Yekuolahu: A settlement to preserve Lahu traditions

Lahu women sings. (Photo by Pu'er Update)

To truly immerse yourself in the authentic culture of the Lahu ethnic group, you must visit the Yekuolahu settlement in Lancang county, southwest Yunnan’s Pu’er city. Yekuo means ecology and primitiveness in the Lahu language, and Yekuolahu is the best-preserved Lahu settlement.

Here, you will find ancient villages untouched by modernization, over 100,000 Chinese acres of pristine forests, and thousands of acres of wild ancient tea trees. Yekuolahu is also recognized as a site for protecting the genuine Lahu traditions like Mupa Mipa -- a national-level intangible cultural heritage.

During festive occasions, the talented Lahu actors would get together to sing, play gourd flutes, perform rhythmic dances and tell stories, passing down their traditions from one generation to the next.

Source: Pu'er Update; trans-editing by Wang Yunya