Mountain and people together
The Tongren area around Fanjingshan is home to Miao, Tujia and other peoples who have lived here for generations. Their villages nestle around this famous mountain, forming a distinctive mountain culture that adds more than scenery to a Fanjingshan trip.
What to see
- Traditional villages: hillside houses, stone lanes and pastoral views;
- Ethnic crafts: embroidery, silverwork, batik and bamboo weaving — the fruit of local life and taste;
- Mountain life: tea hills, terraces and village markets, the everyday texture of the hills.
Festivals and customs
There are many traditional festivals, and on these occasions there are often song, dance and long-table feasts. Times and forms vary by place and year; ask your lodging or locals before you go, and follow on-site arrangements at any event.
Etiquette
- Follow local ways and respect religious beliefs and customs; ask before photographing people;
- Support properly run crafts and farm produce — spend sensibly and bargain politely;
- Protect the village environment: no noise, no picking, no littering;
- At festivals, follow your host's lead and do not enter private homes or ancestral halls uninvited.
