Jiangmei Baoma Miniature Horse Scenic Park

Jiangmei Baoma Miniature Horse Scenic Park

Jiangmei Baoma Miniature Horse Scenic Park is an elegant, uniquely scenic, and distinctive tourist attraction. Its theme centers around the world’s smallest and most auspicious horse—the Debao miniature horse—as well as authentic Baise rural music and dozens of large, heavy, uniquely shaped and hard-textured Baise megaliths.

Debao Miniature Horse

The Debao miniature horse is renowned both at home and abroad as a specialty of Debao County in Baise City. Also known as the "fruit-under horse" or "pearl horse," it is a naturally occurring and rare equine breed, with an adult height ranging from 86 to 106 centimeters. Certified by experts, it is smaller than the world-famous British Shetland pony and is recognized as the shortest horse in the world.

In November 1981, a Southwest China expedition team organized by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences discovered the Debao miniature horse during a breed resource survey in Debao County, Guangxi. Currently, the population of Debao miniature horses is fewer than 500, accounting for only 6% of the total Debao horse population and less than one ten-thousandth of the national horse population, which highlights their rarity and value.

Since the time of Emperor Zhenzong (Zhao Heng) of the Northern Song Dynasty, the Debao miniature horse has been highly favored by emperors. According to the Zhen’an Prefecture Annals, Zhen’an used to present three miniature horses to the emperor every three years. In the first year of his reign, Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was visited by Cen Tianbao, a native of Debao, who rode a miniature horse all the way to the capital to pay homage. Upon seeing the “fruit-under horse” recorded in ancient texts, Zhu was overjoyed and granted Cen an official hat and the hereditary position of Tusi (native chieftain) of Zhen’an. Hence, the Debao miniature horse is also referred to as the “auspicious horse” or the “horse of promotion and prosperity.”

Rural Music

The main content of Baise rural music features performances by local singers of indigenous folk songs and instrumentalists playing traditional instruments. The folk songs include nationally famous pieces such as the Napo Heiyizhuang folk songs, the Pingguo Liuge that won the gold award in the Guangxi division of the National Radio and Television Love Song Competition in 2005, and the Xilin Nalao Northern Zhuang Opera melodies that once represented Guangxi's ethnic minorities in a performance for central government leaders in Beijing. Traditional instruments include the melodious Xilin Nalao Horse Bone Fiddle, the musical leaf—known as the simplest yet most beautiful instrument in the world—the unique Tianyang Snail Flute, and the smooth-toned Xilin Miao Flute. These distinctive art forms of Baise come together to create a breathtaking Baise rural music performance.

Heavyweight Megaliths

The park also houses renowned multicolored Baise megaliths. Some stand as tall as 6 meters, while others weigh up to 20 tons. They display a rich variety of bright and unusual colors with up to 40 layers, and their grand, imposing forms exude unique charm. These massive stones are arranged amid green grass and trees in picturesque disarray—some resembling “sky-supporting pillars” that exude majestic energy; some like “spread-winged doves” symbolizing peace; and others akin to “water dragons” that look strikingly lifelike.

Baise City, Guangxi