Nangang Millennium Yao Village
Nangang Millennium Yao Village is located 27 kilometers southwest of Liannan County, Qingyuan City, Guangdong Province. It is situated at the front of the Wanshan Chaowang in Baili Yao Mountain, with the village gate at an altitude of 808 meters. Known as the Chief's Row, it covers an area of 159 acres and was first built during the Song Dynasty, with a history of over a thousand years. It is a national AAAA-level scenic spot, a Chinese historical and cultural village, and one of the top ten most beautiful ancient villages in Guangdong.
The Millennium Yao Village is the largest, oldest, and most distinctive Yao village in the country and even the world. It is considered a marvel of world architecture and a feng shui treasure for human habitation. The Millennium Yao Village has been successively rated as a "Chinese Historical and Cultural Village" and one of the "Top Ten Most Beautiful Villages and Towns in China".
Main Attractions:
Village Gate and Village Wall
The ancient village gate and village wall of Qingyuan Nangang Row. In the past, Nangang Row had two village gates and a sturdy village wall. The first village gate and wall were located one mile outside the village; the wall was 6 meters high and 1 meter wide, built with huge stones. Without permission, no one could enter the village. After liberation, the village gate and wall were destroyed and later restored. The village gate and wall were used to defend against bandits and soldiers.
Yao King's House
The Yao King is the highest leader of Nangang Row. According to historical records, he had different titles at different times. From the Yuan Dynasty to the twelfth year of the Daoguang period in the Qing Dynasty, he was called "Tian Chang Gong". After the twelfth year of Daoguang, he was called "Yao Chang", and the Yao people and Han people called him "Yao King". The Yao King managed all affairs within the village, handled various disputes, maintained social order, and was responsible for external negotiations. In times of war, he was the highest military leader in the village, and everyone followed his command. As long as the Yao King gave an order, all the Yao people in the row united and fought bravely until victory was achieved. The Yao King had high prestige among the Yao people, and everyone had to follow his decisions in case of conflicts and disputes.
Yao Lian House
"Yao Lian House". Yao Lian emerged during the Qing Dynasty. He was the deputy of the Yao Chang (called Yao King by the Yao people). His main duties were to assist the Yao King in handling various affairs within the row, investigating and trying cases, arresting and guarding prisoners, organizing and leading public labor and religious activities. The "Yao Lao System" of Nangang Row was established in the Yuan Dynasty. Nangang Row established the "Yao Lao System" organization composed of "Tian Chang Gong, Tou Mu Gong, Zhang Miao Gong, Shao Xiang Gong, Fang Shui Gong" and elders of various surnames. Tian Chang Gong was the leader, Tou Mu Gong was the deputy, Zhang Miao Gong was responsible for managing the Pangu King Temple and organizing religious activities; Shao Xiang Gong was responsible for burning incense and worshiping ancestors during festivals and on the first and fifteenth days of each month; Fang Shui Gong was divided into Guan Shi Shui Gong and Guan Tian Shui Gong, responsible for managing the water supply for living and irrigation in Nangang Row. These members were democratically elected by the entire row. In the twelfth year of the Daoguang period in the Qing Dynasty, the Qing Dynasty established the "Yao Chang Yao Lian" system in the row Yao area to strictly manage the village. The owner of this house was Yao Lian.
Songtangping
A large flat area 9 meters wide and 9 meters long was the activity center for the Yao people of Nangang Row in the past. Major activities such as holding a general meeting of the Yao people, handling offenders according to "customary law", "beating the big hall", passing the state (a religious activity of the row Yao), playing the song hall and parading gods were all held here. During festivals, this place was where the Yao people played copper gongs, blew horns, sang Yao songs, and danced the long drum dance to their heart's content. Therefore, this place was called "Songtangping". In the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, after the Yao village received annual funding from the state to help the Yao people move down the mountain to live, this "Songtangping" could only be used as a venue for the annual "playing the song hall". "Playing the song hall" is called "Ai Songtang" by the Yao people. It is a collective activity. Every year on the sixth day of the sixth month, a date is chosen, usually after the sixteenth day of the tenth lunar month, when the autumn harvest is over and there is more free time. Playing the song hall is both a religious activity and a festival for the people to celebrate the harvest.
