Text By Chu Daye/Photo by Lv Xiaohong

Tianlong Tunpu, 72 kilometers west of Guiyang, is the best-preserved Ming village in all of China.

History

In 1381, Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, first emperor of the Ming dynasty, sent a massive army of 300,000 soldiers to conquer Yunnan and then to station there, thereby expanding his territory and ensuring a strong border with the Tartar lands to the west. Emperor Zhu then ordered that Han Chinese settle in Yunnan and Guizhou, spurring a mass migration. Hundreds of military forts were built from Hunan to Yunnan to aid and protect the settlers.

Tianlong Tunpu sprouted up next to one of these forts (Tunpu means, “place to station troops” in Chinese.); the military elements in its design are readily apparent. With high walls and narrow lanes, the village is a labyrinth for any first-time visitor, offering residents a distinct advantage in any in-village fighting.

Many of the houses of Tianlong Tunpu, with their fancy entryways, carved stonewalls, and elaborate backyards resemble Ming houses found near the lower Yangtze River, reminding visitors of the faraway hometowns of the first Tianlong Tunpu residents.

Never mind the time-warp affect of seeing such well-preserved Ming buildings, the women of Tianlong Tunpu still wear the light green and blue traditional dress of the village, which has changed little in 600 years. Many also sport phoenix-style hair designs passed down from dynastic times.

Activities

Dixi or “opera played on earth” is the forebear of many other forms of Chinese opera, including Peking opera. Originally a sacrificial ceremony performed by members of the Ming army to entertain the gods and ask for victory in battle, Dixi spread among the populace to become a form of popular entertainment. In the past Dixi was only performed during agricultural events, but in order to meet tourist demand, it is now performed everyday in the local theater of Tianlong Tunpu (ticket price: less than USD 2). So sit down in this ancient village, watching ancient stories being told, and let your imagination run wild.

Dining

Wouldn’t a grand meal be the perfect close to a day of walking around Tianlong Tunpu? At dinnertime the village recreates a victory banquet similar to the kind Ming soldiers enjoyed upon returning victorious from the battlefield. Banquet tables are arranged on the open ground of a large courtyard and visitors and residents (dressed as Ming soldiers) re-enact a scene straight out of the Outlaws of the Marsh. Steaming bowls of pig’s feet and overflowing bowls of rice wine land on the tables and female servers command the guests to eat and drink, more and more.

(CRIENGLISH.com)