almost every traveler to southwest China’s picturesque Yunnan province passes with the town of Dali, with its postcard-ready slender pagodas as well as tranquil stone-paved streets.
But few travelers, including the growing number of Chinese who go to the region, understand an even more interesting enclave lies just a 30 minute bus trip south of Dali, past pine forested hills in a location understood as the Dacangzhen Valley.
Dacangzhen is house to one of Yunnan’s oldest as well as most tenacious Muslim communities, who have steadfastly kept their traditions as well as belief to life in this corner of devoutly Buddhist Yunnan.
Exploring the valley is a interesting glimpse of what occurs when the far east satisfies the middle East, a cultural mélange kept to life by locals who are more than happy to share their story with the few outsiders who make their method here.
Mamichang
Driving down into the Dacangzhen valley from Dali, you very first pass the little town of Mamichang, with a striking reminder that this is not just one more regular corner of China.
A towering ceremonial stone entrance stands at the begin of an otherwise humble road leading as much as the hillside town, carved with remarkable flourishes that would seem more at house in Baghdad than Beijing, as well as topped with a big crescent moon. The message “Mamichang welcomes you!” is written in big black brushstrokes – in both Chinese as well as Arabic.
It’s a steep climb to the top of the hill, however the traveler’s eye is constantly drawn upward by even more hand-painted Chinese-Arabic slogans sprinkled across the town’s stark white walls. The messages are an intriguing, sometimes confusing mix of government sloganeering, motivational aphorisms, as well as quotes from the Qur’an as well as the Prophet Muhammad.
Crowning the hill is the town’s mosque, an intriguing mix of Islamic belief as well as Chinese sensibility. The directed eaves of the minaret contact us to mind the famous slender pagoda in close-by Dali, while the folding wooden doors of the prayer hall screen elaborate, multi-colored carvings of Mecca, Medina as well as other holy sites half a world away.
The mosque is a prominent location for the town’s older residents to gather, chatting as well as gossiping in Chinese, however greeting each other with the Arabic blessing “salaam aleikum.”
Spend a long time getting a feel for this extremely unique place, however don’t fail to remember there’s plenty more to see. You should have no issue flagging down the regional equivalent to a tuk-tuk at the bottom of the hill, as well as can speed on to your next destination.
Donglianhua
Donglianhua is a extremely unusual type of place: a tourist town without tourists.
The regional government decided to establish the town as an attraction in 2008, paving the roads as well as installing useful indications as well as markers in Chinese, English, as well as Arabic, explaining the town’s history as well as making it impossible to get lost. However, outside of the major Chinese holidays, Donglianhua is virtually a ghost town, with a little handful of locals outnumbering the even smaller handful of visitors.
The centerpieces of the town are the mansions of the Ma brothers, who for centuries dominated the trade routes that passed with the Dacangzhen valley. The largest as well as most elaborate (and only one that charges for admission) is the house of Ma Ruji.
It’s simple to lose track of time checking out the vibrant stone carvings as well as murals that begin above the primary entrance as well as continue throughout, finding unforeseen details such as two fake clocks convincingly painted on either side of the primary courtyard. Climb the rickety steps to the top floor of the mansion for a view across the old tile rooftops of Donglianhua as well as out to the mountains rising beyond.
Also worth inspecting out is the Mansion of Ma Ruqing, which in spite of being set aside as a regional landmark is likewise still the house of a number of regional families. As strange as it may feel to step into their living space, the residents are more than welcoming, as well as if you go in with a smile as well as a few words of Mandarin, will be happy to show off the ancestral hall, with indications as well as pictures explaining the Ma family’s increase to power as well as tumultuous exile after the Communist success in 1949, scattering the clan from Taiwan as well as Thailand.
Make sure to inspect out the town mosque, as well. Without the crescent moon above the entrance as well as weathered Arabic signboards lining the entrance of the prayer hall, there is nothing to differentiate it from a Chinese temple, as well as a extremely stately one at that. A tiny, two-room museum beneath the primary pagoda-like minaret explains Donglianhua’s history (only in Chinese) as well as includes some fascinating antique artifacts as well as photos.
Xiaoweigengcun
If you are searching for the historical roots of Dacangzhen, head to Xiaoweigengcun. It was one of the earliest settlements in the valley, a fortress for the central Oriental troops who very first brought Islam here, as shown by the town’s name, which actually equates to “small walled mound.”
