Manting Park, the royal garden of the Dai King in Xishuangbanna

Manting Park is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction in Yunnan Province, located in the southeastern part of Jinghong City, the capital of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, People's Republic of China. Situated at the confluence of the Lancang River and the Liusha River, it is a cultural park with a history of more than 1300 years. The scenic area embodies the three major themes of 'Dai royal culture, Buddhist culture, and Dai folk culture'. Manting Park covers an area of more than 400 acres and is the oldest park in Xishuangbanna. The Dai people customarily call it 'Chunhuan', meaning 'Garden of the Soul', and it was formerly the royal garden of the Dai King. The park has a subtropical monsoon humid climate. Manting Park has over 500 well-preserved ancient ironwood trees and vegetation, as well as Buddhist pagodas and temples, making it a natural village-style park. Inside the park, there are eight areas including the Ethnic Culture Square, Vine Plant Area, Tropical Orchid Garden, Peacock Garden, Buddhist Culture Area, and Tree Planting Memorial Area. In the center of the Ethnic Culture Square is a commemorative bronze statue of Premier Zhou Enlai, who participated in the Water-Splashing Festival in the park in 1961. A highlight of Manting Park is the 'Lancang River - Mekong River Night' song and dance bonfire party, which showcases the characteristics of the ethnic minorities in Xishuangbanna and combines the special songs and dances of Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, reflecting the multicultural integration of 'One River Connecting Six Countries'. Manting Park is the oldest park in Xishuangbanna with a history of over 1300 years. It was once the royal garden of the Dai King and has been a place for feudal lords and local leaders to enjoy flowers and leisure in Dai history. The park was first built around the year 720 AD, corresponding to the Kaiyuan era of prosperity under Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty. Although the royal garden of the remote Dai King could not compare with the Central Plains in terms of architectural standards and scale, its unique climatic conditions and diverse tropical plant landscape are quite special in China. It is said that when the Dai King's consort visited the park, the beautiful scenery attracted her soul, hence the name Chunhuan Park, which means 'Garden of the Soul' in Dai. The park has both natural landscapes and man-made exotic flowers and garden buildings. Visitors can enjoy the simple natural scenery as well as the rich ethnic cultural landscape. Manting Park was originally the royal garden of the Dai King, called 'Chunhuan', meaning 'Soul Garden'. The park is only 2 kilometers from the city center and covers an area of more than 400 acres. The main entrance is located on the south side of the park, which includes eight areas such as the Ethnic Culture Square, Vine Plant Area, Tropical Orchid Garden, Peacock Garden, Royal Orchid Garden, Life Release Lake, Buddhist Culture Area, and Tree Planting Memorial Area. The Buddhist Culture Area features the famous Xishuangbanna General Buddhist Temple - Wat Pha Jao, as well as the White Pagoda, Octagonal Pavilion, Life Release Lake, where visitors can experience Theravada Buddhism culture through activities such as offering incense, tying prayer threads, releasing life, and viewing palm-leaf scriptures. Here, one can also participate in the exciting dragon boat races and the artistic Dai folk sand piling activities. Important Attractions The Premier Zhou Memorial is located to the west of Jinghong City, on the right side of the Tropical Crops Research Institute, and behind the research building is a rubber forest with a monument erected to commemorate the meeting of the leaders of the two countries in 1961. It is a testament to the friendly exchanges between China and Myanmar. Premier Zhou Memorial To the left of the full-body bronze statue of Premier Zhou Enlai, dressed in Dai attire, holding a water bowl in his left hand and an olive branch in his right, participating in the Water-Splashing Festival, are two bodhi trees planted by the Princess of the Kingdom of Thailand, symbolizing Sino-Thai friendship. The park also has built the Manxi Longsuan Pagoda, Xishuangbanna Wat Pha Jao General Buddhist Temple, and Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion simulation models, as well as four-cornered pavilions, six-cornered pavilions, and Dai-style Sala pavilions. Next to the park is the Manting Dai ethnic village. White Four-Cornered Pavilion Inside Manting Park, there are Manting Village and Manlongkuang Village for visitors to explore. Within Jinghong City, there is Peacock Lake. In the park, visitors can go boating, see wild bears, wild boars, pythons, peacocks, and various bird species. Manting Village The General Buddhist Temple Wat Pha Jao is a very early Buddhist temple in Xishuangbanna and is considered a sacred place by the Dai people. General Buddhist Temple The Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion tapers from bottom to top, with decorative pieces at the top, and a bodhi tree stands guard on one side of the octagonal pavilion.