Uncovering the Mysterious Veil ofHekou

Fu Hongxue　Duan Chuanlian

“By riverside are cooing， a pair of turtledoves. A good young man is wooing， a fair maiden he loves.” It can date back to the old days that where there was a river， there was a love story. The Red River passes through Hekou Yao Autonomous County in southwest Chinas Yunnan Province， bringing this beautiful and mysterious land with vitality and hope. The love songs the boys and girls of Yao nationality are singing help them convey affections to their beloveds. Whats more， prosperous border trades reflect the rapid development and profound friendship between China and Vietnam.

Hekou： A hidden diamond in China

Mainly inhabited by Yao people， Hekou Yao Autonomous County is located in the southeast of Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. With Yunnan-Vietnam Railway， Kunming-Hekou Expressway， and the Red River Channel connected here， Hekou serves as an important gateway for Yunnan and even Chinas southwestern region to get access to Southeast Asia and South Pacific. Hekou may not be a popular destination among travelers in Yunnan Province， compared with the “spring city” of Kunming that enjoys spring all year round， or the ancient city of Dali that have witnessed thousands of years of ups and downs. Rather， it is like a hidden diamond which requires more to uncover its mysterious veil.

Sharing a long borderline with Vietnam， Hekou sees flourishing border trade with Vietnam. Linking Hekou with Vietnams Lao Cai across the Nanxi River， the China-Vietnam Railway Bridge is one of the witnesses of the friendship between China and Vietnam. The middle of the bridge acts as the border between China and Vietnam， with the northern part under the jurisdiction of China and the southern section under the jurisdiction of Vietnam. Every morning， crowds of people from all walks of life will pass across the bridge， creating an eye-catching scene that demonstrates the charm and vitality of this centuries-old city. The bridge， with lush tropical rainforests by the end of the two sides， has been telling the glorious stories of peoples close bonds of the two countries and southern Chinas opening up to the outside world.

The Nanxi River that the China-Vietnam Railway Bridge is built across is a tributary of the Red River running through both China and Vietnam. Thanks to the plenty of rainfall and the all-year-round warm weather， the Nanxi River is an ideal place for rafting. The 32-kilometer rafting route can be divided into three sections. The upper reaches have rapid flow of water， so that it will be a thrilling experience for the boats to pass through this section. The water in the middle reaches is much gentler with lower speed of flow that could make you relax a little bit. When you come to the lower reaches， the stream become as smooth as a mirror， and the karst caves and rocks of various shapes along the river will surely attract you all the way down. However， this exciting adventure may also involve some dangerous factors， so it is important to pay attention to safety when you are enjoying this exciting adventure.

Located 27 kilometers north from Hekou and covering an area of 1，576 ha， Huayudong National Forest Park is a comprehensive forest park that integrates recreation， hunting and sightseeing. The Huayudong National Forest Park has typical features of tropical rainforests and inside it there are abundant categories of animals and plants. It is one of few tropical rain forests that are kept well in original state in Yunnan and is regarded highly valuable in research as well as in tourism industry. It has a total of 21 natural and artificial scenic spots， including Huayu Cave， tropical rainforests， amusement park and hunting field.

The Huayu Cave is 12 meters wide and 8 meters high. After entering the cave to around 20 meters， you will find it hard to walk further. It is said that this cave is 6 kilometers long in total. Spring water flows out from the cave and forms a pool at the entrance， and overflows the pool and drops from the rocks to form a magnificent and splendid waterfall.

A chance to catch a glimpse of Yao nationality

Yao is one of the ethnic minorities in China with a long history. Hekou — the only Yao autonomous county in Yunnan Province， passes down the tradition of the Panwang Festival， which originates from the traditional sacrifice ceremony， and has become a grand festival for Yao people to get together. The Yao people are naturally good at singing and dancing. During the Panwang Festival， Yao people will perform long drum dance in groups， along with singing the songs known as Panwang Song. With the aim of building a shared community for Yao people all over the world， the Panwang festival contributes significantly to the harmonious development and common prosperity of Yao nationality. If you have a chance to come to Hekou during the Panwang Festival， you are sure to be infected with the passion of Yao people， and have a special feeling of their distinctive cultures.