It was likewise the scene of a bloody rebellion against Chinese rule in the mid 1800’s, which resulted in the total damage of the village as well as the massacre of almost all its inhabitants, a tragedy that the locals still commemorate every year.
A peaceful place, Xiaoweigengcun comes to life five times a day as the guy of the village gather for prayers at the mosque, led by their imam, quickly spotted in his long white robe as well as bright yellow turban.
As in Donglianhua, the arch of the entrance is topped by a extremely Chinese-style minaret, this somewhat tottering to the side as well as a bit worse for wear. however across the dirty courtyard is a extremely different sight – the primary prayer hall, developed in the mid-1990’s in a extremely contemporary as well as vaguely Turkish style, with boxy bright eco-friendly onion domes rising from every corner. The mosque is extremely actually the center of village life, with houses as well as shops radiating outward towards the fields beyond.
The narrow, whitewashed alleyways provide a stark contrast to the earthy streets of Donglianhua. You’ll discover some doors flanked with red scrolls bearing Arabic blessings (an Islamic handle a traditional Chinese new Year’s custom) as well as others mounted with fabric banners showing intricate serpentine as well as geometric designs, vaguely looking like some language neither Arabic nor Chinese. These are Taoist talismans, indicating houses belonging to Xiaoweigengcun’s non-Muslim minority, with characters written in a sacred script decipherable only by the Taoist priests who composed it.
Yonghecun
If you’re visiting on the weekend, be sure to stop by Yonghecun, a little riverside town that holds a busy street market every Sunday. After a day spent on empty roads as well as peaceful villages, the crowds that flock to the market are a welcome surprise. as well as while mosque events are largely a male affair, the market is dominated by women. Muslim housewives in their multicolored as well as sequin-bedecked headscarves provide a stark contrast to the dour blue as well as grey attire of the men.
Despite the middle Eastern influences that permeate Dacangzhen, the food right here is thoroughly Chinese. You’ll discover the exact same traditional dishes offered in other Yunnan villages, albeit with pork replaced by beef or mutton. one of the most prominent is erkuai, a quick snack quickly whipped up by roadside vendors, with vegetables as well as meat wrapped up inside a thin, almost translucent rice cake.
The market likewise features some unique Dacangzhen specialties. The stars of the show are the candied melons, looking almost fluorescent in sparkling sugar-coated orange as well as green. For curiosity’s sake, it’s difficult to withstand buying a slice, however be warned that they taste even sweeter than they look. You’ll likewise discover a number of bakers selling regional pastries – a rarity in non-Muslim villages. The flavors right here are a bit more subtle, with cakes as well as pies stuffed with nuts as well as wonderful red beans.
It’s the perfect location to fill your belly as well as your backpack, taking along a few snacks to enjoy on the short trip back to Dali.
Don’t miss Dacangzhen!
Dacangzhen is a truly unforeseen surprise, providing a journey back into the region’s vibrant as well as tumultuous history, as well as a glimpse at a extremely different method of life that seems a world away from the truth of contemporary China. Whether you go to for just an afternoon or stay to check out even longer, a trip to the Muslim villages nestled in this peaceful valley is a refreshing as well as eye-opening detour, as well as a reminder that in a location like Yunnan, there is always more than satisfies the eye.
Getting There as well as getting Around
Getting to Dacangzhen from Dali takes only a quick half-hour bus trip from the southwest bus station (西南车站), at the southern tip of the contemporary Xiaguan district. Buses generally leave every ten minutes, starting at 7:30am as well as ending around 7pm, with the trip costing 14 RMB ($2) each way.
The finest – as well as quite much only – choice for going between the towns in the Dacangzhen valley is to flag down one of the tuk-tuks that you’ll discover rumbling down the otherwise empty country roads. depending upon the distance, a trip should expense between 10 to 15 RMB ($1.45 – $2), however might be a bit lower if you’re sharing area with other passengers.
Where to Stay
Dacangzhen is an simple day trip from Dali, however if you want to spend more time exploring, you’ll have a few choices for costs the night. Your best option will most likely be the Jiahua hotel (嘉华酒店) on Cangxi Lu (+08 726381793), or the Gui Qu Lai hotel (归去来酒店) just a few meters up the exact same street (+08 726382699).
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