XIZHOU
Bai Culture
The Dali region is home to approximately 2 million people of the Bai ethnicity. Xizhou is a place where Bai culture is living and present, as shown by the Bai-style architecture found throughout the village and the past the residents have lived.
The Bai people generally have religious beliefs associated with the religions of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Sometimes the religions are combined together, as shown by the multi-cultural temple in Xizhou. An additional religion that the Bai people believe is the Benzhu, where each community has their own unique village god (Benzhu), and these are often chosen from known warriors, philosophers, and other important figures from history in their region. They are thought to protect the entire community from bad luck and grant them good fortune on their crops, their animals, and their health. The Bai hold many religious ceremonies celebrating these various religions during different times of the year and will host a special celebration on their Benzhu's birthday.
Another notable thing about the Bai culture is their architecture, which can be especially admired in Xizhou. Typical Bai homes consist of 5 "Skywells" (which are openings into the sky) 4 facing each direction of west, east, north, and south, plus an additional in the center courtyard. The homes all contain intricate artwork of various plants, animals, and scenery, but unfortunately most of the beautiful artwork will be seen vandalized with scratch marks due to the cultural revolution
The Han ethnicity in China is known to have a major influence on the Bai culture today. The introduction of the Han to the Bai has caused their ancient written language to disappear, while children of the Bai people today are less likely to know how to speak the indigenous Bai language because of the local school curriculums. It is hard to predict what the Bai culture will look like years from today, and tourists who show deep interest in learning about the Bai culture are helping preserve it.
Tip: When in Xizhou, try communicating with the residents and make connections! You learn a lot about the different culture and the different stories that the residents have.