Menglian Xuanfu Tusi Mansion

Menglian Xuanfu Tusi Mansion

The Menglian Xuanfu Tusi Mansion is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Menglian Xuanfu Tusi Mansion is located in the ancient town of Naxun in Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County, Yunnan Province.

The Menglian Xuanfu Tusi Mansion is well-preserved and combines architectural elements of the Dai and Han cultures. It represents the hereditary rule of the Dai tusi, which lasted over 500 years from the Ming and Qing dynasties through the Republican era. In 1254, under pressure from the advancing Mongol forces, a local regime—the Mengmao Kingdom (present-day Ruili)—was forced to relocate its people southward. At that time, four ministers of the court divided into three routes to search for a new settlement and eventually found the river valley plain—Menglian, which means “a good place we found” in the Dai language. In the 26th year of the Yuan Dynasty’s Zhiyuan era (1289), the Muliianlu Route Military and Civilian Prefecture was established in Menglian, and the first tusi, Han Bafa, initiated the construction of Menglian City. In the 4th year of the Ming Dynasty’s Yongle era (1406), the Menglian Chiefdom was established, with the then tusi Dao Paisheng serving as the Chiefdom Administrator at the sixth rank, governing a vast territory. In the 48th year of the Qing Dynasty’s Kangxi era (1709), tusi Dao Paiding presented an elephant to the capital and was granted the hereditary title of Xuanfu Tusi. In the 29th year of the Qianlong era (1764), the court designated the remote Menglian Xuanfu Tusi as a “regulated Xuanfu Tusi.” In the 20th year of the Guangxu era (1894), it came under the jurisdiction of the Zhenbian Direct-Controlled Prefecture (present-day Lancang), and the “Seal of the Hereditary Menglian Xuanfu Tusi of the Zhenbian Direct-Controlled Prefecture, Yunnan” was issued. By the Republican era, it was referred to as the Menglian Xuanfu Tusi of Lancang County. From the first tusi, Han Bafa, to the last tusi of 1949, Dao Paihong, a total of 28 generations of tusi succeeded one another. From the Ming to the Qing dynasties, the Dao family tusi built a grand “inner city” on the western bank of the Nanlei River at the eastern foot of the Golden Mountain for the noble lineage—now known as Naxun. According to old Dai customs, the mountain city of Naxun was strictly divided into the upper city, middle city, lower city, as well as two villages: Mangfangang and Mangfangmao. Today, the preserved structures include the Xuanfu Tusi Mansion and Upper City Buddhist Temple in the upper city area, and the Middle City Buddhist Temple in the middle city area.

The Xuanfu Tusi Mansion is situated on a highland in the upper city area, featuring a two-tiered, small hip-and-gable roof style with flying eaves and bracket sets at the entrance gate. Beside the 13-step stone path stand four tall, dense palm trees, while eight golden gate pillars shine brilliantly in the sunlight, dazzling to the eye. Upon entering, there is a three-tiered hip-and-gable roof dry-column-style council hall, measuring 23.2 meters in length, 16.1 meters in width, and 10.2 meters in height, with seven bays in width and five bays in depth. The structure is grand and imposing. Six rows of 47 golden dry-column pillars, hidden under the eaves, conceal their dazzling brilliance and reveal a gentle luster, offering a simple and pleasing aesthetic. On one side of the hall are several wooden drums of various styles. Ascending to the second floor, you reach the chieftain’s council chamber, where a more than one-person-high shrine platform at the very front of the room serves as the tusi’s “throne.” Flanking the throne are tall flags and ceremonial objects, among which two gold umbrellas inlaid with gems are particularly eye-catching.

Passing through the council hall leads to the back garden, where a variety of tropical plants and flowers are planted, bursting with vibrant blooms under the sunlight. The main hall is connected to the council hall via a small arched bridge. The residence of the Dao family tusi and his wives is a two-story building with a double-eave, flush-gable roof. The side rooms are also two-story, flush-gable roof buildings, arranged symmetrically along corridors and blending seamlessly with the main hall. Compared to the council hall, the main hall is distinctly more luxurious, with countless golden pillars complementing the exquisitely carved and richly ornate golden bracket sets under the eaves, set against the brown-red wooden structure, truly living up to the title of “Golden Palace.” In the glass display cabinets of the side rooms are exhibited blue-ground embroidered python robes and black silk six-rank official court attire bestowed by the Qing court, as well as seals, Dai-language scriptures, tusi household items, and more. These artifacts hold significant historical and artistic value, providing valuable cultural relics and historical materials for the study of local ethnic history.

In 2006, the Menglian Xuanfu Tusi Mansion, as a Qing Dynasty ancient building, was approved by the State Council for inclusion in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units.

Address: Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County, Pu'er City

Type: Historical Site

Rating: AAAA

Recommended Visiting Time: 1–2 hours

Ticket Information:

Door Price: 10.0 RMB

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units