Yunnan's Chuxiong welcomes tourists from GBA

A cultural tourism promotion event for Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province was held yesterday in Shenzhen under the theme “Yunnan: A Many-Splendored Life — Living in Chuxiong, Wellness in All Seasons,” inviting residents from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) to join Chuxiong’s grand Yi Torch Festival in August.

Tourists join locals to celebrate the Torch Festival in Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture. Photos courtesy of the tourism authority of Chuxiong

Established in 1958, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture is located at the geographical center of Yunnan Province. It is known for four world-class calling cards: “the hometown of dinosaurs,” “the cradle of humankind in the East,” “the kingdom of wild mushrooms,” and “the hometown of the Chinese green peacock.”

A man lights giant torches for the annual Torch Festival.

The Torch Festival is a symbol of Yi culture and one of the most important and celebrated traditional festivals of the Yi people. It vividly reflects the Yi people’s reverence for fire. During the festival, Yi villages hold solemn ceremonial rites to worship heaven and earth, fire, and ancestors, and to ward off evil while praying for prosperous livestock, abundant harvests, and peace and safety for the home. The festival embodies the Yi people’s respect for the laws of nature and their aspiration for a better life.

This year, from August 6 to 8, this millennia-old Eastern grand celebration will once again take place. In addition to the solemn fire-worship ceremony, which preserves the festival’s thousand-year-old sense of ritual, the event will also feature a mass left-foot dance gala, a torch music festival, a food and culture festival, and performances showcasing intangible cultural heritage. Visitors can personally light a torch symbolizing good fortune, taste whole-lamb soup hot pot and wild mushroom hot pot, and momentarily leave behind the hustle and bustle of the city to rediscover a sense of pure relaxation and joy.

An aerial view of Chuxiong, covered in greenery.

While the Torch Festival is Chuxiong’s annual highlight, its true long-term appeal to visitors lies in its year-round wellness-friendly environment. Chuxiong has an average annual temperature of 17.9°C, with no extreme summer heat and no severe winter cold. Its forest coverage rate reaches 62.09%, and its air quality compliance rate has remained above 99.9% for years.

Beyond its ecological advantages, Chuxiong’s centuries-old Yi medicine is a defining feature of its wellness offerings. Visitors can enjoy natural healing experiences such as forests and hot springs, while also experiencing professional Yi medicine treatments, truly realizing the idea of “seeking medical care in scenic areas and wellness on the journey.”

Representatives of the tourism authorities in Chuxiong and Shenzhen sign a cooperation agreement at the event.

Zhang Maomi, vice president of the Shenzhen Tourism Association said: “Shenzhen, as a core driving force of the GBA, has access to a huge pool of high-quality travelers. Its residents have mature consumer preferences and strong demand for eco-wellness, cultural experiences, immersive travel, and specialized study tours. High-quality, immersive products are especially popular, laying a solid market foundation for deeper cooperation between Shenzhen and Chuxiong”. 

At the event, the cultural and tourism authority of Chuxiong reached a deep cooperation consensus with the Shenzhen Tourism Association. Tourism enterprises from both regions also signed cooperation agreements in areas such as tourist source exchange, route development, and wellness product creation. 

As transportation networks continue to improve, the distance between Chuxiong and the GBA is shrinking. From Shenzhen to Chuxiong, travelers can now switch from seaside to mountains, and from a fast-paced lifestyle to a slower one, in just half a day.