang-ylang, known as the "King of Flowers", can be made into high-grade spices; there are ancient tea trees more than 1,700 years ago; there are natural "kettles", "Umbrellas"; grass that can listen to music and dance, eat mosquitoes, curare trees that seal their throats when they see blood...

The vast and dense forests provide ideal habitats for various wild animals. Currently, there are 429 known species of birds, accounting for 2/3 of the total number of birds in the country, and 67 species of mammals, accounting for 16 of the total number of mammals in the country. The number of species of birds and beasts in Xishuangbanna is unmatched by other places in the country. Among them, Asian elephants, vultures, Indochinese tigers, leopards, etc. are listed as world protected animals; there are 13 species of national first-level protected animals such as bison, antelopes, slow lorises, and many second- and third-level protected animals.

As a "flagship species", the Asian elephant is of extraordinary significance to the ecological environment. In 1977, my country declared the Asian elephant an endangered species and established a wild elephant nature reserve in Xishuangbanna. Now the living environment of Asian elephants has been significantly improved. Their number has also grown from more than 80 in the 1980s to about 300 now. my country's Asian elephants are mainly distributed in Xishuangbanna, with a few also distributed in the nearby Simao area.

Xishuangbanna is also rich in rubber. It is the second largest rubber area in the country and the rubber yield ranks first in the country. It is also rich in rice, various tropical fruits and precious medicinal materials such as amomum villosum. It is a veritable "Kingdom of Plants" , "Animal Kingdom", "Green Kingdom", "Southern Medicine Kingdom".

When traveling to Banna, you can sometimes see beautiful peacocks, white pheasants, and hornbills flying in the forest; sometimes you can see elephants walking on the road; sometimes you can see antelopes, wild deer, and hares walking in the forest. Running...that love scene is so joyful. This is a spectacle and fun that is unimaginable in other places!

Main tourist attractions in Xishuangbanna: Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Xishuangbanna Dai Garden, Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park, Yexiang Valley Ethnic Customs Garden, Zhenoctagonal Pavilion, single tree forest, Daluo Port

[Edit this paragraph] Climate

Xishuangbanna has a tropical monsoon climate with sufficient sunshine and rainfall. There are dry and wet seasons in a year, with the average annual temperature at 21°C. The dry season is from November to April of the following year, and the wet season is from May to October. There is no frost or snow all year round. There are 108-146 foggy days every year. The extreme maximum temperature in Jinghong area reaches 41.1℃ and the extreme minimum temperature is 2.7℃, making it suitable for tourism all year round. Xishuangbanna is located in the northern edge of the tropics south of the Tropic of Cancer. The climate type is a tropical monsoon climate. The mountainous areas have a subtropical monsoon humid climate. It is warm, sunny, heat-rich, humid and rainy all year round. It has the characteristics of "long summer without winter, one rain makes autumn" characteristics. There are only two seasons in a year: rainy season and dry season. The rainy season lasts for 5 months (late May to late October), and the dry season lasts for 7 months (late October to late May of the following year). Rainy season precipitation accounts for more than 80% of the annual precipitation.

[Edit this paragraph] Culture

The Dai people have a long history and have created a splendid culture in their long life, especially the Dai calendar, Dai culture and the colorful folk culture. Literature and art are world-famous. As early as more than a thousand years ago, the ancestors of the Dai people wrote many beautiful and moving myths, legends, fables, novels, poems, etc. on bay leaves and tissue paper. There are more than 550 long poems written in Dai language alone. . "Zhaoshutun and Nanmunona" and "Calabash Letter" are his representative works, which have been adapted into movies, dramas, etc. and are deeply loved by the masses. The dance of the Dai people has a high artistic level and distinctive national characteristics. The movements are often analogous to and beautify the behavior of animals, such as the widely popular "Peacock Dance" and "Elephant Foot Dance".

The music of the Dai people is pleasant to the ear. In addition to accompaniment to dance, it is often combined with poetry. Sculptures and paintings also have distinctive features. The Dai people believe in Theravada Buddhism. In the Dai area, pagodas and Buddhist temples can be seen everywhere. The Bamboo House, a Dai folk house, is the most typical stilt-style building existing in my country. It has an elegant and unique shape, and it is cool and comfortable to live in. Dai men have the custom of having tattoos, which symbolize bravery, beauty, and can also attract the love of the opposite sex.

Souvenirs

Unique tourist souvenirs include: Dai bags, Dai brocade (embroidered quilts, pillows, tube skirts), ceramic water bottles, bamboo lunch boxes, silver belts, tube bags , various ethnic costumes, flower bags, embroidered waist bags, wood carvings, pebble crafts, etc. As for the unique Dai cuisine, every tourist must try it. Before leaving, don’t forget to buy a few boxes of red beans (also called acacia seeds) and give them to your wife, lover or friends. They are the most special and romantic gifts! Therefore, the ancients have long had a poem saying: "Red beans grow in the south. When spring comes, a few branches will appear. I hope you will pick more. This is the most loved thing."

Attractions

Famous attractions include: Jinghong , Manfeilong Pagoda, Lancang Riverside, Mange Buddhist Temple, Manjinglan Tourist Village, Yilan Resort, Menglun Botanical Garden, Ethnic Customs Garden, Wild Elephant Valley, Tropical Crops Research Institute, Dai flavor cuisine, Dai Garden, Jinghong Original Forest Park, Hongqi Reservoir, Daluo Primitive Forest Park, animal wonders, plant wonders, tropical rainforest, Dai Water Splashing Festival

Well-known schools

Well-known schools include: Yunnan Tropical Agricultural Engineering School (The former Yunnan Provincial Agricultural Reclamation Management School and the former Simao Tropical Crop Research School merged to run the school). It is a large-scale professional school with a comprehensive range of subjects in my country that studies tropical economic crops.

Specialty Catering

Dai cuisine enjoys a unique reputation among Yunnan cuisines. The residents of Xishuangbanna are mainly Dai people. Dai cuisine consists of glutinous rice, sour and baked meats, and aquatic products. Mainly, wild cultivated plants are used as spices, which has a unique ethnic flavor.

Among the Banna delicacies, the most representative are: "Nanmi", Bulang cuisine, Hani cuisine, barbecue, moss, boiled fish (chicken) with sour bamboo shoots, grilled fish with lemongrass, and fragrant bamboo Rice, fried bracken [moss]. Most of the names are ones that tourists have never heard of, so they are worth trying.

Banna delicacies are all available at the night market. In addition to the above-mentioned specialties, there are also herb-roasted chicken, bamboo tube rice, roasted bamboo rat, steamed moss eggs, cooked chopped chicken, duck feet, bamboo worms, fried beef skin, oil Fried pork rinds, fried pork rinds, and other ethnic food are all available, which are most in line with the tastes of southerners. At night, tourists can enjoy the night view of Jinghong City while tasting delicious food. The colorful lights will make you forget to leave. The local fragrant bamboo glutinous rice can be eaten at a stall for only 2-5 yuan.

If you dare to taste insects, you might as well consider the insect feast. In addition to grasshoppers and scorpions, there are also wriggling bamboo insects, bee larvae, etc. A meal costs about 120 yuan and can be enjoyed by 8 people.

[Edit this paragraph] Dai Buddhist Architecture

Hundreds of years ago, Theravada Buddhism was introduced to Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province and became the religion believed by all the Dai people. Buddhist temple buildings can be seen everywhere here. Almost every village has a Buddhist temple, and some Buddhist temples even have pagodas built next to them. Buddhist temples and pagodas have become the center of life for the Dai people and the temples in their minds. Buddhist architectural art has also become a precious cultural and artistic wealth for the Dai people.

The architecture of Dai Buddhist temples in Xishuangbanna is mainly flat-tiled buildings with double eaves and multiple slopes. Most Buddhist temples are square in shape, facing east and west. The roof slope is composed of three stacked layers. The central hall is higher, and the east and west sides decrease in staggered rise and fall. The roof uses rectangular tiles, and the tails of the tiles are hooked on flat bamboo rafters. The ridge between the main ridge of the roof and the eaves is smoothed with lime, and various tile decorations are arranged on it. The tile decoration on the main ridge is in the shape of a flame, and most of the ridges have an image of a phoenix standing upright at the head end, which is a unique style.