Wengding Primitive Tribe Cultural Tourism Area

AdministratorWengding Primitive Village, the Cangyuan Wengding Wa Ethnic Village, is the most primitive Wa ethnic tribe in China. The village is characterized by its pristine natural scenery and ancient Wa ethnic customs, and has been hailed by National Geographic as “China’s Last Primitive Tribe.” Wengding Village is locatedin the southwest of Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, with the address being

Mengjiao Dai, Yi, and Lahu Township, Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province. It is a traditional Chinese village covering an area of 6.3 square kilometers.

The “Weng” in Wengding means water, and “Ding” means connection. Thus, Wengding means connected waters. This place has several small rivers that are interconnected, hence the name. Wengding Primitive Village is 30 kilometers from the county town, under the jurisdiction of Mengjiao Township, with a total of 98 households and over 400 residents. Because the village still retains many traditional Wa customs and beliefs, it is referred to as a primitive village.

The Zhaizhuang is a totem worship symbol of the Wa people, usually located in the central dancing ground of the village, representing human habitation and reproduction. The tallest pole is a banner made of dragon bamboo, with several rings of bamboo strips at the top and deliberately inserted sharp bamboo strips, which serve both as decoration and as a charm against evil—similar to how the Han people use mugwort or peachwood to ward off evil spirits. Below the bamboo rings is a one-foot-long wooden boat, symbolizing smooth sailing; beneath the boat is a wooden fish, symbolizing abundance year after year. With a boat comes water, and with water come fish, signifying favorable weather and prosperity for the whole village. Beside the banner pole is a human-height wooden tower stake, roughly carved entirely with an axe. The tower is painted with quicklime, white as silver, and engraved with special patterns—dots, squares, triangles, and rectangles—representing the mountains, rivers, plants, and life-sustaining elements of the world. Next to the wooden tower and banner pole is another wooden stake with a wooden basin nailed to the top, used for Buddhist offerings. At the base of the pole is a cobblestone representing the heart of the village. During festivals, a five-foot-long white cloth banner is hung on the bamboo pole, incorporating Theravada Buddhist customs. At this time, every household brings food to offer to the Zhaizhuang, which becomes piled high with offerings and decorated with small triangular flags for the spirits. Then, the entire village gathers around the Zhaizhuang, singing and dancing to celebrate the harvest and pray for favorable weather, a bountiful harvest, and prosperity for people and livestock in the coming year. Therefore, the square with the Zhaizhuang serves not only as an important site for village religious ceremonies but also as a gathering place for celebration and joy. The Zhaizhuang of Wengding fully illustrates the Wa people's own beliefs, aspirations, their firm faith in their legends, and their hopes and pursuits.

Regarding Wa people’s dwelling locations, legend says that initially, each clan typically formed a single village. To facilitate intermarriage, in the same area, several villages of different surnames would be located adjacent to one another. Later, villages of different surnames merged into one, though each surname continued to live in its designated area. Though there were no clear dividing lines between these areas, everyone in the village knew which surname lived where. For example, in Wengding Village, the upper left is the Li family, the upper right the Yang family; the lower left is the Xiao family, and the lower right the Zhao family. The Yang family was the founder of the village, so the village leader was chosen from the Yang family.

Every Wa village has a sacred grove, with an ancient tree within serving as the dwelling place of the village god or tree spirit. The sacred grove of Wengding Village is located to the left of the village and contains a sacrificial house. During festivals or major village events, sacrifices are made there to pray for peace, health, a bountiful harvest, and prosperity. None of the trees in the sacred grove have ever been cut down, so they now grow very lush. Additionally, the Wa people have the commendable tradition of burying their dead without leaving graves. As a result, when digging new graves, old ones may sometimes be unearthed. In such cases, the bones are simply removed, placed aside, and then returned to the bottom or outside of the new grave pit—no one will accuse you of disturbing ancestral graves. This is also a Wa contribution to land conservation. The deceased can only be kept at home for one day before burial, and meals are offered at the grave every ten days for three times. After thirty days, the grave is no longer formally acknowledged, a custom that continues to this day.

The interior structure of Wa houses is primitive and unique. An iron tripod is essential in every household for building fires and cooking. The stove for boiling pig feed is usually built in a corner near the door. Once a fire is lit in the hearth upon moving into a new house, it must be kept burning continuously—just as the Han people never let their incense die out. The fire may only be extinguished during house reconstruction, village-wide disasters, or when bidding farewell to the old year, at which point a new fire ceremony is held.

Wengding Village extinguishes the old fire and lights the new fire on the first day after the elderly have passed, i.e., New Year’s Eve. At this time, the whole village jointly buys a young boar, and each household contributes some tea and rice to the site where the elders drill wood to create the new fire. After completing various religious rituals, each household takes turns lighting a flame from the communal fire and bringing it home to start their own new fire. When not in use, the hearth is covered with ash and uncovered and blown into when needed. Above the hearth is a kangba, primarily used for drying things, and the simple shelf above the entrance is for storing miscellaneous items. The tripod placed on the Wa hearth symbolizes family unity, while the hearth fire represents family prosperity. Moreover, the Wa people liken the hearth kangba to the father and the space next to the hearth to the mother. Therefore, in the past, outsiders were not allowed to touch the hearth, tripod, kangba, or the nearby space. Directly opposite the hearth upon entering the house is the seat reserved for elders and honored guests, which is also where the elders’ sleeping quarters are located. The family usually sleeps around the hearth, and newlyweds may have a small room partitioned off in the lower left upon entering. The lower right front corner is generally used for religious activities and ancestor worship. Additionally, Wengding Village maintains traditional crafts such as weaving, spinning, and dyeing, as well as customs like hand pestles and foot pestles.

Wengding Village, while preserving traditional beliefs, is advancing together with the people of the whole county toward a new, civilized, healthy, and scientific way of life.

Address: Wengding Village, Mengjiao Township, Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City, Yunnan Province

Type: Folk Village / Ancient Town / Ancient Village / Agritainment / Fruit Picking

Recommended Visiting Time: 3–4 hours

Opening Hours:

08:00–18:00

Ticket: