HomeTours TravelYunnan village preserves rich Hani ethnic heritage
Yunnan village preserves rich Hani ethnic heritage
August 13, 2024
Perched high in the Ailao Mountains of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, Azheke is a village surrounded by terraced fields and a sea of clouds. With just over sixty households, the village takes its name from the bamboo forests that once thrived here, a legacy preserved through generations. As one of the best preserved Hani settlements in China, Azheke has been home to the Hani people for over a thousand years.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-08-12/Yunnan-village-preserves-rich-Hani-ethnic-heritage-1w0kMppgZS8/img/d35337f4dc7d4a7b9b00a4fdb4fb8432/d35337f4dc7d4a7b9b00a4fdb4fb8432.jpeg'Houses are pictured in the village of Azheke in Yunnan Province. /CFP
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-08-12/Yunnan-village-preserves-rich-Hani-ethnic-heritage-1w0kMppgZS8/img/d35337f4dc7d4a7b9b00a4fdb4fb8432/d35337f4dc7d4a7b9b00a4fdb4fb8432.jpeg'Houses are pictured in the village of Azheke in Yunnan Province. /CFP
The village is renowned for its distinctive mushroom-shaped houses, built with earthen walls and thatched roofs, creating a charming, multi-layered landscape. Situated at an elevation of over 1,800 meters, Azheke is often cloaked in mist, with terraced fields cascading gracefully down the mountainside, embodying a serene and natural beauty.
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-08-12/Yunnan-village-preserves-rich-Hani-ethnic-heritage-1w0kMppgZS8/img/6d2892e0b83943c98f0e845c4764e734/6d2892e0b83943c98f0e845c4764e734.jpeg'Terraced fields are pictured in the village of Azheke in Yunnan Province. /CFP
<img src='https://news.cgtn.com/news/2024-08-12/Yunnan-village-preserves-rich-Hani-ethnic-heritage-1w0kMppgZS8/img/6d2892e0b83943c98f0e845c4764e734/6d2892e0b83943c98f0e845c4764e734.jpeg'Terraced fields are pictured in the village of Azheke in Yunnan Province. /CFP
Besides being a traditional village, Azheke is also one of the five main villages of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.