Tun Bu village

A twenty-minute drive from Anshun will take you to the Tun Bu village. It is a very old and peculiar Han Chinese settlement existing in the southwest part of China. Here women wear Ming dynasty costumes and the houses, typically featuring Ming architectural styles, are frozen in time.

Historic records tell the story about the village. The imperial court of the Ming Dynasty had sent a garrison force to Anshun six hundred years ago. The garrison turned the neighborhood into farmland, grew crops, and build up villages for its own needs. The Tun Bu Village is the best among the well-kept settlements, where people have changed little in lifestyle.

The Tun Bu Village population is over 5000, or 1250 families. They have largely kept to themselves. They developed sophisticated stone masonry skills. You will find this all over the place: a unique stone culture. There is a 100-meter long business street -- the only market square where the trades congregate, and the practice continues to this day.

The people are hospitable and friendly to visitors. You may examine the women's clothing up close. The garments are usually long robes with loose sleeves. The cuffs are embroidered with laces. Some wear handkerchiefs over their heads, and some adorn themselves with silver hairpins. The villagers, at peace with nature, are devout worshippers of the supernatural. There are temples of various faiths: Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Tiantai Mountain features a temple complex at its summit. Spectacular Buddhist artifacts are everywhere to be seen among the marvels of nature.

Villagers sing folk songs in the evening to entertain their guests. Tourists are invited to visit village homes, where they may sample tea and local food.