Chuxiong

The route west out of Kunming is the beginning of the old Burma Road to Dali and thence southwest to Dehong, following the caravan routes of former centuries. Nowadays a super highway has shortened the journey to Dali, while the rest of the road is being improved as well. The first major stop is at the resort city of Anning, 33 km west of Kunming. Rich salt wells in the vicinity made this one of the earliest places coveted by Han emperors as they attempted to expand south.

A further 10 km north, cradled by three high mountains, lies Green Jade Spring, reputedly the most salubrious hot spring in the province. Famous since the Yuan Dynasty, the spring is named for its dark green colour. Free from the usual sulphur odour, its temperature is 42 degrees C. and its waters contain trace elements of several minerals, said to be an effective remedy against a number of skin, joint, gastro-intestinal, venereal and gynecological ailments. Chinese tourists come here in droves to use the modern bath houses and pools that have been constructed, making use of the waters for bathing as well as for drinking.

Following that experience the next move is to take a walk, or ride the cablecar, through the woods to the Caoxi Temple, all but hidden by bamboo groves. Its double-eaved hall dates from the Song Dynasty, the bracketed, upturned roofs being typical of the era. A small slit in the ceiling permits a ray of light to penetrate the interior. On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival in the 8th lunar month, the first light of the rising full moon strikes the mirror set in the forehead of the main Buddha image. As the moon continues to rise, its beam moves down the tip of the nose and on to the navel.

Two smaller hot springs lie in the vicinity of Caoxi Temple. To the southeast sits Pearl Spring, a round pool where the water bubbles up like strings of pearls. It is also known as Buddha's Rosary, a name bestowed by a devotee with a more religious imagination. To the temple's south is the oddly titled Divine Spring of Golden Toads. It contains a geyser that gushes at midnight, noon and six p.m. because, according to legend, these are the times the spring's resident golden toads come out of their holes. .

Upon leaving Anning County the road enters Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. The Yi are not the only minority here, nor even the largest segment of the population. They make up only about 18% in all of Chuxiong, but inhabit a majority of the land space in this mostly mountainous prefecture, and have left their imprint on the local lore and culture.

Chuxiong city itself, the prefecture capital, is also known as Lucheng-Deer City (or Elu in the Yi language). According to legend, long ago a spotted deer descended from Heaven, ran in a certain circumference and vanished. Taking the incident as an auspicious sign, the local people built a wall along the tracks the deer made and established Lucheng within it. The best view of Chuxiong, which has torn down its walls and old buildings and is now thoroughly modernised, is still from Elu Park, on a mountain west of the city. Besides the immediate scenery of cliffs with strange stone projections, the park is rich with camellia trees that begin blooming in February.

Within the city the most interesting spot is the new provincial museum, a grand, multi-building complex on a knoll in the western part of town. Different halls hold displays of the prefecture's flora and fauna, its calligraphy, minerals, minority nationalities' costumes and artifacts, ancient weapons and tools, plus a room full of dinosaur skeletons. The exhibits are well-labelled and the historical objects mounted in front of paintings depicting their use in ancient times.

Just northwest of the city lies the new recreational and cultural park with the long name of The Park of the Ten-Month Calendar Culture of the Yi Nationality in China. Dominating the park are several tall, carved, stone pillars, supposedly in the style of ancient Yi inhabitants of the prefecture.

Chuxiong's other small parks are hardly enough to keep a traveller in the city long. But besides traditional Yi villages, the most interesting of which are quite some distance away, the prefecture does have its share of enjoyable mountain areas, a few of them relatively close. The camellia-lover will enjoy the forests of Zixishan. About 20 km west of Chuxiong a road turns south into the mountains, eventually reaching Zixishan's Camellia Research Centre, which even has a guest house with comfortable rooms and electric blankets. Camellia trees abound here, with both red and white flowers. Forest walks pass by alpine lakes and small waterfalls. The area serves as an annual venue for the Yi people's Chahuajie (Putting Up Flowers) the 8th day of the 2nd moon. Yi then hike for hours from distant villages to assemble for a day of programmes and a night of music and dance.

In the northeast, closer to Kunming (100 km) than to Chuxiong (167 km), is the town of Wuding. Like most county seats it has been rebuilt in modern style, but the townships close by are still largely traditional in look. Most are Han-inhabited but the higher ones are likely Yi or Miao. Female dress of the two is so different one can immediately tell them apart. The Yi women wear trousers, with an embroidered apron, side-fastened jacket and turban. The Miao women wear bulky, knee-length skirts, embroidered jacket and pile their hair in a top bun.

Except for glimpses of minorities in to do some shopping, the town offers little of interest. But behind Wuding stands Lion Mountain (Shizishan), one of the prefecture's premier natural attractions. Several trails lead the visitor to pavilions commanding great views, verdant groves of gigantic trees and the inevitable Buddhist shrines. The most famous of these is Zhengxu Monastery, near the summit, built in 1311, more in the shape of a palace than a temple. At the end of the 14th century, following a violent succession struggle, the Ming Emperor Jianwen was deposed by an uncle, who then became the Yong Le Emperor (who launched Zheng He's naval expeditions). Jianwen allegedly took refuge in Zhengxu Monastery and became a Buddhist monk.

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