Tianlong Village also called Tianlong Tunpu is one of these ancient Tun-Pu settlements built during the reign of Emperor Hongwu by the descendants of the soldiers of the expeditionary troops of the Ming Dynasty, where locals still wear the old-style clothes of that time and keep most of the cultural traditions of the Ming Dynasty. This shows the Han’s early migration from Central China to this mountainous area. You can see a similar life style to that of Central China. Moreover, you could enjoy a Chinese traditional local opera called ‘Dixi’ which is only found in Guizhou as your optional choice.
Tianlong Tunpu is located in Pingba County of Anshun; 72 kilometers from Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou Province. It can be reached from Anshun town in twenty minutes. The tunpu occupies a strategic position, guarding what was once an important passage into Yunnan Province. That’s why Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang viewed the village as strategically important and sent large numbers of troops to occupy it.
The name “Tianlong” comes from a combination of the names of two mountain ranges surrounding the village: Tiantai and Longyang. Despite the changing dynasties and the passage of hundreds of years, residents of Tianlong tunpu still live in forts and maintain a simple, distinctive military style of living. They retain traditional Ming lifestyles, clothing and hairstyles, and are a distinct sub-branch of the Han people called the Tunpu.
Interestingly, Tianlong is a world of stone: stone foundations, stone walls, flagstone roofs, stone watchtowers, stone pots and even stone dog holes.