Upcoming Destination: 'Mushroom cottages' nestled among cascading rice terraces
This quaint village, known as Azheke, translates to "a place where bamboo forests flourish" in the Hani language.
TroibNews 
In Yuanyang County, located within the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of southwest China's Yunnan Province, over 60 "mushroom cottages" characterized by their thatched roofs and brick walls are nestled amidst cascading rice terraces. This small village, known as Azheke—which translates to "a place where bamboo forests flourish" in the Hani language—is recognized by experts as the most well-preserved cluster of ethnic Hani architecture.
The terraced fields in Yuanyang are part of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. Despite being situated near such a prestigious site, the villagers historically faced economic difficulties, prompting many young individuals to seek work in urban areas. Consequently, many of the old houses began to deteriorate, endangering the Hani traditions and cultural heritage.
In January 2018, Bao Jigang, a professor from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong province, led a team to explore the traditional housing at the invitation of Yuanyang. The team outlined an "Azheke Plan," aimed at encouraging villagers to safeguard their traditional homes and culture through a dividend system. This plan envisioned transforming the entire village into a tourism project by establishing a tourism company, wherein villagers would own 70 percent of the shares while the government would maintain the remaining 30 percent to fund development.
As a result, cafes, homestays, and restaurants began to emerge, attracting visitors from around the globe eager to engage with authentic Hani culture and sample the local fish and red rice sourced from the terraced fields. Since the implementation of the plan, all tourism revenue has been transparently reported. Since 2019, the village has welcomed a total of 188,000 domestic and international tourists. Recently, the 10th dividend distribution ceremony took place, awarding record total dividends of 560,000 yuan, averaging 8,600 yuan per household.
"Every family in the village has a good income, and the village has changed greatly. More and more young people are willing to come back to their hometown to work," noted Ma Youkai, a village official.
Tourism has flourished as a vital venture for over 60 families in the village, with the visitor influx facilitating a balance between the commercialization and preservation of their cultural heritage. Azheke Village recently received recognition as one of the "Best Tourism Villages" in the 2024 selection by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
The terraced fields in Yuanyang are part of the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces, which were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2013. Despite being situated near such a prestigious site, the villagers historically faced economic difficulties, prompting many young individuals to seek work in urban areas. Consequently, many of the old houses began to deteriorate, endangering the Hani traditions and cultural heritage.
In January 2018, Bao Jigang, a professor from Sun Yat-sen University in Guangdong province, led a team to explore the traditional housing at the invitation of Yuanyang. The team outlined an "Azheke Plan," aimed at encouraging villagers to safeguard their traditional homes and culture through a dividend system. This plan envisioned transforming the entire village into a tourism project by establishing a tourism company, wherein villagers would own 70 percent of the shares while the government would maintain the remaining 30 percent to fund development.
As a result, cafes, homestays, and restaurants began to emerge, attracting visitors from around the globe eager to engage with authentic Hani culture and sample the local fish and red rice sourced from the terraced fields. Since the implementation of the plan, all tourism revenue has been transparently reported. Since 2019, the village has welcomed a total of 188,000 domestic and international tourists. Recently, the 10th dividend distribution ceremony took place, awarding record total dividends of 560,000 yuan, averaging 8,600 yuan per household.
"Every family in the village has a good income, and the village has changed greatly. More and more young people are willing to come back to their hometown to work," noted Ma Youkai, a village official.
Tourism has flourished as a vital venture for over 60 families in the village, with the visitor influx facilitating a balance between the commercialization and preservation of their cultural heritage. Azheke Village recently received recognition as one of the "Best Tourism Villages" in the 2024 selection by the United Nations World Tourism Organization.
Jessica Kline for TROIB News
