Nous tenions à vous remercier pour le merveilleux voyage que vous avez organisé à nos parents. Ils sont enchantés de ce qu’ils ont vu!
Le chauffeur était très agréable et ils ont adoré le guide!

Merci encore

A bientôt

Catherine et Franck Gillet

Reply Forward:

Village China Travel. Apr 28.

Bonjour Catherine et Franck,
 
Ca me fait plaisir de savoir que vos parents sont contents de ce voyage et ils ont apprecies le guide et le chauffeur, merci aussi pour avoir choisi notre service.
 
A tres bientot.

Zhou

Par ce courriel, nous venons ma femme et moi vous complimentez sur le suivi de cette semaine.
Un excellent circuit avec un guide exceptionnel - Louis.
En effet il parle très bien français et il a une culture au dessus de la moyenne de certains français.
Toujours disponible et à l’écoute de nos questions.
Nous garderons un superbe souvenir.

Merci et le bonjour à Louis et également au chauffeur.

M. & Mme Gillet Georges

Daliangshan, ie “big cool mountain” is an isolated mountain region, where great Yangtze River makes a big curve before going to spread in the great plains of Sichuan. Here is almost never proposed in the run of Tour Operators.
The area lives a large population of Yi, which is known under the generic name of Lolo formerly. The Black Yi, the famous Black Lolo in ancient times, shook Chinese for generations until 1956. Because they were frequently attacked the lower valleys and plains where they caught Chinese peasants, and kept them as slavery. The Yi ethnic are over 7 million in Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou.It is divided into over 30 sub-groups according to quite different traditional costume and dialects. They found the powerful kingdom of Nanzhao in the 8th century, with the ethnic Bai of Dali.
Although these plateaus and high valleys are inhabited by the Yi ethnic group merely, they are particularly plentiful and there are many different subgroups with different costumes from one valley to another. The common dress to all: Charwa,a woolen shawl, thicker or thinner, blue or white. They all use Bimo and Sune, the shaman of Yi. For Bimo, whose load is transmitted from father to son by heredity, they are both astrologer and also healer, who read the scripture of the Yi.
The Sune have no writing. They chant incantations with waving a tambourine or a bell.

Torch Festival
For most Chinese, the Spring Festival,New Year, still has a connection with the cold, because it takes place in winter, in February. But for Yi, the beginning of the year is full of ardor. And for good reason, the New Year festivities take place from late July to early August.

The festivities are especially warm they are called “Festival of the torch.” Because at that time of year, the Great Bear is shaped like a torch in the sky. It is found that members of the minority Yi in Yunnan, the southwest of the country, celebrated this festival every year for three days. At nightfall, the Yi people congregate in the main square and begin to sing and dance. Then they light torches to pray for peace, good harvests, and driving away evil spirits. After that, they perform what they call the “Dance of the left foot” around a bonfire.This type of festival is also celebrated in the part of the autonomous Liangshan in Sichuan province, a little further north from Yunnan, which is actually the largest area of Yi ethnic in China. Each year and has been around the same time, thousands and thousands of people from 12 districts and each department of the town of Liangshan gather in some places fixed in advance, all wearing their festival costumes. Young men dress in blue or white cape, wear a colored belt around his waist and a bamboo braid hat on the head. They actually are preparing to participate in fights and races relatives of singing and dancing…
The girls, they are to participate in some sort of beauty contest. They all wear the most charming costumes as each other, and hold a grease paper umbrella in hand, which is typical for the Yi. And these lovely ladies must be subjected to the gaze of most ages, it is a tricky task of choosing the most beautiful girl of the year according to strict criteria …And with the fall of night, we light the campfire and, with the rice wine, ethnic songs and dances, the feast is instantly in full swing in the best of moods.

Torch Festival, between 11 and 13 August 2012.

Aug. 3 Arrive in Guiyang.
If you have time, you can take a walk along the Nanminghe River or Jiaxiu dominates the pavilion, and a visit to the house. Overnight in Guiyang

August 4 Guiyang - Liuzhii
Discover the ancient fortified town of Han Chinese descendants of the garrisons of the Ming Dynasty (theater of exorcism). Visit Huangguoshu Waterfall placed in a scenery of water and stone of 71 meters high. Overnight in Liuzhi.

August 5-Liuzhi Liupanshui
Depart and drive to the village of Longhorn Miao in Suoga where women wear voluminous wig.
For centuries, Longhorn Miao have survived despite the harsh climate and infertile land Daqing Mountains. Located at 1600 meters in altitude, they still lead a tribal life of self-sufficiency that is far from the modern world. Attend a welcoming ceremony in traditional costumes.Overnight in Liupanshui.

