祖屋燃烬，和谐何往：翁丁村的传统、冲突与未来

这是我在云南省翁丁村进行为期一个月的访问、纪录片拍摄和实地研究后撰写的一篇论文。它反映了我在那里的研究过程和结论，并从另一个角度补充了这部纪录片。本文暂不提供翻译。

Introduction

Hidden in the remote hills of Yunnan, Wengding Village once stood as a harmonious sanctuary that allowed tradition to thrive in nature, based on shared beliefs and equal social division. But what happens when the flames of modernization and a literal fire erase centuries of heritage?

The village, located approximately 40 kilometers northwest of Cangyuan County has long been described by local government authorities as ‘the most well-preserved original Wa ethnic village in China.’ Known for thatched roofs, an ancient village layout, and ancestral symbols like buffalo skulls and human-head totems, Wengding has been celebrated as a ‘living museum of Wa culture’ and is a popular tourist destination (Lincang Government, 2025). However, behind this portrayal lies the true village struggling with modernization, over-tourism, and the aftermath of disruptions to their once cohesive community.

This study is based on the author’s first-hand interview records gathered in the process of producing the documentary film, The Song of the Village, together with media reports and announcements from the Cangyuan Government. I examine how the conflicts caused by modernization, worsened by a devastating fire and escalating into further turmoil, have disrupted the village’s longstanding traditions of communal living, cultural preservation, and human-environment interdependence. Understanding Wengding’s struggles to sustain a harmonious society offer a dramatic case study of the complexities of preserving of cultural heritage during the ongoing wave of globalization around the world.

I. Traditions, the Source of Social Harmony

The Southern Yunnan region features a dangerous, wild tropical environment, yet it happens to be home to many ethnic groups whose histories date to the primitive ages. The reason behind longstanding ethnic decentralization is the ability of such groups to adapt by transforming the harsh landscape into a fertile land through their ideals and practice towards a primitive version of harmonious society. Early Chinese anthropologists noted this phenomenon among the Dai people, who developed cultural practices that harmonized human life with their environment (Liu, 2022). The Wa people of Wengding in this study follow the same pattern, with their ideas on communal labor, shared access to resources, and balanced labor allocation based on gender.

The traditional interdependence that Wengding villagers have exhibited throughout history reflects the Wa people’s harmonious social structure. In an interview, an elderly female villager recalled that her family house ‘was built together by all the villagers’, a traditional process so efficient that it was completed ‘in just one day’. This practice of collective labor reflects the Wa people’s primary ways of meeting their daily needs through promoting interaction between people, especially within such a small, isolated community. It also serves to strengthen the communal bond they share. This bond is a form of primitive harmony. It blesses the village with social resilience based on shared interest.

The Wa people also demonstrate a foundational practice of social ‘equality’, much different from the modern perception of ‘equity’. By tradition, they ‘distribute all the food equally’, and all the villagers consumed their food ‘together by the bonfire’. Despite the scarcity, there was never a clear divide between people when it comes to resources or living conditions. This reflects a selfless value of sharing in the village. It carried tremendous weight in stabilizing and unifying the villagers. If this practice did not persist, minor disparities could easily have led to unnecessary tension, disrupting the bond of cohesion in their small society.

Another remarkable perspective is their equality in marriage. This is proven by their wedding ritual: ‘If a boy likes a girl, he gives her a pipe, and if she gives a knife back, they shall become married.’ This ritual shows a romantic side to the traditional Wa culture and further demonstrates the parity between the sexes in the village. Responsibilities for family and production are also traditionally shared between women and men. Almost all women in the village smoke to ‘prevent mosquitoes and insects from affecting (their) work’. This natural inclusiveness add to the social harmony.

II. Conflicts, the Decline of Social Harmony

As we entered a progressively modernizing society, conflicts between Wengding’s traditions and modernization are by no means inevitable. They began in a subtle manner, with economic and cultural pressures eroding traditional practices. The people of Wengding found their traditions and modern society on a collision course. The situation escalated dramatically following a devastating fire in 2021, which destroyed ancestral homes, displaced villagers, and completely severed their connection off from ancestral spaces. A shift followed on a larger scale and greater depth: the disconnection from cultural identity, the loss of unity, and then the arguments defending individual benefits fractured the Wengding community.

It all started with the conflict between modernization and Wengding’s traditions. A contorted, paradoxical approach to develop tourism began to sow the seeds of social discord within the community.

The most important primary conflict in Wengding’s modernization is its paradoxical, conflicting approach to tradition and progress. Elements of Wa culture that should have evolved naturally were frozen and distorted to fit the demands of tourism. Meanwhile, practical improvements that could have enhanced the villagers’ lives and protected the safety of their heritage were rejected in the name of preserving a fake image of ‘authenticity.’

From the author’s observation and interviews, the villagers were required to ‘perform’ cultural rituals, such as singing, dancing, and the wooden drum ceremony in groups at fixed time intervals for tourists. Music came out of loudspeakers, not traditional instruments. The historical items used for rituals are treated like props, not artifacts. Many villagers resisted this arrangement, especially the revival of the drum ceremony, which historically had been tied to headhunting, a primitive and inhumane practice they no longer follow. Forcing villagers to put on such acts changed the natural path of social evolution. Even worse, it would dilute the original meaning of the rituals themselves, effectively cutting off the tradition forever. ‘The performance itself does not carry any cultural weight; the significance of it comes from the people’s rich history,’ said one villager in our interview. When tourism transforms these sacred practices into a sort of commercial spectacle, the backstory is more than often left out. This will eventually lead to cultural alienation, with fewer and fewer people knowing the stories and culture that lie behind these acts.

