[Photo from xinhuanet.com]

Yunnan Ethnic Village is 6 kilometers away from the downtown area of Kunming. It covers an area of 2,000 mu (1,333,333 square meters), neighboring Dianchi Lake in the south and the Xishan Scenic Area in the west.

There are 26 villages in the village, each for an ethnic minority of Yunnan, together with the Ethnic Unity Plaza, the Ethnic Performance Hall, the Ethnic Museum and the Ethnic Wax Museum. It is a miniature of Yunnan's ethnic peoples.

Dotted with well-arranged cottages, Yunnan Ethnic Village is full of untouched ethnic customs. There are gardens beyond gardens, and villages beyond villages, all constituting a kaleidoscopic and colorful picture for visitors. Surrounded by red blossoms, green willows, clean water, lingering songs and graceful dances, visitors call it "a heaven on earth".

Among the full-size villages for the 26 ethnic groups, eight villages (Dai, Bai, Yi, Naxi, Jinuo, Lahu, Bulang and Wa villages) are ready for visiting. Visitors can take time in the gardens; appreciate the dwellings; experience the customs of the ethnic groups; and enjoy their music, songs and dances.

In Dai village, one of the most enchanting, there are tropical and subtropical plants everywhere, interspersed with elegant bamboo houses. The essence of the architectures is embodied by 57 Dai-style buildings, including stilt dwellings, custom towers, water-splashing pavilions, Buddhist temples and water-splashing squares.