About Xishuangbanna

An introduction of Yuanyang County

Yuanyang County is located in the south Yunnan Province and the south bank of Red River. It is connected with Jinping County in the east and Lvchun County and Jinping County in the south and adjacent with Honghe County and Lvchun County in the west and faces Jianshui County, Mengzi City and Gejiu City across the Red River. Yuanyang County, a famous mountain county in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan, is 334km from county town to Kunming province and 146km to capital Gejiu City. In this region, there are 7 ethnic groups, Hani, Yi, Dai, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Han. The colorful ethnic cultures and beautiful scenery are constituted by simple and graceful villages and diverse ethnic customs.

Yuanyang County was subordinated to Shengxiu County, Yizhou City in Han Dynasty and Linan mansion in Ming Dynasty. In Qing Dynasty, it was subordinated to Jianshui County, Gejiu County and Mengzi County governed by Jianshui County. In 1950, villages and towns were separated by Jianshui, Gejiu and Mengzi and became the Xinming County. In 1951, it was renamed Yuanyang County. In 1954, it was subordinated to Honghe Hani Autonomous Region and then Honghe City after its foundation in 1957. Yuanyang terrace is the best in the world. There are more than 360,000 mou terrace in this region which is so marvelous in manner and huge in square. At the time of sunrise, the red glow abounds the whole sky and the clouds surge like waves. It is just like an imaginary wonderland. The terraces glitters brightly just like a high ladder approaching to the sky. At the time of sunset, the villages, forests and shepherd boys are all covered by golden gauze, becoming a beautiful picture.

Every time in early winter and spring, mountains, woods and houses are dotted in the vast clouds and Yuanyang County seems to float in the above of cloud sea, becoming unique spectacle.