Dai craftmanship: Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion
Xishuangbanna is a whole different side of China. It is in between China and Southeast Asia: Thailand and Laos. Weather is tropical, and the majority of people are Dai nationality. They even use different language: Dai. I traveled in Xishuangbanna twice, on my way to and back from Laos. The second time, I’ve decided to explore different parts of Xishugnabanna. From Jinghong, you can choose few different day trips to another region. I moved to Menghai for a couple days and went further.
The Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion 八角亭 is situated on a hill in Jingzhen Village, in the county of Menghai, Yunnan Province, which is about 87 kilometers (54 miles) away from the city of Jinghong. It represents the superb craftsmanship of the Dai Minority in both construction and decoration. It is first built in 1701. The original structure was damaged during the Cultural Revolution but renovated in 1978 and the ornate decoration is still impressive. The paintings on the wall of the Manlei Buddhist Temple are scenes from Jataka, the life history of Buddha.
If you go: Catch a bus to Mengzhe 猛遮 and ask the driver to let you know when you have to get off. They’ll understand.
Entrance Fee: 20 CNY
