Achang Ethnic Group

Marriage Ceremonies of Achang Ethnic Group

Gourd-shaped Flute of Achang Ethnic Group

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

The Famous "Husa Knife" of Achang Ethnic Group

The Famous "Husa Knife" of Achang Ethnic Group

Green Dragon and White Elephant Playing of Achang Ethnic Group

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Simple and Beautiful Costumes of the Achang Ethnic Group

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Simple and Beautiful Costumes of the Achang Ethnic Group

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

Food of Achang Ethnic Minority

The Achang ethnic group is a small minority native to Yunnan Province (云南省), with a total population of approximately 43,800 as of 2020. They are primarily concentrated in Dehong Prefecture (德宏州), with a cross-border presence in Myanmar (缅甸) of around 40,000 people. Locally, the Achang call themselves “Mongsa (蒙撒)” or “Hansa (汉撒)”. Their language belongs to the Tibeto-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan family, and they use Chinese characters for writing as they have no indigenous script.

Historically, the Achang trace their origins to ancient Di-Qiang tribes, with strong cultural connections to the Nanzhao Kingdom (南诏) and Dali Kingdom (大理国) periods. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties, their modern ethnic identity took shape. Today, Husa knife forging (户撒刀锻造) and Achang brocade weaving (阿昌织锦) are recognized as core cultural symbols of the group.

National Distribution of the Achang People

Core Autonomous Townships

There are only three official Achang townships nationwide, forming the cultural heartland:

• Husa Achang Township (陇川县户撒阿昌族乡, Dehong Prefecture) – origin of the Husa knife.
• Jiubao Achang Township (梁河县九保阿昌族乡, Dehong Prefecture) – a millennium-old town known for handmade paper and clay pottery.
• Nangsong Achang Township (梁河县囊宋阿昌族乡, Dehong Prefecture) – an important center for Achang cultural heritage.

Major Settlements in Yunnan

• Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture: Longchuan County (陇川县), Lianghe County (梁河县), Mangshi (芒市 / Lushui), Yingjiang County (盈江县), Ruili City (瑞丽市)
• Baoshan City (保山市): Tengchong City (腾冲市), Longling County (龙陵县)
• Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture (大理白族自治州): Yunlong County (云龙县)
• Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture (怒江傈僳族自治州): scattered settlements

Dispersed Regions

• Yunnan: Lincang (临沧), Chuxiong (楚雄) – small groups
• Across the border in Myanmar: Shan State (掸邦, Mongsa subgroup), Kachin State (克钦邦, Echang subgroup)

Achang Customs and Traditions

Traditional Attire

• Women: Dark, right-collared short tops with long trousers, embroidered vests, and elaborate high headwraps (black cloth with silver ornaments and colorful tassels). Accessories include silver necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, and tube skirts with geometric patterns.
• Men: White or blue jackets with dark trousers, white headwraps with red tassels, and the iconic Husa knife at the waist. During festivals, men wear brocade shawls, presenting a heroic and elegant image.

Distinctive Housing

• Architecture: Pole-and-beam wooden structures with three-room courtyards, blue-tiled roofs, rammed earth walls, and wooden beams. Central halls feature a spirit altar and Buddhist shrine, while the hearth is the family activity center. Many houses retain Ming and Qing dynasty styles.
• Representative Villages: Mangdan New Village (芒旦新寨), Guanzhang Village (关璋村), Jiubao Township traditional residences (九保乡传统民居).

Marriage Customs

• Typically monogamous; marriage within the ethnic group is preferred, though intermarriage with Han (汉族) and Dai (傣族) is common.
• Rituals include: Proposal (betel nut gift) → Engagement (silver ornaments and brocade gifts) → Marriage ceremony (wedding dances) → Bride’s welcome dance → House festivities → Return visit. Dowries often feature Husa knives and brocade tube skirts, symbolizing diligence and beauty.

Etiquette and Taboos

• Hospitality: Guests are offered home-brewed rice wine and hand-pulled rice noodles, which should be accepted; tea is served with both hands. Guests sit above the hearth, avoiding stepping on the tripod.
• Taboos: Avoid touching altars or statues, loud behavior in temples, cutting sacred trees, speaking inauspicious words during festivals, and stepping over or throwing objects into the hearth.

Religious Beliefs

The Achang practice multiple faiths:

• Indigenous Religion (primarily Lianghe): Worship of creation ancestors Zhepa Ma and Zhemi Ma, sacrifices to village deities and ancestors, rituals before spring planting and autumn harvest.
• Theravada Buddhism (mainly Husa): Villages have temples (奘房), with festivals including Jinwa/Chuwa and Bai Fire rituals, as well as “Zuo Bai” ceremonies.
• Taoism (Husa Huangge Temple 皇阁寺): Blends Buddhist and Taoist practices, honoring Jade Emperor and Taishang Laojun, with over 600 years of history.

