Yunshe village: home of China's Tujia culture

Beautiful scenery of Yunshe village. [Photo/jiangkou.gov.cn]

Yunshe is a Taiping Tujia and Miao ethnic village in Jiangkou county, Guizhou province. It is the first Tujia folk culture village to be approved by Guizhou province and is known as the most famous Tujia village in China.

The people of Yunshe village are the descendants of Yang's chieftain in Shengxi. The chieftain system has a history dating back 700 years and is the source of Tujia's splendid folk culture.

The bucket house is the most distinctive ancient Tujia architecture. It is composed of the main house, a guest house, wooden building and entrance portal. It is called a bucket house due to the fact that it is surrounded by walls.

The bucket house is square in shape and is built with wood and bricks. Its overhanging eaves and window bars are carved with exquisite embossments in the form of mountains, trees, fishes and birds. Since the white tiger is the totem of the Yunshe Tujia people, it is the dominant theme in Tujia's architectural paintings and engravings.

The most notable marriage custom of the Yunshe Tujia people is the door blocking ceremony. The bride's relatives or friends use a table to block the door; if the bridegroom wants to be with the bride, the bridegroom’s friends must force themselves inside. The bride is carried on her brother's back to the sedan, where she is then taken to the bridegroom's house for the marriage ceremony.

Traditional papermaking is one of the main economic drivers of Yunshe village. The technique has been used for hundreds of years, and today is a large prat of Yunshe culture.

Boasted a nearly 700-year history, Yunshe is a treasure trove of Tujia culture and tourist resources. With the rapid development of Guizhou's tourism, Yunshe is gradually showing its value as the most famous Tujia village in China.

Tips

Address: Jiangkou county, Tongren city, Guizhou province

Hours of operation: 9 am-6 pm

Admission: 100 yuan ($14.43)/person