August 6-Liupsnshui Weining
Drive to Weining, this region is inhabited by the Yi, Miao, Hui (Muslim) and Han mountains.
This is the market day in the village of Jinzhong, where it is common to see women with small bound feet who have 75 to 80 years only.
This is the day of market in the village of Yancang, where you can find Yi, which are different to the Yi ethnic we will meet in the region of the Big Cool Mountains.
Cruise on Caohai Lake (Sea of grass). Overnight in Weining

August 7-Weining Zhaotong-Huize
Discover Ahmao (Miao large-flowered), all Protestant, converted by Samuel Pollard, a British missionary in the nineteenth century.
Drive to Huize, an old city with some wonderful examples of traditional architecture, stroll in the old town of Huize. Overnight in Huize.

August 8-Huize Ningnan
Visit the Temple of Confucius and the ancient guilds of merchants, lunch at Huize.
Stroll through the historic village of Nagu to visit the Buddhist temple of Yunfeng.
Crossing the Yangtze River to enter the southern part of Sichuan, the region of the Daliangshan (big cool Mountains), has long been populated by different groups of Yi.
Overnight in Ninnan.

August 9-Ningnan Puge
Possible to encounter local market with a rally of Yi ethnic in traditional costume. Discover Yi ethnic. Overnight in Puge.

August 10 Puge
Attend the Torch Festival, for this occasion, young people wear their best clothes. Horse racing, singing and dancing are scheduled. When night falls, people will sing and dance around the fire. Overnight in Puge.

August 11 Puge-Xichang-Zhaojue
Attend the Torch Festival in another place.
Drive to Zhaojue, by the way, the discovery of the Yi villages in Zhaojue region, visit the small market of Charwa, woolen shawl for Yi. Overnight in Zhaojue.

August 12-Zhaojue Butuo
Excursion in the region of Meigu, this area is known for the presence of Bimo, ie shaman. We reach the villages of Jiukou, venue of the market that takes place every 10 days. Discover another Yi ethnic group. Lunch at Zhaojue.
Drive to Butuo, beautiful scenery pass before your eyes: forests and meadows, vast fields of yellow flowers in which herds of goats and sheep graze peacefully under a sky of azure blue.
Excursion to discover the Yi villages in the area of Butuo.
Overnight in Butuo.

August 13-Xichang Butuo
Drive to Xichang. Xichang visit: Museum of Yi, Lushan Mountains.
Overnight in Xichang.

Chengdu-Xichang August 14
Departure from Xichang in the morning and  flight to Chengdu.
Departure from Chengdu.

It is the Carnival to Miao people.
Miao people in Huangping area like to celebrate their harvesting by a ”Carnival”.

During that time, all the boys are cheking and reparing their Lusheng—a tradinal musical instrument to Miaos, all the girls there are busy making their tradinal costume which is full of embroidery work and silver ornement.

When the day comes, in Gulong middle school, it is real the sea of human, you can see about 50000 people are gathering there. then boys plays Lusheng for competing to each other, to see which one can produce the highest voice and the most beautiful melody. of course, boys also play it for attracting girls. gils are in the festivel costumes which is made by their own hand, they wear it also for attracting boys.

Then, one of the oldest entertainmeng for Miaos—-buffloe fighting, is really exciting to Miao people, you can see that their mind and emotion are totally occupied by it. Buffloe goes, horse comes, horse racing is other way for boys show their charming, something is strange here, they just bearly ride on the back of the horses, they don’t need stirrups and saddle, so a lot of the boys fall down of the horse and lost their charming accordingly.

After harvest, when the new rice goes into grinary, it is time for black Miao celebrate their new year.This celebration lasts for 3-5days.

1st day is for killing pig, then they have meat to eat in the following, it is important for drinking ricewine, of course, all the ladies are dressing in their gorgeous and colorful festivel .

2nd day is for making and eating sticky rick cake, they trust sticky rice eating would drive away rats which would steal their rice.

3rd day is their real new year eve, poeple takes that day to worship the gods of rock,tree,door,pig’s house,and farming tool, and they put the red paper on all these kind of things for showing their respect. They believe all the things in the world has its own sipirit.

4th day is the first day of their new year, poeple get up very early, and firstly they cook for their ancetor, then they put the meat and vagetable and wine on the ground for their ancetor get it easily, then it is time for fun and going to see their relatives and friends, that day, you can see a lot of ladies carry a leg of pig on the road.

From harvest to transplantion of rice, it is the period when earth sleeps. But in Guizhou, it is the peroid of Carnival! Minorities choose the period of Chinese New Year to do their celebration. This period is just correspond to the Februray.

From one valley to another, from west to east of Guizhou, among all the minorites ethnic, the Lusheng(music instrument) players, fighting buffalos and dancing girls, the silver ornaments are tinkling and shining on their fantastic festival dress. These festivals offer very good occasion for young people’s courtship.

