Not much to smile about….but..
There isn’t much to smile about with what is going on in Tibet and the surrounding regions but this article on the BBC website did force a chuckle:BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | ‘Free Tibet’ flags made in China
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Long Horn Miao (Reflections)
The Long Horn Miao (visited in 2007)
I’ve never felt comfortable about visiting small villages, only to gawp at the exotic inhabitants. When trekking or walking in the countryside, passing through a remote village can be a rewarding experience and a nice break, but I am always glad to move on, unless I am going to eat there or stay the night. So it was with some conflicting thoughts that we set off to visit the Long Horn Miao.
Below are our thoughts on the visit. For Further information on how to get to the Long Horn Miao villages and how they do their hair go to: HolaChina: Your Gateway to China
Final Reflections
I am not an Anthropologist, my degree is in East-Asian History. So it is difficult for me to pontificate on what should or should not be done about the Long Horn Miao villages. I enjoyed the visit. I took some great photos. The scenery is stunning, the costumes and hair are fantastic and the villagers friendly. Nevertheless, I can’t help wondering what impact tourism will have on their society. Are we, as some of the first tourists, only the shock troops that will pave the way for hordes of well-heeled Chinese and Western tour groups on ‘adventure’ holidays who will commercialise and eventually destroy the Long Horns’ traditional lifestyle? It is something that worries and disturbs me – though I can imagine many of you thinking ‘you shouldn’t have gone then..’.
On the other hand, and looking on the positive side, tourism might help the Long Horn Miao to preserve their culture. By learning to take pride in their ethnic culture and being able to earn a living from it, the exodus of the younger Long Horns to the towns might be halted.
Change is inevitable, and the modern world has already caught up with the Long Horn Miao. The young children go to school in Soga, which is only an hour and a half away from the large town of Liuzhi, which in turn is connected to Anshun and Guizhou’s booming capital, Guiyang.
Detian Pubu (Waterfall)
The thunderous Detian Waterfall doesn’t respect borders. It spans the Chinese and Vietnamese frontier making life hell for border guards trying to keep nosy travellers from going where they shouldn’t.
In the next few weeks an article about this stunning place will be posted on:HolaChina: Your Gateway to China
Self-portraiture and emerging artistic consciousness in Dafen
Dafen is a village surrounded by the thriving metropolis of Shenzhen, and the origin of most of the world’s reproduction oil paintings. In the popular imagination Dafen’s artists produce anonymous works for unknown customers, operating no differently than a faceless factory churning out counterfeits, replicas and nothing close to what would be considered art. … [Link to REGIONAL's project page]
Oh Dear!
When travelling with Lonely Planet Guides there have been moments when we have asked ourselves, “do you really think they have been here?”. This article in the BBC seems to confirm they hadn’t.
Zhenyuan and the Wuyang River
The pretty and interesting town of Zhenyuan lies in the far east of Guizhou, not too far from the Hunanese border and can be easily reached by train from the railhead town of Huaihua in that province, or by bus from Kaili and Taijiang in Guizhou. Apart from being pretty, Zhenyuan is close to some remarkable scenery and is also home to many of Guizhou’s Miao minority, even though in town very few people wear traditional costume and are mostly indistinguishable from the Han majority.
For the traveller it is worth spending a few days in Zhenyuan to soak up the relaxed small town atmosphere, unwind in a riverside teahouse, snoop around the ancient back alleys, and visit….
For more go to: HolaChina: Your Gateway to China
Maiji Shan
Tianshui and the Maiji Shan Grottoes
The main reason for going to Tianshui is to visit the fantastic grottoes known as Maiji Shan Shiku, or Haystack Mountain. Maiji Shan is a flat-topped rock formation, set in the midst of dense green forests. There are two groups of three large statues each, the highlight of which is a 16-metre Buddha, carved on the rock face. Then there is a whole series of caves, connected by amazing walkways that provide good views of the statues, as well as the opportunity to look into every nook and cranny of Haystack Mountain.
With statues ranging from the Northern Wei, through to the Qing dynasty, there is a real sense of……..
For More go to: HolaChina: Your Gateway to China
Coming Soon
In the next week two new new articles will be posted on:
HolaChina: Your Gateway to China
The first will be about the town of Zhenyuan in Eastern Guizhou.
View over Zhenyuan
The second will be about the area of Wuyuan in Jiangxi Province.
The Yin Yang covered bridge in Cixi, Wuyuan
