A Dai ancient village near Xishuangbanna Airport with over 1,000 years of history!

Mandiu Ancient Village is located in Gasa Town, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. It is a Dai village with a history of more than 1,000 years. Mandiu is nestled beside mountains and rivers, surrounded by towering ancient trees and vast rubber plantations, presenting a scene of a pristine Dai village. "Mandiu" is a Dai word, "man" means "village" and "diu" means "carry". In the past, Mandiu was the village specifically responsible for carrying things in the Dai royal palace. The architectural style of the ancient village is unique, blending ethnic customs and modern civilization. It features typical Dai stilt houses, which are divided into two floors: the upper floor for living and the lower floor for raising livestock and storing farm tools, full of life. Mandiu Ancient Village is not only a tourist attraction, but also a place for spiritual tranquility. In front of the village, there is a lotus pond where you can see dragonflies resting on lotus leaves in the morning, adding a touch of vitality. The Mandiu morning market is a place for villagers to communicate. Every morning, villagers bring their homegrown fruits and vegetables to sell to tourists. It is not only a place for shopping, but also a great place to experience local life. In addition, Mandiu Ancient Village showcases a rich variety of Dai folk customs and cultural traditions, allowing visitors to experience the unique charm of Dai culture. The architectural style of Mandiu Ancient Village is unique, blending ethnic customs and modern civilization. Most of the buildings in the ancient village are wooden stilt houses, retaining their original appearance. Mandiu Ancient Village has also been awarded honors such as "National Civilized Village" and "National Model Women's Village". 🌿 Ancient Village Highlights 1⃣ Ancient Temple The temple in Mandiu Ancient Village, with a history of over a hundred years, is a blend of Dai primitive religion and Theravada Buddhism. The mottled murals on the outer walls depict Buddhist stories and the history of the village. Shoes must be removed before entering the main hall to worship. There are also two sleeping orange kittens inside, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere. Here, not only Buddha is worshipped, but also a temple goddess. Legend has it that the goddess fell in love with a senior monk, but could not be with him because he was devoted to Buddha. So, she followed him for thousands of miles to this place, built a hut nearby, and guarded him for the rest of her life. There is a release pond in the backyard of the temple. When villagers come to worship, they put a small fish in the pond and make a wish. When there are many fish, they will collectively release them into the Lancang River to pray for blessings. Because few people visit the back mountain of the temple, the path is covered with velvety moss, making walking on it feel light and airy. 2⃣ Thousand-Year-Old Well The water in the thousand-year-old well has been flowing for centuries, and villagers still fetch water here for washing and cooking. It is said that sprinkling water from the ancient well can bring peace and good luck. 3⃣ Folk Culture Museum Located next to the ancient well, it is a typical Dai bamboo building. The first floor exhibits Dai farm tools, household utensils, and graphic introductions to Dai cultural customs. The second floor seems to be inhabited by villagers and is not open to the public. 4⃣ Dai Morning Market From about 8:00 to 12:00 in the morning, Dai families set up stalls here to sell their homegrown fruits, vegetables, snacks, handicrafts, etc., such as jackfruit for 5 yuan a box and mangoes for 10 yuan a box. I tasted the mangoes, which were ripe and sweet. 🚗 Travel Suggestions 🗺 Itinerary Village Archway → Dai Morning Market → Ancient Tree → Village Center → Ancient Temple → Back Mountain → Dai Houses along the way → Ancient Well → Folk Culture Museum → Qingfeng Pavilion (rest by the pond) 🕰 Visiting Time It is recommended to visit in the morning to catch the morning market, as the weather is not too hot and it's more comfortable to stroll around. The village is small and can be visited in about 2-3 hours. You can arrange to visit on the day of your return, but you need to consider luggage storage.