Traditional Festivals

Major National and Local Festivals

1. Alu Wolo Festival (阿露窝罗节) – March 20–21: Combines Lianghe Wolo Festival and Husa Huijie Festival, featuring Deng Wolo dance, knife dances, duets, horse races, material exchanges, and a long chain of rice wine shared by thousands.
2. Huijie Festival (会街节) – Lunar September 10: Theravada Buddhist celebration with bamboo dragon and white elephant displays, drum dances, and youth matchmaking.
3. Water-Splashing Festival (泼水节) – April, alongside Dai traditions, includes Buddha bathing, water blessings, and Peacock dances, with strong religious ambiance in Husa areas.
4. Jinwa/Chuwa Rituals (进洼 / 出洼) – June/September: Monks practice seasonal retreats while villagers offer donations and attend ceremonies.
5. New Rice Festival (尝新节) – Lunar August: Celebrates harvest with ancestral offerings, Deng Wolo dances, and tasting new rice.
6. Torch Festival (火把节) – Lunar June 24: Evokes protection against evil, with torch parades, incense scattering, and torch dances for good weather and harvest.

Cultural Arts and National Intangible Heritage

Husa Knife Forging (户撒刀锻造)

• Over 600 years of tradition, with more than 120 types including long knives, daggers, and Tibetan knives. Mangdan New Village (芒旦新寨) is the core transmission site, and Xiang Laosai (项老赛) is a national-level inheritor.

Achang Brocade (阿昌织锦)

• Known as “epic in silk threads”, brocade includes tube skirts, belts, and shawls featuring geometric, floral, and mythological patterns. The primary production areas are Husa (户撒) and Lianghe (梁河).

Song, Dance, and Folk Performance

• Deng Wolo Dance: Circle dance imitating ancestral creation movements.
• Elephant Drum Dance: Buddhist festival performance with lively rhythms shared with Dai culture.
• Achang Songs (阿昌调): Improvised duets on love and labor.
• Creation Epic “Zhepa Ma & Zhemi Ma”: Preserved orally in Guanzhang Village (关璋村), with a dedicated teaching center.

Traditional Crafts

• Handmade Paper (九保乡): Bark-based, used for writing and rituals.
• Clay Pottery (九保乡): Kiln-fired traditional vessels.
• Silverware Crafting (Mingshe Village 明社村): Expertly forged silver ornaments.

Signature Achang Cuisine

• Hand-Pulled Rice Noodles (过手米线): Rice noodles with spicy-sour meat sauce, wrapped in lettuce, iconic flavor.
• Grilled Dried Beef (火烧干巴): Charcoal-grilled beef strips, served with chili sauce, popular with rice wine.
• Grilled Meat Pastry (烤肉粑粑): Glutinous rice with meat or sweet filling, crispy outside, soft inside.
• Sour Bamboo Shoot Fish (酸笋煮鱼): Sour, spicy fish dish, perfect with rice.
• Rice Wine (水酒): Low-alcohol sweet home-brew, essential for hospitality and festivals.
• Rushan (乳扇): Baked or fried dairy product with rich milk aroma.
• Tuba Bowls (土八碗): Festival feasts with assorted meats and vegetables.

Cultural Tourism Attractions

Museums and Cultural Centers

• Achang Ethnic Museum (阿昌族博物馆, Guanzhang Village 关璋村): Exhibits Achang history, clothing, brocade, and Husa knives. Free entry.
• Zhepa Ma & Zhemi Ma Teaching Center (梁河关璋村): Creation epic display, oral performance, and props.
• Husa Knife Cultural Museum (陇川户撒乡): Showcase of national heritage knives, 600-year forging techniques.
• Jiubao Township Ethnic Museum (梁河九保乡): Focus on handmade paper, pottery, and folk culture.
• Puzhen Achang Brocade Museum (户撒乡): Brocade weaving exhibition and hands-on experience.

Key Tourism Sites

• Husa Township (陇川户撒乡): Core cultural area with Mangdan New Village (芒旦新寨), Mingshe Silver Village (明社村), Huangge Temple (皇阁寺), Thousand-Year Couple Tree, and Sino-Myanmar Rainforest Park.
• Guanzhang Village (梁河囊宋乡): Creation culture center with museum, teaching hall, Alu Wolo Square, and opera stage.
• Jiubao Ancient Town (梁河九保乡): Millennial town, heritage workshops, traditional residences, stone alleyways.
• Xinhua Village (银都水乡, Heqing 鹤庆): Silver crafting linked with Bai culture, 4A-rated scenic area.
• Huangge Temple (户撒乡): 600-year-old Buddhist-Taoist fusion temple.

