| Xishuangbanna is a sub-tropical region in South China, in the deep south of Yunnan province, bordering with Laos and Burma. It has a distinct South-East Asian feel and is a melting pot for Yunnan minorities. While the largest minority in Xishuangbanna are the Dai people, ethnically belonging to the Thai family(along with Siamese, Lao, etc); other minorities include the Miao, Zhuang, Yao, Jinuo, Lahu, etc. The Dai are traditionally Buddhist, combining Theravada Buddhism, (like in Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Sri-Lanka) with indigenous spirit worship. Now, that the Chinese relaxed their anti-religious campaign, monasteries are being re-opened and orange-clad monks from Thailand arrive to revive the Buddhist tradition. We also spent some time in the jungle, trying to chase the elusive wild elephants, to no avail. | |||||||
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Dai
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| Back to map | Beijing | Buddhist Caves | Sichuan | Pandas-Tigers | |||||||