Jinghong：A Pearl Embedded in the Crown of Tropical Rainforests

Huang Yuzhao

The chirping and singing of hundreds of birds wakes up the vast forest from its sweet dream； the sunrise shines on the rivers and makes them glittering； rosy clouds put on new clothes on the mountains； and the whole world is greeting another energetic day. The boundless dam is as green as an emerald， and the stream is gurgling around the bamboo houses. Dense coconut trees point to the blue sky， and pagodas have stood erectly and solemnly for hundreds of years. With such a world of fairyland， how cant it be intoxicating and captivating？ Now， step into Yunnan tropical rainforests， and your body and soul can be thoroughly refreshed.

Immersing in the unspoiled natural beauty

Thanks to local residents love and care for nature， Jinghong has kept many ecological scenic spots. Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park， situated in the valley of Caiyanghe River， eight kilometers east of Jinghong， is built on the basis of 1667.5-hectare tropical rainforests， and has a forest coverage rate of more than 98 percent. Therefore， it can be absolutely renowned as a big natural oxygen bar. It is also one of the largest comprehensive eco-tourism scenic spots in Xishuangbanna， where you can not only get a close look at the primitive rainforests as well as the precious flora and fauna， but also take part in the folk song and dance performances， water sprinkling Carnival and other activities.

Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park integrates tropical sceneries and ethnic cultures of Xishuangbanna as an intriguing tourist destination. Highlighting three themes， namely primeval forest， wild lives， and ethnic customs and cultures， the park has 10 scenic areas， such as the well-preserved Ravine Tropical Rainforest in the south of Tropical of Cancer， Peacocks Raising Base， Monkey Taming Base， Aini （a branch of the Hani nationality） Village， Nine Dragon Waterfall， Manfeilong White Pagoda， and 100-meter-long Granite Relief Carvings.

Located in the southeast of Jinghong and about 2 kilometers away from the urban area， Manting Park， or Manting Imperial Garden， covers an area of 24，000 square meters. With a history of more than 1，300 years， it is Jinghongs oldest park that combines Dai royal culture， Buddhist culture and Dai folk culture. Manting Park is also called “Chunhuan Park” which means the place where people can have their soul relax and keep all the earthly cares out of minds. The name derives from a legend： One day， the King of the Dai ethnic group came to visit this park with his princess. The princess then was so completely enthralled by the beauty of the sceneries here that she lost her soul and forgot anything else around her.

Manting Park is a must-see destination where visitors can not only enjoy the scenes but also the traditional culture of the Dai. Buildings， such as the pavilions， possess the distinguished architectural features of the Dai. Besides， several performances will be held in the park every day based on different themes and culture backgrounds. When the night falls， a campfire party will be organized in the park. During the party， Dai people will welcome and invite you to join them， singing and dancing around the campfire， which will definitely offer an interesting and relaxing experience.

Tasting the special flavors from nature

Apart from being one of the most charming cities in Yunnan， Jinghong is also famous for its local cuisines. Since Dai people accounts for over 30 percent of the total population in Jinghong， the local cuisines are characterized by Dai flavors with a bit of sweetness and the delicate use of spices.

To some extent， the main flavors of Jinghongs cuisines are consistent with Thai food. For example， Dai sour meat tastes similar to Thai food. The Dai people in Xishuangbanna are good at pickling meats， with sour beef tendon most famous which looks transparent while tastes slightly sour and spicy.

Have you ever seen that bamboo can be used as dishware？ Dai people use their wisdom to create a kind of rice that is cooked in bamboo tubes， also called bamboo rice， which becomes a popular cuisine with distinctive ethnic characteristics. The procedures of making this kind of food are a little complicated： Cutting open the fresh bamboos， putting glutinous rice and meats into the bamboos， sealing the bamboos with banana leaves， and baking them on a charcoal fire. Until the bamboos turn black， remove the banana leaves， and you can enjoy the special dish that has a distinctive flavor of soft roasted rice and bamboo.