Notable Achang Villages

• Mangdan New Village (芒旦新寨, Husa Township): Husa knife heritage site, dense traditional houses, home of national inheritor Xiang Laosai.
• Xinzai / Hejie Villages (新寨村 / 贺姐村, Husa Township): Ming dynasty villages preserving Achang culture.
• Guanzhang Village (关璋村, Nangsong Township): Core of creation culture, 90% Achang population.
• Jiubao Village (九保村, Jiubao Township): Workshop for paper and pottery, old stone paths.
• Mingshe Village (明社村, Husa Township): Silverware crafting village.
• Lasa Village (腊撒村, Husa Township): Traditional Achang settlement with strong religious culture.
• Other Yunnan Areas: Longling Achang Village (龙陵阿昌寨, Baoshan 龙陵), Yunlong Achang Village (云龙阿昌村, Dali 云龙).

Achang Ancient Towns

• Jiubao Ancient Town (九保古镇, Lianghe): Central hub for Achang culture, handicrafts, and traditional architecture.
• Husa Ancient Town (户撒古镇, Husa Township): Knife culture town with rich ethnic ambiance.

Achang Cultural Travel Guide

Best Time to Visit

• Late March: Alu Wolo Festival, featuring dances, knife performances, and thousands sharing rice wine.
• June–August: Water-Splashing Festival and Torch Festival, offering cooler climate and festive atmosphere.
• September–October: Huijie Festival and New Rice Festival, ideal for photography amid golden rice fields.

Suggested Itinerary (5 Days / 4 Nights)

Day 1 – Kunming → Lianghe → Jiubao Ancient Town

• Morning: Fly to Mangshi, transfer to Jiubao Ancient Town.
• Afternoon: Explore old streets, Ming-Qing residences, visit paper and pottery workshops.
• Evening: Stay in a local guesthouse, enjoy Tuba Bowls and rice wine, experience hearth culture.

Day 2 – Lianghe → Guanzhang Village → Nangsong Township

• Morning: Visit museums, learn creation epic history.
• Lunch: Farmhouse dishes, sample hand-pulled rice noodles and grilled dried beef.
• Afternoon: Alu Wolo Square, learn Deng Wolo dance.
• Evening: Stay in Lianghe County.

Day 3 – Lianghe → Husa Township → Mangdan New Village

• Morning: Husa knife demonstration, hands-on forging experience.
• Lunch: Authentic hand-pulled rice noodles, grilled meat pastry.
• Afternoon: Husa Knife Museum visit.
• Evening: Guesthouse stay, bonfire party, Deng Wolo dance, long rice wine experience.

Day 4 – Husa Township → Mingshe Village → Huangge Temple → Longchuan

• Morning: Silver crafting experience.
• Lunch: Sour bamboo shoot fish and local dishes.
• Afternoon: Visit Huangge Temple, admire Buddhist-Taoist architecture and carvings.
• Evening: Explore Longchuan night market and local snacks.

Day 5 – Longchuan → Mangshi → Return

• Morning: Explore Mengbanaxi Exotic Garden, experience Dai culture.
• Lunch: Dai cuisine.
• Afternoon: Fly back to Kunming.

Must-Do Cultural Experiences

• Husa Knife Forging: Mangdan New Village (芒旦新寨), guided by national inheritor, hands-on forging.
• Brocade Weaving: Puzhen Museum, learn weaving tube skirts and belts.
• Hand-Pulled Rice Noodles: Farmhouse cooking experience, try “palm-holding” method.
• Deng Wolo Dance: Join locals in Guanzhang Village (关璋村) or Husa Township (户撒乡).
• Alu Wolo Festival Participation: March 20–21, dance, watch knife shows, and enjoy festival activities.
• Handmade Paper & Pottery: Jiubao Ancient Town (九保古镇), workshops.

Travel Tips

• Respect Local Customs: Remove shoes in temples, dress modestly, avoid touching altars or statues, and observe hearth etiquette.
• Food Advice: The Achang favor sour and spicy dishes; avoid dog or donkey meat out of respect.
• Photography Etiquette: Always ask before photographing residents, avoid touching knife blades.
• Packing Recommendations: Sunscreen for strong UV, comfortable shoes for stone paths, light jackets for cooler evenings.
• Festival Planning: Book accommodation and experiences at least a month in advance for peak festivals like Alu Wolo and Huijie.