Nangang Ancient Temple
The ancient temple is built on the "dragon head" position. From the middle gate to Songtangping, to the ancient temple, this is the dragon vein direction of the entire village. The ancient temple is built on the dragon head to bless the safety of all the Yao people in the village and to bless their good men and women with abundant harvests and smooth affairs. The original ancient temple was destroyed during the "Cultural Revolution". The current ancient temple was repaired on the original foundation according to the previous architectural style. The temple of the row Yao worships Pangu King and Pangu King's wife.
Stone Coffin Tomb
Stone coffin burial is a unique funeral in Nangang Row. Other Yao rows in Liannan have not yet been found to have stone coffin burials. Stone coffin burial is a symbol of power, and only the Yao King can be buried in a stone coffin. Among the existing stone coffin tombs in Nangang, two Ming Dynasty stone coffin tombs with inscriptions, Chu people's cultural color totems, and the posthumous names of the tomb owners after "Da Dao" (ordination) were found, indicating that at least in the Ming Dynasty, Nangang Row already had stone coffin burials. Taoism may have been introduced to the row Yao area of Liannan at that time. The stone coffin and accessories placed here were prepared for the last Yao King. After the founding of New China, the Yao King's thoughts progressed, and he voluntarily chose not to be buried in a stone coffin, so this stone coffin was preserved in the village. During the "Cultural Revolution", this stone coffin was smashed by the Red Guards, and now only some fragments can be seen.
Festivals:
The Yao people have eight festivals each year, including the Spring Festival, Plowing Festival, Singing Festival, and Pangu King Festival.
Plowing Festival
The second day of the second lunar month is the "Plowing Festival" of the row Yao, also known as the "Spring Outing Festival", which means the beginning of spring plowing for the year. On this day, the Yao family kills chickens and makes tofu to worship the land god and ancestor spirits, praying for favorable weather and abundant harvests in the coming year. Some Yao rows invite a master to choose an auspicious day and time for the row's "Plowing Festival". On the chosen day, everyone in the row goes out together, sets off firecrackers, and starts plowing.
Singing Festival
A traditional festival of the row Yao. The seventh day of the seventh lunar month is said to be the birthday of Pangu King. According to Yao legend, Pangu King is the ancestor of the Yao people, who created the world, people, grains, Yao songs, and Yao scriptures. To commemorate Pangu King, the Yao people sing the "Pangu King Song" on this day to praise Pangu King's kindness. Therefore, this day is also called the "Singing Festival". On this day, in addition to preparing wine and meat for eating and drinking, the Yao row also selects two elderly people who are good at singing to sing alternately in the big temple at the top of the row, while the young people listen attentively below. From this day until the "Flower Festival" during the Spring Festival, the Yao people can sing anytime and anywhere.
Pangu King Festival
The sixteenth day of the tenth lunar month is said to be the birthday of Pangu King's wife, and it is also said to be the day Pangu King passed away. At the end of the autumn harvest, some rows also call it the "Harvest Festival" or "Thanksgiving Festival". On this day, the row Yao villages hold grand ancestor worship and thanksgiving ceremonies in the Pangu King Temple, organized by surname. They also select several old singers to sing the "Pangu King Song". Each household celebrates with abundant food such as wine, meat, tofu, and glutinous rice cakes.
Specialty Food:
Liannan Native Pork
Liannan Yao Village native pigs rely on the local characteristics of green mountains, clear waters, fresh air, and abundant wild herbs. They are raised in a unique ecological environment with high-calcium sweet mineral water from deep in the Yao mountains and fed with various wild vegetables and home-grown grains. The meat is fresh, sweet, fragrant, tender, not greasy, and nutritious.
Scenic Area Tickets:
On-site ticket purchase is 118 yuan per person (including one daily performance); 80 yuan per person (ticket only), with half-price discounts for students and other preferential measures.
Warm Tips:
The Millennium Yao Village is a top tourist attraction in Qingyuan and even Guangdong. In recent years, the number of tourists has been increasing daily, especially during holidays. Therefore, self-driving tourists need to pay special attention. During holidays, there may be traffic restrictions, and private cars cannot directly enter the scenic area. Visitors need to spend an additional 25 yuan per person (including round-trip costs) to take a shuttle bus to and from the core scenic area.