February is really one of the best periods to travel among monorities group in Guizhou.
Because for more than ten days, Guizhou are displayed without stopping the festivities, activities such as wedding, family reunion etc. You can see the different festivals in different ethnic groups in different villages. It is like a feast with a variety of hearty dishes.

Simply, we need to find the right places to get a good time to attend all these activities.
Here we present some of these festivals with dates, also a itinerary very well studied.

Day 1 (January 26 ) Guiyang
Arrive in Guiyang, transfer to hotel.

Day 2 (January 27) Guiyang
Attend the festival of Miao four seals in west of Guiyang.

Day 3 (January Guiyang-Kaili-Longli.
Attend the White Miao’s festival on a plateau. Drive to Kaili.

White Miao festival

Day 4 (January 29) Kaili.
Attend the festival of Black Miao in Kaili region

Black Miao festival

Day 5 (January 30), Kaili Rongjiang.
Attend the festival in Dong ethnic.

Dong festival

Day 6 (January 31) Rongjiang-Guiyang-Anshun
Attend the festival of Miao Flower. Drive to Anshun

Flower Miao festival

Day 7 (February 1)Anshun-Liuzhi-Anshun
Discover the Long Horn Miao and attend their celebration. Back to Anshun

Long Horn Miao festival

Day 8 (February 2) Anshun-Guiyang
Visit the old fortified village of Han Chinese descendants of the garrisons of the Ming Dynasty. Climb to Mount Yunjiu Buddhist temple. Show Dixi (theater of exorcism) on the spot.
Back Guiyang, end of trip

Shuitouzhai
(1h 15m ‘s drive from the airport of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province)
Situated in a beautiful valley, Shuitouzhai is a Buyi ethnic village built along the Qinglonghe River. Nearby there are lot of things to discover: the big piece terraced fields, the tea plantation, the villages, the Buddhism temple and spectacle gorges.
This stay offers a immersion of the life of Buyi ethnic, who live mainly in the south, southwest of Guizhou, and a stay of pleasant countryside walk and picking up tea.

In this region, the climate is very agreeable in summer, the average temperature is 24℃.
Between the beginning of March and end of April, the rapeseed fields are flowering.

Indigo Lodge of Zhaoxing (2 nights), at an altitude of 400 meters.

Zhaoxing
Situated in the southeast border of Guizhou Province, this Dong ethnic village has 800s wooden houses nestled in a beautiful valley of terraced rice fields. Five drum towers and bridges of wind and rain offer a shelter where discuss and play tirelessly.
Even if you are just attracted by the village, please sit down under Drum towers and on the bridges, play with children and relax yourself in front of the door: all of these is best way to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Zhaoxing!
Around Zhaoxing, there are many great hiking route for a day or half day. We walk down the path along terraced fields with wonderful bird’s eye view, passing by some picturesque mountain villages.

Zhaoxing is also the idea base to travel around Dong ethnic country:
Jitang Dong village(10 minutes)
Tang’an Dong village(15 minutes)
Wind and rain bridge of Diping(1h)
Yintan Dong village(1h30)
Basha Miao village(2h)

Indigo Lodge(Zhaoxing)
Located at the heart of Zhaoxing village, next to the Wind and Rain bridge, Indigo Lodge is a fir wood house in traditional Dong ethnic style. Its inside is completely renovated. With nine rooms overlooking the view of the bridges, the Drum Towers, the village and the surrounding mountain, Indigo Lodge provides you a relaxing and comfortable stay.

Day 1 Guiyang—Shuitouzhai (55km/1h15)
Arrive in Guiyang in morning, the capital of Guizhou Province, drive to the north for a immersion of Buyi countryside in the village of Shuitouzhai, which is build on the bank of Qinglonghe River
This region, quiet little visited,is inhabited by mostly Buyi ethnic people. Their village was established along the river. The architecture in traditional, good preserved, mix the elements of Chinese and Buyi: the houses are made of wood with sculpture windows and timber wall. In the Village of Shuitouzhai, you can learn about the ancestral manufacture way of Doufu and the distillation of rice wine from locals.
Visit the gorges of Xianghuoyan, walk through the narrow cliffs, and discover the caves, forest and waterfall.
Overnight in Indigo Lodge in Shuitouzhai

Day 2 Shuitouzhai
In the morning, hike to against the river to the buyi ethnic village of Wangche, appreciate the enchanting scenery of terraced rice paddy.
In the afternoon, little walk in the tea plantation on the top of Baihuashan Moutains. Visit the Matouzhai village, the biggest buyi village here, with about 1000 habitants. The village is built on the small hill. It was the capital of the Buyi ethnic family of Song. This powerful family had controlled the central Guizhou from 7th to 17th Century AD.
Overnight in Indigo Lodge in Shuitouzhai

