Yunnan
Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture 文山壮族苗族自治州

Bordering both Guangxi and Vietnam, Wenshan is Yunnan’s easternmost prefecture. The steep mountain ranges that dominate most of the province have given way to karst formations not unlike those in neighbouring Guangxi province. Like Guangxi, Wenshan’s population is mostly Zhuang, a very sinicized group in dress that often appears to be traditional Han. While the Zhuang are farming the better valley land, Miao inhabit the hills and often live in abject poverty. The border regions to Vietnam have pockets of Yi and Yao, especially in Funing county.

Wenshan is Yunnan’s border to Guangxi and China’s prosperous southeastern coastline. Wenshan lies in the prefecture’s southwest, with the very poor counties of Maguan and Malipo south of along the Vietnamese border. In Wenshan’s center lies Yanshan, a busy trading town, while Qiubei, with the pretty karst resort of Puzhehei, and Guangnan north of it. In the east lies Funing, a ethnically most interesting county, while Xizhou is almost entirely Han.


Guangnan County

Long an important Han-trading center connecting Yunnan to Guangxi and beyond, today Guangnan feels a bit left behind.

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Xichou County

Overwhelmingly Han, Xichou is a strange outpost in otherwise minority dominated Wenshan. Only the Hualuo Yi give the county a point of interest.

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Malipo County

An ethnically diverse Region with many Miao, Yao, Yi and Dai.

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Funing County

Ethnically mixed border region to Guizhou, Guangxi and Vietnam.

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