Mangshi

A small town in the Dai homeland, the seat of Dehong Prefecture. The Menghan Golden and Silver Pagodas overlook the basin, and tree-wrapped pagodas, Bodhi Temple and the Dai old town night market carry the flavor of Southern Theravada Buddhism.

Mangshi is the seat of the Dehong Dai-Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. It was formerly known as Luxi. Located on the Sino-Burmese border in southwest Yunnan, it sits on the Mangshi Basin at about 900 metres above sea level. The area is home to the Dai, Jingpo, De'ang and other ethnic groups, and Southern Theravada Buddhism is deeply rooted here.

The city's sights are concentrated. On Leiyarang Hill to the southeast, the Menghan Golden Pagoda and the Menghan Silver Pagoda stand about 1 km apart. From the hilltop you can overlook the basin and watch the sunset and night views, and Peacock Lake lies at the foot of the hill. In the old Menghan Street area, Dai-style Buddhist monasteries (zhangfang) such as Shubao Pagoda, Bodhi Temple, Wuyun Temple and Foguang Temple can be linked up on foot. East of the city, the Dai old town is a popular place for evening strolls and Dai food. Mengbana Zhenqi Garden displays ancient trees and rocks, and the Dehong Prefecture Museum tells the history of the border peoples. To the southwest, the Fengping Pagoda is a cluster of ancient pagodas on the Mangshi Basin. About 22 km further west is the Santai Mountain De'ang Ethnic Township, the largest concentration of the De'ang people in China.

The area has a south subtropical monsoon climate. November to April is the dry season, with clear and warm weather that is best for sightseeing. The Water-Splashing Festival in mid-April is the liveliest time. May to October is the rainy season, hot and humid.

Getting there: Mangshi Airport is only a few kilometres from the city, with direct flights from Kunming, Chengdu and other cities. Taxis in the city charge about 6 to 8 yuan for the minimum fare. For trips to the outskirts, you can rent an electric scooter or hire a car. Plan 1 to 2 days, and combine the trip with Ruili (about 100 km away) or Tengchong.

Note: the golden and silver pagodas are sold separately. Aerial photography is banned near the pagodas because of their proximity to the airport. Remove your shoes before entering temples, and dress appropriately.

Top sights

• Menghuan Golden Pagoda (Mangshi) – A giant golden pagoda atop Leiyarang Hill in Mangshi, about 76 meters tall and billed as "Asia's largest hollow Buddhist pagoda." It offers…
• Dehong Prefecture Museum (Mangshi) – A prefectural museum presenting the cultures of the Dai, Jingpo and other ethnic groups of Dehong, the native chieftain system, and the his…
• Mengbanaxi Rare Plant Garden (Mangshi) – A tropical rare plant garden in Mangshi with ancient trees, rare timber, strange rocks and tropical flowers, and a memorial pavilion to Pre…
• Tree-Wrapped Pagoda (Mangshi) – A Qing dynasty Buddhist pagoda in urban Mangshi, wrapped entirely in the roots of a large banyan tree, a provincial-level cultural relic kn…
• Menghuan Silver Pagoda – A gleaming white Buddhist pagoda 66 metres tall on Leiyanrang Hill, about a kilometre from the Great Golden Pagoda across the valley, a nat…
• Dai Ancient Town (Mangshi) – A Dai-themed cultural and tourism district east of the city, where Dai food, night markets and evening lights make it the top choice for a…
• Bodhi Temple (Mangshi) – A Dai-style monastery first built in the Kangxi era of the Qing dynasty. It is the largest temple of the Baizang sect and the seat of the D…
• Wuyun Temple – A Dai-style temple first built in the Kangxi era of the Qing dynasty. Its name means “Golden Temple” in Dai, and its courtyard golden stupa…
• Foguang Temple (Mangshi) – A Buddhist temple converted in the Tongzhi era of the Qing dynasty from a palace of the Mangshi tusi. It is the largest Zuodi sect temple i…
• Peacock Lake – A reservoir lake at the foot of the Golden and Silver Pagodas, with a lakeside greenway and waterside platforms that suit walking and cycli…
• Fengping Pagoda – A Dai pagoda cluster in Fengping Town, southwest of the Mangshi Basin. The main pagoda is 23 metres tall and surrounded by 28 small pagodas…
• Santaishan De'ang Ethnic Township – China's township with the largest concentration of De'ang people. Chuguadong Village preserves De'ang bamboo houses and monasteries, where…

Where to eat

• Shen Yazi Restaurant – A long-established local restaurant in Mangshi that began as a street stall in 1993. Its signature is Shen-style roast…

Itineraries

• Western Yunnan Borderlands: Tengchong, Ruili & Mangshi – Discover Tengchong's volcanoes, hot springs, and WWII history, combined with Ruili's border culture and Mangshi's Dai-s…