Dafang County 大方县

History

The town of Dafang was first built in the Chongzhen reign of the Ming. Dading prefecture (大定府) was set up in 1666, in the fifth year of the Kangxi reign; the prefecture was replaced by Dading County in 1913, and the county took the name Dafang in 1958.

What to see

The Shexiang Museum (奢香博物馆), opened in April 1994, is described by the county government as the first museum in south-west China named after an ethnic-minority historical figure. Built in traditional Yi style, it holds Yi manuscripts, excavated objects and folk items on the Yi of the Shuixi (水西) region. Shexiang Ancient Town (奢香古镇), a 4A scenic area, was built as a resettlement town with streets in Ming and Qing Yi style, cultural squares and a garden of Yi terraced fields.

Jiudongtian (九洞天) lies where Maochang (猫场) meets Nayong County. Along a stretch of about 7 kilometres of the Liuchong River (六冲河) in the upper Wu River (乌江) system, the river runs past nine skylight openings in a chain, in caverns averaging about 80 metres high; the area also has gorges, a natural bridge and a sinkhole. It became a national scenic area in February 2004.

Food and local products

Dried tofu (豆干) is everyday food in the county town, made in more than ten steps from choosing and soaking the beans to curdling and wrapping; versions include buckwheat-ash, hand-torn and spring-onion dried tofu. At one grill house in Shexiang Ancient Town it comes to the table in a special earthenware pot with a bowl of huoyou (活油) oil dip turned over on it. The "four plates and four bowls" (四盘四碗) spread of cold, hot and soup dishes is served at banquets and on New Year's Eve and has been placed on an intangible-heritage list; its most elaborate dish, xiuqiu tendon (绣球蹄筋), can take a whole day to prepare.

Getting oriented

Dafang borders Qianxi (黔西) to the east, Jinsha (金沙) to the north-east, Zhijin (织金) to the south, Nayong to the south-west and other parts of Bijie to the west and north-west. National roads 321, 326 and 658 serve the county.

Highlights

• Shexiang Museum 奢香博物馆: Yi-style museum opened in 1994, holding Yi manuscripts and excavated objects.
• Jiudongtian 九洞天: River stretch with nine skylight openings; national scenic area since 2004.
• Shexiang Ancient Town 奢香古镇: 4A resettlement town built in Ming and Qing Yi style.
• Four plates and four bowls 四盘四碗: Banquet spread of cold, hot and soup dishes on an intangible-heritage list.