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Celebrate the Lover's Day of Pumi Tribe - Folk Song Study Trip to Yunnan
2010 Departures: May 25, 2010
Trip Length: 7 days
Group Capacity: 10 - 20 pepole
Trip Price: From RMB 5,180 per person
It is a Private Group Journey.
- Q & A of the trip:
- Who are the Pumi people?
- What is Tufeng Project?
- Why does MKJ organize this tour?
- What are these villages like?
- Travel to Make a Difference:
- - As the first group of MKJ visitors to the village, part of our mission is to help the local villagers making a positive difference in their lives. At the guidance of the MKJ tour manager, and the Tufeng Project team members, we use part of our trip cost to finance some of the construction or preservation projects in the village.
- - Our visit itself is a good chance for the local Pumi people to understand how precious their music heritage is, and how important it is for the younger generation to carry it on for the future.
Day-by-day Itinerary
- Day 1:
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May 25, Mon: Arrive in Lijiang: Today, we arrive in Lijiang separately from our home cities, with private transportation arranged for each arrival.
By around mid-afternoon, we gather in the hotel, and take a leisurely walk in the old town of Lijiang, and join a few representatives from Tufeng Project for a program briefing session over the welcome dinner. The Naxi members of the project give us an introduction and demonstration of Naxi folk song and dance.
3 star boutique hotel; Dinner included
- Day 2:
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May 26, Tue: Lijiang to Shangshuifeng through Lanping: This morning we drive for about four hours to Lanping County, the regional center of the Pumi people. Along the way, we will stop for photo opportunities to break up the long drive.
After lunch organized in the teahouse, run by a local member of the Tufeng Project, we head to the Shangshuifeng village, which is only half an hour away. Upon arrival, we load our luggage on horses, and walk slightly uphill into the village. Our accommodation tonight will be arranged with the local families in their traditional wooden houses.Once settled down, we will gather to take a stroll in the village, getting to know the environment, and our local hosts. After dinner with each host family, we gather again to join the local villagers for a bon fire party, which also give the local village an excuse for a celebration.
Village home stay; all meals included
- Day 3:
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May 27, Wed: Shangshuifeng: Today we will have some optional activities:
Option 1: Help to prepare the Lover’s Day celebration for the second day with the local villagers, including collecting the firewood for the bonfire party.Option 2: Take a day hike to the mountain on the other side of the village, enjoy the scenery, and meet an old herdsman who lives apart from the village, and listen to the folk songs he is familiar with.
Shaxi Village Guesthouse; all meals included
- Day 4:
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May 28, Thu: Shangshuifeng – Lover’s Day: Today is a big day, and we get up early to join the locals for the preparation of the Lover’s Day. Thousands of the local people, not just Pumi, but also Bai, Lisu and Naxi come to Shangshuifeng and gather around the village square. Lover’s Day is the second largest annual event for the Pumi people, and some times it will last for three days.
Although it had not been organized for many years, when the Tufeng team proposed to the local villagers, they enthusiastically embraced the idea, and eventually make it happen. Right now, this has become a very important opportunity for the younger generation to learn and understand their own traditional culture, as well as folk songs.After dinner tonight, we will join the locals for another kind of folk song, Li Li, part of the sacred ceremony to worship the ancestors and the god of the mountain.
Village home stay, all meals included
- Day 5:
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May 29, Fri: Shangshuifeng to Yushichang: Today, we pack and move to the next village, which is considered among the first Pumi village founded in this region at least 800 years ago. The local villagers still keeps the most original forms of religion and traditional belief system. They worship the natural gods, including forest gods, and that is the main reason why the village has been objecting to build a road into the village, as they were afraid that the prime forest which has been blessing the village for a thousand years, will be logged. In some sense, this is the most authentic Pumi village in Yunnan.
Upon arrival, we have a simple lunch, and will join Mr. Yang, the director of Tufeng Cultural Center of this village, and visit the forest. After visiting this forest, and learning about all the efforts made by the local villagers, we will understand how much sacrifice the local villagers have made to protect these old trees.
After dinner tonight, we will join the locals for another kind of folk song, li li, part of the sacred ceremony to worship the ancestors and the god of the mountain. - Day 6:
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May 30, Sat, Yushichang to Lijiang: This morning, our local hosts take us to visit a number of families and learn the secret of weaving. Here we will have an opportunity to buy a few indigenous textile products to support the local economy. Time permitting, we also visit the water mill by the crystal mountain brook.
After an early lunch, we pack, and farewell to our hospitable Pumi hosts. It will take us a long drive back to Lijiang. Tonight, we choose to stay in the local three star hotel, with hot water showers.
Village home stay, all meals included
- Day 7:
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May 31, Sun, Liijiang back home: This morning, we board flights in Dali, and head home.
Trip ends. [MKJ]
