Where is the first village in Yunnan?

The first village in Yunnan - Zhengying

Zhengying Village is located on the edge of Chirui Lake in Baoxiu Town, 10 kilometers west of Shiping County. It has a history of more than 600 years. In 1999, Zhengying Village was named a provincial-level historical and cultural village, and therefore has the reputation of "Yunnan's No. 1 Village". It was originally a small village built by the descendants of the Ming Dynasty's garrison troops. It faces Chirui Lake in the front, an ancient banyan pool next to it, and a large green mountain in the back. Currently, there are Han, Yi, Bai, Dai, Hani and other ethnic groups living there, with more than 30 surnames. It is a typical village of mixed ethnic groups. It is about 800 meters long from east to west and 340 meters wide from north to south. In the middle of Zhengying Village, there is an east-west road paved with bluestones, about 700 meters long and 5 meters wide. The village is divided into upper and lower halves. There are three streets and nine lanes in the village and many famous ancestral halls and houses. The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall is the largest building in Zhengying Village dating from the Republic of China.

During the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty, the Dai residents were forced to move to Yuanjiang and Xishuangbanna since the Ming Dynasty troops entered. The Han people with the surname Zheng changed the name of the village to Zhengying Village. To the west and east of the village are villages inhabited by the Yi people. The Chirui Lake in front of the village flows eastward along the river to Yilong Lake and merges into the Nanpan River.

Zhengying Village is 800 meters long from east to west and 340 meters wide from north to south. There is a road paved with bluestones running east-west in the middle, more than 700 meters long and about 3 to 5 meters wide, dividing the village into upper and lower halves. There are "three streets and nine lanes" in the village. The three streets are the back street of Nanxiang, the front street of Beixiang and the main street of the village. The nine lanes are Chenjia Lane, West Chenjia Lane, Majia Lane, Shen Lane, Yujia Lane, Zhangjia Lane, Lijia Lane, Ligou Shang Lane and Magou Shang Lane.

Zhengying Village is surrounded by mountains and rivers, with picturesque scenery. The residential buildings are very distinctive. Most of them are double-story courtyard houses with civil structures and green tile roofs, facing north and south. There are 403 courtyard houses in the village, of which 28 are intact.

Zheng Ying’s early ancestors all came from Jiangnan, and brought the strong cultural atmosphere and Jiangnan architectural sentiment to the Chirui Lake in southern Yunnan. There are the ancestral halls, academies, courtyards, streets and mansions of the Zheng family and the Chen family. Especially the hollow wood carvings in the Zheng family ancestral hall and mansion will definitely amaze you!

The villagers here are very simple. Of course, because it is not a tourist spot, you will not find tourists in casual or gorgeous clothes. There is only the unique atmosphere in the countryside. You can stop by the nearby treasures. It’s also nice to visit Xiuzhen.

The famous buildings in the village include Chen’s Ancestral Hall, Zheng’s Ancestral Hall, Sima Di, etc.