Nature-rich Anshun also rich in culture

By Guan Xiaomeng (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-10-20 16:40

People with some knowledge of China's natural scenery may have heard of Huangguoshu Waterfall, but it seems few are aware that the home city of China's largest waterfall is a cultural travel destination in itself to explore.

Anshun, 90 kilometers from Guizhou province's capital city of Guiyang, is one of the earliest-developed tourism cities in the province partly because of its cluster of natural waterfalls. The most spectacular, Huangguoshu (74 meters in height and 81meters in width), is the only waterfall in the world that can be observed from all directions—from above, below, front, back, right, and left.

Huangguoshu Waterfall

Prompted by the fame of Huangguoshu, the city has been promoting its rich tourism allure since 2004 on the platform of the annual Huangguoshu Waterfall Festival.

This year's waterfall festival began with a worship rite to Confucius held in the city's Wen Miao, or the Confucian temple, dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1836-1644). Thinker and social philosopher Confucius (551 BC to 479 BC), whose teachings and philosophy have deeply influenced China, is one of the symbols of Chinese traditional culture. Initiated by this traditional worship, the city hopes to lead people to its other cultural allures.

Worship rite to Confucius

The Tunpu culture is one of those cultural attractions. Tunpu, the mix of stone-built military garrison and residence for army families and other immigrants, is now home to the descendants of the fort soldiers in the reign of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). After more than 600 years, the ancient architecture is still standing, with the dim scars of battle visible.

Stone-built architecture in Tunpu

The customs of the Tunpu people, a unique group of Han people, remain unchanged. They still wear blue robes with big lapels and wide sleeves of ancient times. Walking on the stone-paved path around the complex of stone houses and watching women do traditional handicraft, you can feel the history from over 600 years ago.

Woman doing handcraft in Tunpu

The Di Opera (Ground Opera) handed down from their forefathers is still played in Tunpu and across Anshun. Originating from a troop ceremony to inspire army morale over 600 years ago, the opera is now a form of entertainment during festivals in Anshun. One of the oldest types of opera in the world, it features Chinese historical stories and tales with performers wearing different masks covering the forehead with a black Muslim veil hiding their faces, representing different roles in the opera.

Di opera performance

Along with cultural treasures of the Han group, multi-ethnic Anshun has a diversified minority group culture. Miao, Buyi and Yi are the three main ethnic groups living in the area.

The "Tian Lai Zhi Yin" ("Songs from Heaven") performed by ethnic young men and women dressed in traditional costumes at the entrance of Long Gong (Dragon Palace) is a fantastic experience. The original primitive voice and melodies of the mountain-dwelling ethnic people and the amazing creatures of the natural karst rock caves add radiance and beauty to each other.

"Tian Lai Zhi Yin" (Songs from Heaven)

Anshun also bears the reputation of the "Home of Batick (wax painting)". The Buyi and Miao people use the traditional handcraft widely in their daily life for clothing, decoration and daily commodities. They use liquid wax to draw a blueprint of the painting and indigo to color the design. In Miao and Buyi villages across Anshun, the belt women use to carry their babies is even made from this wax painting craft, with delicate designs and elegant colors.

One of the "Best Tourism Cities" of China, Anshun is striving to mold "ecological tourism, cultural tourism and green tourism" to lure more and more guests from home and abroad to witness its beauty and history.