Taoping Qiang Minority Village | STONE FORTRESS | Sichuan Travel | Hidden Gems
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This was an interesting one! Tim and I went on another trip - this time up into northern Sichuan - the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Region - called A'ba in Chinese. We went there to visit this place - the 桃坪羌寨 - Taoping Qiang Village - a mountain stronghold built to protect against Tibetan invaders (among others). It has a history of over 2,000 years, so it's a real, legitimate, historic, and authentic ancient town / village in China. They're getting harder and harder to find nowadays. Ancient towns and villages are disappearing and being lost to progress.
After this, we headed up to Bipenggou (Bipeng Valley) - you'll see more in the next video! It's a beautiful place!
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[Civilization and Innovation 2008-10-29 HQ] Taoping Ancient Qiang Village 2/2
Date: 2008-10-29
Resolution: HQ
Program: Civilization and Innovation
Title: Taoping Ancient Qiang Village 2/2
Video Series ID: 5wyQsQ3NmXrA+msCuYthSQ==
Multipart Video ID: wdQrEEPNFUQf#rdcCONh9A==
Pingtou Qiang village, Maoxian, Sichuan (8 oct 2013)
Maoxian Qiang Village
Description
Secret of Ancient Village Surviving Earthquake 1/3
08/10/29 Taoping Ancient Qiang Village: The Secret of Surviving the Wenchuan Earthquake
Just like the Wenchuan Earthquake that struck southwestern China, earthquakes above a magnitude of 8 have brought destruction, pain and suffering to people in many parts of the world. Wherever they strike, they bring mass casualties and enormous loss of property.
The tragic scenes reflect the almighty and intimidating power of nature. Nature, like a powerful monster can, with a slight wave of an arm, cause high-rise buildings made of reinforced concrete to collapse like toy bricks.
So a humble village that has stood up to this monster could be considered an architectural miracle. Such a village exists. Its called Taoping ancient Qiang Village, and it is found in Li County, Sichuan Province.
Records reveal that the ancient Qiang village has faced three major earthquakes since the beginning of the 20th century; the magnitude 7.5 Diexi earthquake in 1933, the magnitude 7.2 Songpan-Pingwu earthquake in 1976, and the magnitude 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake on May the 12th, 2008. In the Wenchuan earthquake, while Taoping survived, all the other villages in the area were reduced to rubble.
Taoping ancient Qiang Village lies just 20 kilometres away from the epicenter of the Wenchuan earthquake. Yu Xingmei, a member of the Qiang ethnic group, still remembers the scene clearly.
Yet the only damage suffered by the village was to the parapet wall on top of the ancient watch tower. Its collapse was due to the architectonic phenomenon known as the whipping effect, in which the part nearest to the top of a building is most likely to be destroyed during an earthquake. However, the main body of the village, and even the 2-meter-wide lanes and the underground water network, survived intact. Not one of the Qiang houses and watch towers collapsed.
The first sight visitors get of Taoping Village is of three ancient Qiang watch towers standing abreast. Against the light, the three towers look like three pillars rising up to the sky. They, like the ancient and delicate Qiang houses that surround them, withstood the onslaught of the earthquake.
So, how exactly did the ancient village survive the great earthquake? And can the architects of today learn anything from the secrets of the ancient Qiang builders?
China is a country of many nationalities. In the great Chinese family, the Qiang people are one of the most ancient nationalities. Oracle bone inscriptions from 3,000 years ago record that the Qiang people were living mainly in Northwest China and the Central Plains. Later, a branch of the nationality was incorporated into the Tibetan ethnic group, and another into the Han Nationality. The Qiang people today are the descendants of the ancient Qiang Nationality. Theirs was a turbulent history, before they finally settled in the area of the Minjiang River and Minshan Mountain.
The earliest Taoping Qiang Village was built over 2,000 years ago, in 111 B.C.
Taoping is a typical Qiang village, in that it was built with mountains to the north and facing water to the south. The buildings are laid out according to a rigid design. Built of stone, they embody a structural hierarchy. The houses are called Zhuang Houses, or Wo Zhe in the Qiang language.
