"The last Dai ancient town in China", this is the name given to Nayun Ancient Town by the Internet and major media.
I don’t know if it’s a gimmick or it’s worthy of the name. Before I went to Nayun, although I wasn’t against the ancient towns, I didn’t have much affection for them. Today, with the popularity of ancient town tourism, most of the ancient towns have already changed beyond recognition.
But Nayun Ancient Town is definitely an alternative.
Alternative Dai Ancient Town
Nayun Ancient Town is located in Menglian Dai Lahu and Wa Autonomous County in Pu'er City, Yunnan. "Nayun" means "inner city" in Dai language. It used to be the Yuan, Ming, Qing and Republic of China, a total of 4 periods of Menglian The political, economic, cultural and religious center of the region.
It can be seen from the full name of Menglian County that it is a gathering place of many ethnic groups. Legend has it that in the Southern Song Dynasty, Prince Han, the Dai king, failed to fight for power and fled. After untold hardships, he finally found a beautiful river valley, and established a Dai royal city - Nayun here.
During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court established the "Meng Lianchang Lawsuit" here, and formally established the Tusi system, which lasted until after liberation.
In today's Menglian County, a Nanlei River flows through it, and Nayun Ancient Town is located in a group of ordinary houses on the west bank of the Nanlei River, which is particularly inconspicuous.
The development of tourism has endowed the word ancient town with a predetermined appearance, but Nayun Ancient Town seems a bit different. If it weren’t for the roadside signs, you might not realize that you are already in Nayun Ancient Town.
Many times we will sneer at ancient cities and towns that are too commercial, but Nayun Ancient Town is completely another extreme. It is a bit too original, which makes people confused for a while. Few remaining ruins.
The only remaining "Three Temples and One Department"
There is no shortage of ancient cities and towns in Yunnan, with Dukezong in the north, Lijiang in Dali in the middle, and Jianshui ancient city in the south. Speaking of Nayun Ancient Town, it may make you feel strange, but in the hearts of the Dai people, it was once the center of power.
In ancient Nayun, except for chieftains and nobles who built tile-roofed houses, ordinary people had thatched houses. The well-preserved buildings in the ancient town are scattered, mainly three Buddhist temples and the Menglian Xuanfu Department.
The outermost one is the Xiacheng Buddhist Temple. This area is the residence of officials in charge of internal and external government affairs, the chief judge and several officials. The Xiacheng Buddhist Temple was destroyed by fire, and the descendants of the current Buddhist temple rebuilt it. It looks the most resplendent in Buddhist temples.
Then there is the Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple, which is a special Buddhist temple for Dai officials. Many officials and their families lived here in the past. Although the Zhongcheng Buddhist Temple is the smallest and the most dilapidated, it is the most primitive and tasteful of the three Buddhist temples.
At the top is the Shangcheng Buddhist Temple, which is a Buddhist temple dedicated to the Tusi family. Many Dai people from Southeast Asia come to Nayun Ancient Town to worship, and most of them live in the Shangcheng Buddhist Temple.
Not far from the Shangcheng Buddhist Temple is the Menglian Xuanfu Department. The Xuanfu Department is the place where the chieftain lives, governs and discusses affairs. This is the core and symbol of the chieftain's rule. It is a pity that it was burned down in the Qing Dynasty, and most of the buildings seen today were restored by later generations.
Tusi system and the future of ancient towns
From the outside, the Menglian Xuanfu Department looks like an ancient building complex of the Han nationality. The details include many imitation Han styles of carved beams and painted buildings, but when you walk inside, you can find many traditional dry-column buildings of the Dai nationality.
This is the only large-scale building complex in Yunnan that combines Dai and Han buildings, and it is also the best-preserved one among the 18 Tusi yamen in Yunnan.
At the same time, the Menglian Xuanfu Department is also an important carrier of the chieftain system in the feudal period of our country.
Beginning in the Yuan Dynasty, the imperial court began to implement the chieftain system of "governing the local people with local officials" in the minority areas in the southwest frontier, in order to take care of the characteristics and actual needs of the minority areas. To some extent, it can be regarded as the embryonic form of my country's current ethnic regional autonomy system.
For hundreds of years, Chieftain Menglian relied closely on the central dynasty, and properly handled the relationship with the central government and surrounding countries and ethnic groups, so that the southwestern frontier of my country remained relatively stable for a long time, and in maintaining national unity and stability In the historical process of frontier ethnic groups, they played an important role.
Since the founding of New China, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee, Menglian has made brilliant achievements in economic construction, and the people's living standards have been continuously improved. Walking on the cement road of Nayun Ancient Town today, modern two- and three-story single-family buildings have been built on both sides, and most of the people run their own businesses.
While happy for the prosperity of the local people, it is also unavoidable to feel a little worried about the future development of the ancient town.
In the context of the large-scale development of ancient town tourism in China, how to maintain the original style of Nayun Ancient Town and satisfy the local people's yearning for a better life. How to balance the protection and development of ancient towns should be considered by local decision makers.
Practical information Tips:
Location: West Road, Menglian County, Yunnan (near Nanlei River)
Note: All scenic spots in the ancient town are free to visit. When visiting Buddhist temples, pay attention to respecting local religious customs. You must take off your shoes when entering the temple. In addition, you need to take off your shoes when visiting the exhibition hall of Menglian Xuanfu Department.
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