Then came the government-issued regulations on a ‘renovation’ of the ancestral houses. In 2003, the Yunnan Provincial Government initiated a project that aimed to ‘improve’ living conditions in Wengding by modernizing traditional housing while simultaneously marketing the village as a ‘Wa cultural tourism destination’ (Initium Media, 2023). The problem is that the project prioritized the appeal of thatched roofs to attract tourists over the practicality for modern living. Villagers who had previously replaced thatch with more durable asbestos roofing were forced to revert to the older, more expensive and fire-prone material. Together with tourism-induced overpopulation and fire hazards, it contributed to the fire in 2021. Also, the economic structure within Wengding was severely affected. Selling handicrafts used to be one of the most prominent sources of income for many villagers, a sign of adapting to the change of society. But the corporation operating the ‘Wengding Scenic Spot’ banned villagers from doing so. These are examples of the government or large corporations using their power to twist the society’s original trajectory of growth in search of short term benefits, leaving Wengding more vulnerable than before.

This paradoxical approach reveals a huge misunderstanding in preservation. The government’s efforts failed to treat Wengding as a living community. Instead, the village and its people were being shaped into a static exhibit. This superficial and artificial image of authenticity created physical and cultural vulnerabilities. It became a primary source of unresolved conflict, which initiated the decline of social harmony in the village.

The devastating fire in 2021 served as a catalyst in the conflicts. The fire destroyed the village with nothing remaining. All residents were forced to move into a new village built with concrete and steel, marking the completion of a decade-long ‘migration’ planned by the government. This cut off the remaining emotional connection villagers had to their ancestral huts. Also, the scale and structure of the new village is very different from the old village. From the author’s on-site observation, the houses were further apart, separated from each other on different parts of the hills. It lacked the central communal point that had previously served as the heart of Wengding village life. This spatial transformation disrupted the unity that had defined Wengding for generations. From that point on, the old village no longer existed.

The arguments that arose during the rebuilding process of the old village unveiled the final shift. During the reallocation of farmland after the fire, villagers with larger landholdings resisted redistributing their plots to those who had lost farmland, even to the extent of near-physical confrontations during community meetings. This marked the erosion of the tradition of collective decision-making. The arguments shifted away from shared prosperity, further fracturing the already heavily wounded community.

III. Future, the Re-establishment of Social Harmony

The final problem is, will Wengding be able to recover? We believe that even after the series of conflicts sent this harmonious primitive society into turmoil, the hope of renewal into social harmony again remains.

But before anything else, it’s important to bear in mind that Wengding could never, will never, and should never return to the same primitive societal structure as described in Part I. Twisting its path of modernization backwards is not the way out. Wengding should effectively integrate the essence of its ancestral traditions with modern society. The values of interdependence, equality, and responsibility are still relevant today, but they must be adapted to meet the realities of modern-day life.

Reconnecting the community could become the village’s priority. A communal space could be rebuilt for rituals and meetings. Through fair conflict resolution, the new ideal of achieving equity might be integrated into every decision. From government officials and local leaders to the younger generation of Wa children, this feeling of trust has the potential to evolve into a new tradition. After the initial pain, the efforts might gradually rebuild social cohesion over time.

Protecting and preserving the Wengding heritage will help in maintaining its identity. Wa traditions, including rituals, history, and crafts can become additional courses at school. This will plant the sense of identity in the next generation. Additionally, instead of hiring villagers to ‘act as themselves’, empowering them to be trained cultural ambassadors could be a more authentic way to share Wa heritage. They have the potential to design and lead tours, tell stories base upon hundreds of years of culture, and regain the power to spread their history.

To sustain these efforts in the long run, a fund could be created using a portion of tourism revenues. This fund would support grounded action, like maintaining sacred sites, restoring ancestral spaces, and preserving digital assets like documentaries. The government should also work to improve the local infrastructure for future safety and accessibility. As a positive example, electronic fire extinguishing systems were being installed throughout the area when the author visited the old village (rebuilt) and the new village in 2024.

Conclusion

Wengding stands at a crossroads, with its long history and rich culture laying the path behind. It got challenged by modernization, managed to endure a paradoxical approach to development and the devastation of the 2021 fire.

The author believes that the Wengding village has the potential of returning to harmony through effectively combining the Wa tradition of interdependence and equity with modern society structures.

The findings of this study reveal the extremely harmful consequences of viewing indigenous communities as pure exhibits of the past or tourism resources ready to be cultivated. Wengding shall serve as a warning for the implications of modernization for many similar communities. It reminds us that preservation must go beyond static representations, embracing the lively, ever-evolving nature of traditions.

Sources

1. Zhang, Zhehan. The Song of the Village. Documentary. Filmed July 2024, edited December 2024.

2. Zhang, Zhehan. Field Research Photographs. July 2024.

3. Qieyi Liu. "Dai in the “Land of Tropical Miasma”: Encounters of Early Chinese Anthropology in Yunnan." eTropic: electronic journal of studies in the Tropics (2022). https://doi.org/10.25120/etropic.21.1.2022.3834.

4. Initium Media. “翁丁古寨的‘幸福工程’：中国最后一个‘原始部落’的消亡” [The Happiness Project of Wengding: The Decline of China’s Last ‘Primitive Tribe’].” Initium Media, May 2023. Accessed December 2024. https://theinitium.com/zh-hans/article/20230529-mainland-story-of-om-din-village.

5. Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County Government. “沧源佤族自治县人民政府网站” [Cangyuan Wa Autonomous County Official Website]. Accessed December 2024. https://www.cangyuan.gov.cn.