Xishuangbanna

Author: Jin Xianming, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1999-12-01
Features: Over millions of years of dramatic changes, Xishuangbanna has happily avoided multiple glacial invasions in its geological history, maintaining unique natural conditions. It has become the region with the most concentrated forest area and the most complete preserved tropical forest ecosystem in China. It gathers over 4,000 plant species, accounting for one-seventh of the total plant species in the country. The dense primary forest provides a good habitat for various animals. Currently, over 500 species of terrestrial vertebrates, more than 300 species of birds, over 40 species of amphibians, and over 60 species of reptiles have been discovered. Rare animals such as wild elephants, wild cattle, Indochinese tigers, gibbons, slow lorises, hornbills, and peafowls still thrive in this land. "Xishuangbanna" is a Dai term, where "Xishuang" means "twelve" in phonetics, and "Banna" refers to twelve administrative regions. Xishuangbanna has a long history. As early as the 1st century BC, historical records in Chinese documents mentioned the Dai ancestors of Xishuangbanna. The region is home to more than ten ethnic groups, including the Dai, Han, Hani, (), Lahu, Wa, Yao, and Kini, each with their own ancient and unique lifestyles and customs, making the ethnic culture very rich. The current population of Xishuangbanna is only 800,000, of which one-third are Dai. On January 1, 1953, the "Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture" was established, and now it administers one city and two counties: Jinghong, Menghai, and Mengla.