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Jinghong

(www.travelchinaguide.com)
Updated: 2009-11-17 16:17

Located in the south of Yunnan Province, Jinghong is the political, economic and cultural center of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, which is a supernatural oasis in southwest China, while Jinghong is just a bright pearl in the oasis.

Jinghong was named as Jingyong, Jinglong and Cheli in history, where a total of 13 nationalities live together such as Dai, Hani, Jinuo, Bulang, Hui and Yao. The population of the ethnic minorities takes up 66.7% of the total population. In 1180, Payazhen, the leader of Dai people, established Jinglong Kingdom. In 1269 of the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), Jinghong Kingdom was changed into Cheli Army and People General Government which was re-changed into Cheli Xuanwei Shisi (pacification office) in 1384 of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In 1570, the commissioner of Cheli Xuanwei Shisi divided its territory into 12 Banna (12 parts). In 1927, Cheli Xuanwei Shisi was made as Cheli County, and then was renamed as Jinghong County in 1958. Finally, it was upgraded as Jinghong City in 1993.

Hani people are mainly distributed in the mountainous and semi-mountainous areas such as Menhai, Menglong and Mengla counties. Jino people are mainly living in Jino and Mengwang townships. Blang people are the aborigines of Yunnan Province, mainly distributed in Bulangshan and Xiding Townships, Mengman, Daluo towns. Hui people are concentrated in Menghai and Mengzhe towns.

Enjoying the fame as 'Green Treasury' and 'Gene Pool of Species', Jinghong keeps a large area of tropical rainforest, including oil palms, coconut palms and mango trees as well as various other tropical plants grown wherever in the parks, on the sides of the streets, in front of or behind the houses.

Additionally, there are many cultural and scientific institutes in Jinghong, including Yunnan Institute of Tropical Craps, Yunnan National Laboratory primate Center of China and the largest butterfly farms of China. Jinghong has the most enchanting tropical landscape. The main scenic spots in Jinghong worthwhile visiting are the Peacock Lake, Chunhuan Park, Manjinglan Tourism Village, Folk-Custom garden, Dai Garden (the village of the Dai ethnic group) and Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park.