Anshun Culture

Anshun is a famous historical and cultural city in Guizhou Province, with both ethnic minority culture and regional cultures such as Chuandong culture, Yelang culture, Zangke culture, Tunpu culture and so on.

Ethnic Groups

Anshun is a multi-ethnic city with a majority of Han population, followed by Buyi and Miao. In addition, there are more than 20 ethnic minorities, such as Hui, Dong, Yi and so on. Ethnic minorities account for 39% of the city's total population.

Ethnic Towns 

There are 3 autonomous counties(Zhenning Buyi and Miao Autonomous County镇宁布依族苗族自治县, Guanling Buyi and Miao Autonomous County关岭布依族苗族自治县 and Ziyun Miao and Buyi Autonomous County紫云苗族布依族自治县) and 10 ethnic towns in Anshun. 

Traditional Villages in Anshun

The First Batch of Villages Included in the List of Traditional Chinese Villages

The Second Batch of Villages Included in the List of Traditional Chinese Villages

The Third Batch of Villages Included in the List of Traditional Chinese Villages

The Fourth Batch of Villages Included in the List of Traditional Chinese Villages

Regional Culture

• Culture of Three Kingdoms: The relics of the three kingdoms culture spread over Anshun city, because of the historical events of Zhuge Liang's southern conquest in the history of the Shu-Han period. Guanling, the abbreviation of Guansuoling, is the only county named by the historical figure in the three kingdoms. 
• Tunpu Culture(屯堡文化): Tunpu originated from the event of Zhu Yuanzhang's transfer of the troop from north to south. During the long years, after more than 600 years of inheritance, development and evolution, Tunpu culture was formed. Anshun retained the peculiar Tunpu culture, which is the historical relic of Ming Dynasty's farming and war economy.
• Chuandong Culture(穿洞文化): Puding Chuandong ancient human cultural site, located in Anshun City, about 5 km southwest of Puding County, is in the open peak forests and valley. It is estimated that about 16000 years ago. Puding County is building an Chuandong culture park with an area of about 350,000 square meters, integrating site landscape, humanities landscape, cultural science popularization, convention and exhibition reception, leisure and entertainment.
• Zangke Culture(牂牁文化): The history of the rise of the Zangke ancient country in the southwest is unconfirmed. Scholars infer that its existence time is roughly same time with the Spring and Autumn period. After the fall of Zangke, Yelang(夜郎) appeared. Later on, Han dynasty extinguished Yelang, and set up Zangke Prefecture(牂牁郡), which is today's Ninggu Town(宁谷镇), 7 kilometers south of Anshun. 
• Yelang Culture(夜郎文化): At the junction of Zhenning, Ziyun and Xixiu district, Geli township of Zhenning as the center, in the mountains of 600 square kilometers, there is a Miao branch with more than 23,000 people and unique etiquette and customs. They call themselves "Mengzheng Miao(蒙正苗族)", and they are the only one of the more than 130 branches of the miao ethnic group in China to take the bamboo king as their totem. For thousands of years, they firmly believe that they are the descendants of the Yelang bamboo king, every family will worship the bamboo king in their homes. 

Local Customs

• Folk Handicrafts: The batik is one of the most famous traditional handicrafts in Guizhou, and originates from Anshun. Anshun has long been known as "the hometown of batik". Besides Batik art, Anshun has Tunpu festive lantern, Miao costumes, Buyi costumes, wood carving art, stone carving art and other crafts. 
• Folk Art Forms: Folk art forms in Anshun include Tunpu Di Opera(屯堡地戏), Tunpu folk songs, Epic Poem of Yaro King in Ziyun County(紫云亚鲁王史诗), The 12 Tones of Buyi's Bronze Drum(布依铜鼓十二调), Lusheng Dace of Miao, Buyi Leyou(布依族勒尤, a traditional instrument of Buyi), etc. 
• Ethnic Festivals: Traditional ethnic festivals in Anshun include Tianhua Festival(跳花节) of Miao, Si Yue Ba(the eighth day of the fourth lunar month), Liu Yue Liu(Double Sixth Festival), First Harvest of the Year, etc. 
• Folk Customs: There are some traditional activities in Anshun, such as, lifting up Wanggong(抬汪公) in Tunpu Village, You Bai Bing at Dragon Boat Festival(端午游百病, means that keeping diseases away from your body), worshiping bamboo king of Yelang(夜郎竹王崇拜) and floating river lanterns, etc.