Yinping Qiang Village

　　Yinping Qiang Village is located within the renowned Guanegou Scenic Area, about 6 kilometers from the county town. The v...

　　illage is built against the mountains, surrounded by towering ancient trees. Viewed from across the way, the traditional Qiang stilt houses of the ancient village appear and disappear amid the dense woods,

　　shimmering alongside the clear Guan’e River that flows at the foot of the village, as well as Lover’s Lake and Princess Lake, creating a pristine ink-wash painting. Stepping into the village feels like entering an ancient Qiang settlement in Tanchang. The village now has a total of 35 households and 136 residents.

　　Like Luren Qiang Village, Yinping Qiang Village also has ancient history and legends. However, while Luren Qiang Village’s tale is a romantic comedy, Yinping’s is a tragic love story. In ancient times, Yinping Qiang Village was called Jinyang Village. At that time, the Di and Qiang ethnic groups lived in Guanegou — the Di people settled in Jinyang Village, and the Qiang people in Luren Village. Both made their living by herding, living peaceful and carefree lives, free from worldly strife.

　　But as the two villages grew, conflicts arose over grazing rights and water sources in Guanegou. The animosity between them deepened over time.

　　The chieftain of Jinyang Village, Dagaa, hatched a plan to wipe out Luren Village by sending his son, Guanzhu, to infiltrate Luren Village under a false identity.

　　But before long, Guanzhu fell in love with Princess Eman, the daughter of the chieftain of Luren Village, King Muling. As their romance blossomed, Guanzhu gradually abandoned his mission and the two planned to reconcile the two villages.

　　However, their plan was overheard by the steward of King Muling, Tiebu. Just as Guanzhu was persuading his father to welcome Eman as his bride on the Mid-Autumn Festival, the two chieftains secretly prepared to launch a deadly strike against each other.

　　By the time Guanzhu and Eman realized what was happening, it was too late. The two leaders drew their bows and, filled with hatred, shot arrows at each other. Guanzhu and Eman threw themselves courageously in front of their fathers’ arrows to protect them.

　　The young lovers sacrificed their lives. Struck with remorse, the two chieftains realized that endless vengeance would lead nowhere, and they made peace. To help forget the painful past, the people of Jinyang Village renamed their home “Yinping Village,” based on the terrain where it was situated.

　　Today, the people of Yinping Qiang Village still preserve the traditional lifestyle of the original Qiang people of Guanegou. They live in ancient stilt houses, making it a truly authentic ancient Qiang village. The uniquely styled Qiang village gate, wooden bridges, and cobblestone paths all showcase the distinctive ethnic culture and historical heritage of the ancient Qiang people of Tanchang. The village’s vibrant folk performances have earned recognition at the national level for their cultural significance.

　　Jinyang Village Chief Daga, in an attempt to completely eliminate Luren Village, sent his son Guanzhu to infiltrate Luren Village under an assumed name.

　　But not long after, he fell in love with Princess Eman, the daughter of Luren Village Chief Muling the Great.

　　As their romance blossomed, Guanzhu gradually abandoned his original plan and the two agreed to resolve the conflict between the two villages.

　　However, their plan was overheard by Muling the Great’s steward, Tiebu. Just as Guanzhu was persuading his father to welcome Eman as his bride on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month,

　　the two village chiefs secretly prepared to launch a fatal attack against each other.

　　By the time Guanzhu and Eman realized what was happening, it was too late. The two leaders drew their bows, arrows nocked, and shot at each other out of hatred.

　　Guanzhu and Eman threw themselves courageously in front of their fathers’ arrows to block them.

　　The young couple in love sacrificed their lives in this way. Realizing their mistake, the two chiefs understood that vengeance only breeds more vengeance, and from then on, they made peace.

　　The people of Jinyang Village, in order to forget that sorrowful past, renamed their village according to its geographical features, calling it “Yinping Village.”

　　To forget that heartbreaking past, they named their village after the terrain where they lived

　　and changed its name to "Yinping Village" (literally "Shady Flat Village").

　　Today, the people of Yinping Qiang Village still preserve the traditional lifestyle of the primitive Qiang people from Guan’e Valley.

　　They live in ancient plank houses, making it a true ancient Qiang village.

　　The uniquely styled ancient Qiang village gate, wooden bridge, and cobblestone paths all showcase the distinctive ethnic customs and historical culture of ancient Qiang in Tanchang.

　　The beautiful folk performances of Yinping Qiang Village have been recognized nationally for their cultural significance.

　　Highly praised by experts, the performance of folk musical instruments is truly unique in China, being an exclusive cultural art form that only Qiang and Tibetan women

　　can play. The women in the village all know how to play a type of bamboo reed mouth

　　harp. This little instrument is no more than three inches long. The left hand holds the end of the harmonica while the right hand continuously pulls the thin string

　　tied to the sound hole, creating an ordered rhythm of tension and release. With the lips opening and closing, the mouth harp instantly produces

　　a beautiful yet deep sound, which resembles the buzzing of a swarm of bees flying by. Other

　　instruments such as the willow tube flute, straw flute, and grass leaf whistle are also uniquely distinctive Qiang ethnic small instruments.

　　Performances of the “Bon Religion” allow visiting tourists to experience the historical charm of ancient Qiang culture.

　　The Yinping Qiang Village is attracting an increasing number of visitors from all over with its unique Qiang and Tibetan style and historical culture.

　　More and more tourists are coming to Guan’egou to visit the Yinping Qiang Village.