Minjiang River region

cctv.com 11-24-2003 16:52

The pandas and Huanglong's natural assets are, on their own, good enough reasons to come to this area. But the Minjiang River region has a living link with the past and you should not be pass up the chance to see it.

Each afternoon, the wind blows over the mountains around Taoping Qiang village in Wenchuan county. Here, in one of the best preserved architectural complexes of its kind, live the Qiang people, one of China ancient communities. They've kept some of the oldest traditions alive and the most distinctive are their castle-like homes. All the homes are connected in a labyrinth to withstand the region's regular tremors.

The buildings are formed from stone and mud. The stones were taken as they were found and piled up into natural pattern that contains a simple beauty. The builders did no extra shaping 鈥they are just as the environment delivered them.

No machines were used in the construction process and the local builders didn't consult a building plan. All they had to rely on was experience and a well-trained eye. The buildings have stood the test of time 鈥they're still here after many earthquakes.

In Taoping village, you could easily get lost because the village was built like a maze.

You can hear the murmur of the underground canal system wherever you go in the village. The water passes every family and some how a special flow rate is maintained to ensure the source is always clean. It also acts as a natural air conditioner, cooling the whole community. When the water leaves the village, it's used in the fields for irrigation.

Standing over the Qiang village is its castle-like watchtower. You have to take several flights of squeaking wooden ladders to get to the very top.

You can spend the night in one of the stone homes and experience for yourself the warmth and coolness of the house. You can also sample some of the fruits and flowers that find their way onto the Qiang people's table.

There is another Qiang tradition that persists today. All of the Qiang women are adept at embroidery. The results can be seen in the clothing of both men and women, old and young. You can't find it anywhere else and you certainly can't buy it at a supermarket. The sewers don't need a pattern book. They rely on their imagination to come up with intriguing combinations of realism and idealism.

Editor:Han Ling  Source:CCTV.com