Mengle Cultural Park

　　 The Mengle Cultural Park scenic area is situated in the eastern suburbs of Jinghong City, at the confluence of the Lancang River and Liusha River, beside the Jinghong–Olam Dam Highway, and is 4 kilometers from the city center. The park lies within the ruins of the ancient Dai royal palace and features the Mengle Museum, which showcases the history and culture of Xishuangbanna, as well as relics of the Dai royal palace, artifacts, and rare and unique primates from the tropical rainforest.

　　 The Mengle Museum displays over a thousand exquisite cultural relics reflecting the history and culture of Xishuangbanna, including 51 seals of chieftains representing the native chieftain system, over 100 other political and administrative items used by chieftains and local governments, over 150 unique silver handicrafts from the Dai royal family, over 200 intricately woven brocades with vivid patterns, over 100 sets of traditional ethnic costumes, as well as religious objects, daily items of ethnic life, and ethnic musical instruments.

　　 Among them, there are 3 national first-class relics, 2 national second-class relics, and 41 national third-class relics, with the oldest dating back to the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. These thousand-plus precious relics collectively present the long-standing human history and splendid ethnic culture of Xishuangbanna. The Tayzhuangmu Pagoda, Tayzhuangdong Pagoda, and Sacred Spring within the park are historical relics left from the Dai royal palace and are highly revered among the Dai people, also well-known across Southeast Asia. Both Tayzhuangmu and Tayzhuangdong are part of the “Nine Pagodas and Twelve Cities” ancient sites in the Jinghong Basin, with Tayzhuangmu being the foremost of the Nine Pagodas. Historical records indicate that Tayzhuangmu was first built in 388 AD, making it over 1,600 years old.

　　 Tayzhuangmu, Tayzhuangdong, and the Sacred Spring are all considered sacred by followers of Theravada Buddhism. Every year, numerous Buddhist devotees from the local Dai people, Thai people from Thailand, Lao people from Laos, Shan people from Myanmar, and other ethnic groups come here to worship. The Sacred Spring is located at the mountain top of Mengle Cultural Park and is known as the premier spring in Xishuangbanna. Its water is cool and sweet, with the water level remaining constant throughout the year. It never dries up in drought or overflows in floods, and remains crystal clear year-round like a mirror. It is said to have benefits such as improving eyesight and curing ailments.

　　 The ruins of the Dai royal palace, ancient trenches, and sacred trees all carry a history of hundreds of years, showcasing the profound and enduring cultural heritage of the Dai people in Xishuangbanna. Historically, the Mengle Cultural Park scenic area was an important part of the Dai royal palace. Shortly after the Dai leader Pa Ya Zhen established the Jinglong (Hong) Kingdom in 1160 AD, he moved the capital here and built the Dai royal palace. After over seven or eight hundred years of weathering, numerous remnants such as broken walls, broken tiles, and blue brick stone foundations remain. The stone column bases left behind by the royal palace feature exquisitely carved patterns of lotus flowers and auspicious clouds, with some column bases reaching 80 centimeters in diameter and weighing nearly half a ton—reflecting the former glory of the Dai royal palace.

　　 The ancient trenches within the Mengle Cultural Park scenic area crisscross the landscape, and strolling through them feels like traveling back in time to the Mengle era. The park also has towering ancient trees such as bodhi trees, ironwood trees, and - trees that are three to four hundred years old, also treasures left from the Dai royal palace. They are the oldest and largest-diameter specimens of their kind. The Lancang River scenery within the Mengle Cultural Park scenic area is pleasant, fully demonstrating the wonders of nature.

　　　　

　　 The park is home to more than ten species of rare and unique primates, each with distinct forms, including the world’s first artificially bred albino macaque, the tiny marmoset from South America, and the white-cheeked gibbon native to the tropical rainforests of Xishuangbanna. These are all Class I or II protected animals in China, humanity’s distant and close relatives, who innocently perform various acts, bringing you both knowledge and joy.