Yi Ancient Town in Chuxiong

Yi Ancient Town in Chuxiong

Yi Ancient Town, a AAAA-rated tourist destination, located in the Chuxiong Economic and Technological Development Zone, covers an area of 3161 acres and has a total construction area of 1 million square meters. It was developed by the Weiguang Huitong Group with an investment of 3.2 billion yuan, starting in 2004. This cultural tourism town integrates commercial, residential, and cultural tourism elements, with a focus on Yi culture and traditional architecture. As a cultural and tourism hub, it has become a major landmark in Chuxiong.

Yi Ancient Town in Chuxiong, Yunnan, is a vibrant cultural tourism destination that blends traditional Yi ethnic heritage with modern entertainment. Spanning over 3,000 acres, the town showcases Yi ethnic architecture, including the traditional Bimo and Suni houses. The town offers an immersive experience through daily cultural events, such as the Long Street Feast and the Torch Festival, where visitors can enjoy Yi cuisine, traditional dances, and music performances.

A key highlight is the “Eight Dishes of the Yi,” a traditional feast that features local food in a unique setting, accompanied by performances on a central water platform. Visitors can enjoy cultural interactions like wedding customs, songs, and dances. Yi Ancient Town is also famous for its vibrant embroidery products, which are a popular souvenir for tourists. Additional amenities include guesthouses, restaurants, a bar street, and cultural parks, making it a major attraction that brings Yi ethnic traditions to life.

Main Attractions

Yi Ancient Town in Chuxiong features a variety of cultural and tourism highlights that showcase the traditions and heritage of the Yi ethnic group.

• Water Source Square: Celebrates the importance of water in Yi culture, highlighting its significance in the community’s life and rituals.
• Meige Square: Depicts the essence of the Yi creation epic “Meige” and the ancient solar calendar through sculptures, connecting visitors with Yi mythology and cosmology.
• Peach Blossom Creek: A scenic area flowing through the town, with stone bridges and water features that illustrate key historical events and Yi customs, including the tradition of singing duets.
• Wangjiang Tower: A symbolic structure from the Song Dynasty’s Dali Kingdom, showcasing Yi architectural styles, calligraphy, and the art of couplets, with a panoramic view of the town.
• Fire Pit Square: Represents the Yi people’s reverence for fire and their tradition of singing and celebrating around the fire, embodying Yi cultural practices.
• Ancient Stage (Yi Feng Garden): A venue dedicated to the performance of traditional Yi songs, dances, and rituals, allowing visitors to experience the ethnic group’s music and culinary culture in an authentic setting.
• Water Source Square: A display of Yi culture related to water, symbolizing life and vitality.
• Meige Square: Features sculptures illustrating the Yi creation epic “Meige” and the Yi people’s solar calendar culture.
• Peach Blossom Creek: A scenic waterway with stone bridges and displays reflecting historical Yi events and the custom of “dui ge” (song duels).
• Wangjiang Tower: A historical landmark from the Dali Kingdom’s “Dejiang City,” showcasing couplets, calligraphy, and offering panoramic views.
• Fire Pit Meeting Square: Celebrates the Yi people’s reverence for fire with exhibitions on their fire culture, accompanied by music and dance.
• Ancient Theatre: A venue for showcasing traditional Yi performances, including Bimo rituals and culinary arts.

Cultural Experience at Yi Cultural Theme Park (Yi People’s Tribe)

• Architecture: Displays various types of traditional Yi homes, such as tile houses and thatched cottages.
• Market Culture: A street featuring exhibits of traditional Yi crafts, including alcohol brewing, tofu making, embroidery, woodwork, and tea culture.
• Lifestyle Culture: Recreates a traditional Yi village showcasing daily life, from grinding rice to weaving and hosting weddings.
• Historical Culture: Sculptures depicting Yi history, including the evolution from primates to humans, legends of Yi ancestors, and the Salt and Tea Horse Roads.

The Yi Ancient Town is a cultural hub showcasing diverse aspects of Yi heritage through architecture, performances, crafts, and interactive exhibits.