The ancient Qiang village has eight gates radiating from the watch tower. The eight gates are linked to 13 alleys, which form a comprehensive communications network. The village also has a network of groundwater, which uses covered wells. People can remove the slate covers to draw water from the wells. The alleys, groundwater network and roofs combine to form a comprehensive defence system.
After surviving the wind, rain and earthquakes for the past 2,000 years, Taoping ancient Qiang Village still stands proud. It is known as a wonder in the history of architecture. Its also known as the Mysterious Fortress of the East and the most intact Living Fossil of ancient Qiang architecture.
In surviving the earthquake, Taoping Village is indebted to its unique landform and topography.
If seismic waves move along a mountain range, which part of the mountain, the top, the valley or the mountainside, can best withstand the force?
Interestingly, in the Qiang village, some of the buildings are situated on the mountain top and some on the mountainside. But none are built in the valley. So, why did the Qiang people ignore the broad and even valley with its abundant arable land?
Photos from before the Earthquake in Aba (Ngaba), Sichuan
I assembled some old photos that I took in Aba (Ngaba) Tibetan-Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in 2002 and 2003.
Sites include Taoping Qiang Village in Wenchuan, Miyaluo (Nyaglo) in Li Xian, Hongyuan (Mewa) and Ruoergai (Zoige) grassland, and Jiuzhaigou National Park. My prayers go to all people who suffered, be it Han, Tibetan, Hui, or Qiang.
Our story - the Qiang nationality | CCTV English
Chen Haiyuan is from Mao County of Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province. The May 12 Wenchuan Earthquake (in 2008) brought the area of Qiang nationality with destructive disaster, but our country and the Party as well as people of various nationalities had showed the boundless love. The post-disaster construction was basically completed within two years...”Chen said. #OurStory
Chinese Qiang People Dance - 01
Mu refers to 'Heaven' and 'Sun' in Qiang language. Tuo means 'bestow'. Therefore, Mutuo Qiang village is a gift bestowed by heaven and god. It lies on the border of Wenchuan County and Maoxian County, around 27 kilometers from the county seat of Maoxian.
Mutuo is a typical Qiang village. Qiang people are adept at dancing. Look! Young boys and girls are performing Salang dance for their distinguished guests. - See more at:
Montage of Montages: A trip through Li County, Sichuan
I've grouped together 10 Vine montage shots that I took on my visit this week to Lixian to see the mountain folk of Aba (Ngawa) Prefecture. Includes food, song and dance with my students' families plus a visit to the Bipenggou Scenic Area.
Trip to Bipenggou
I forget the name of this place actually, I think it was called Bi Peng Gou but it was a super beautiful mountain hike through what could pass as a screensaver for you computer.
[เฉิงตู] Chengdu Bipengou และ Miyaluo เอาดีดีนี่จีนใช่มั้ย?
เที่ยวจีนแบบใหม่ ลบความคิดติดลบที่มีต่อจีนไปเลย
เฉิงตูน่าอยู่มากๆเมืองแฟชั่น bipenggou และ miyaluo ธรรมชาติที่งดงามจริงๆ สวยแบบคุณต้องไปสัมเอง
[Civilization and Innovation 2008-09-27 720HD] Tibetan Watchtowers Miracale of Stone City 2/2
Date: 2008-09-27
Resolution: 720HD
Program: Civilization and Innovation
Title: Tibetan Watchtowers Miracale of Stone City 2/2
Video Series ID: 5wyQsQ3NmXrA+msCuYthSQ==
Multipart Video ID: klJvSOiY7J1LtCGlSQBhDg==
Namzi Folksongs
Special thanks to Kalle Mattila, Kaarina Sergejeff, and Nadjia Nowak of Finland who made this project possible.
A cultural revitalization program was held in Dashui Village, Lizhou Township, Xichang City, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, PR China on 4 August 2010. The program's purpose was to revitalize local culture in its own context. The material consists of story-telling and singing, all in the local Namuyi (Namzi) Tibertan language. The Namzi population is about 5,000; they are classified officially as Tibetans in China.