Day 3 Shuitouzhai-Gaozhai-Kaili(180km/about 5h)
Travel to Kaili by road, through Gaozhai region where there is a subgroup of Miao ethnic, called “little Flower Miao”. This group is known for the beautiful traditional costume of its woman. Those wear the embroidery and batik jacket of little flower pattern. Enjoy the landscape of terraced fields of corn and rice mix. Arrive Kaili in afternoon. Overnight in Kaili

Day 4 Kaili-Rongjiang(190km/about 5h30)
In the early morning, departure to Rongjiang. On the way, stop at the Jidao, a Miao village on the river bank. The inhabitants of Jidao called Hundred Pleats Skirt Miao. Then drive over the Mount of Leigongshan, Some stops for appreciating the magnificent landscape of valley, forest, rice terraces and villages. The witness on this spectacle of nature can make you understand how human labor gets harmonious with the caprices of surrounding environment. Lunch on the way. In afternoon visit Leli village of Dong minorities, where woman still dress on the very colorful traditional costume. Overnight in Rongjiang in Hotel

Day 5 Rongjiang-Zhaoxing(160km/about 4h30)
Leave for Biasha Miao village, a very authentic village in its architecture, plants and costume of locals. In the village, woman wear indigo pleated skirt and embroidery legging, boy keep erecting hairstyle and man like ancient hunter, keep the habit of walking around with knife and gun at the waist. Then drive to Zhaoxing, with is sophisticated and elegant architectures(the Drum Tower and Bridges of the Wind and Rain).This village looks like a fairy town.
Overnight in Zhaoxing in Indigo Lodge.

Day 6 Zhaoxing-Tang’an-Zhaoxing
In the morning visit Tang’an village, where offering a breathtaking panorama of the whole valley. It is possible to hike back to Zhaoxing through rice terraces. In the afternoon, wandering in the beautiful village of Zhaoxing. Discover numerous traditional buildings and architecture of wood which are hallmark of Dong people：
The five Dong ethnic Opera Stages, the five Drum Towers and five beautiful Wind and Rain Bridges which was built by five clan of villages. Between the lane and house are full of busy artisans: basket-makers, weavers, fabric dyers etc. In evening, enjoy the show of Dong ethnic polyphonic song.
Overnight in Zhaoxing Indigo Lodge

Day 7 Zhaoxing-Guiyang or Zhaoxing-Guilin
Transfer by highway to Guiyang, about 4 hours driving. Departure Guiyang by flight, finish the trip
The other option: transfer by road to Guilin, about 5h driving.

The Shuis have a calendar of their own which takes the ninth lunar month as the beginning of a new year, and their biggest festival is the “Duan” holiday which is celebrated with great pomp after the autumn harvest between the ninth lunar month and the 11th lunar month every year. The Duan Festival is the most important festival for shuis. Garbed in their colorful costumes, the Shuis gather in their village to watch horse races and plays, and to feast for days on end. Offering sacrifices to ancestor and horse race are the main activities of Duan festival. The more interesting thing is that the date of Duan festival is different in different clans and different village. So it usually last for three months.
The dish of fish enveloped by Chinese chives is necessary for the festival diet. And the fish symbolize the ancestor of Shui ethnic and blossoming for their clan.

According to legand, Shui people migrated into Guizhou under the lead of a holy pheonix. Then, for finding new land to live, Shui people kept moving into different directions, in memory of their origin and keeping their culture, different branches of Shui agreed on to meet every year, after the rice harvest and at a place called Sandong. Finally this agreement becomes Duan festival, the most important festival to Shuis. Duan means melon, symbolizes good life.

After long time cultivating, Shui people made this mountain area full of rice fields, it made other people jealous, this people wanted to drive all the Shui people away from this land, and occupy it themselves.

One year, when Shui people was holding their Duan festival, they bad people came, Shui people had to carry weapon to protect their land and themselves, finally, Shui people drove the invadors away, but so many young boys died in the war. later, for commemorating heroes, horse racing became the most important activity of the Duan festival, and that day, all kinds of meat beside fish are forbiden to eat.

Today, we can still see this festival at the place dated by Shui ancestors thousands years ago, and all the horses are racing from the the slope to the top of the hill.

The Torch Festival, which falls on June 24 - according to the Lunar Calendar of the Yi nationality — every year, is the most important traditional holiday of Yi people.
During the festival, people burn torches for three days and nights to drive away insects from eating crops.
Meanwhile, Yi villagers also sacrifice pigs and cows during memorial ceremonies for their ancestors. In the evening, they walk around their fields with torches, and gather around bonfires, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments.
Similar to Valentine’s Day, the Torch Festival also provides the opportunity for young people to select their “Mr. and Mrs. Right”.

According to the tradition, the man will send sweets to the “lady of his heart”. If the subject of his wooing takes a shine to him, she will eat the sweets and buy him a bottle of alcohol. Then the two people will go and hide in the nearby cornfields after dancing and singing.

Get more information about Yi