ZHANG FAMILY RESIDENCE

At the end of the ^19th century, the Zhang family, originally from Poyang in Jiangxi province, settled in the village of Tuanshan, charmed by the serenity and beauty of the surroundings. She built a vast residence here, a testimony to her success in the salt trade, notably with Hong Kong and Vietnam. With this fortune, she built a temple, embellished the village dwellings and participated in the embellishment of the whole, whose elegant ornaments are still visible today despite the test of time. Since 2006, the residence has been listed as a protected monument and is one of Yunnan's architectural treasures.

The village, 10 kilometers from Jianshui, seems suspended in time. Strolling through the cobbled streets, it's easy to imagine the daily life of villagers in days gone by. Numerous houses of remarkable architecture are still inhabited by entire families, some of whom are more than happy to open their doors to you. Here, a few elders sing, play music or sell small handicrafts, the fruit of their know-how. Until recently, you might even come across elderly women who have preserved the tradition of bandaging their feet - a rare vestige of a bygone era, since the practice was banned at the beginning of the ^20th century. Take your time to smell and appreciate this timeless stroll: in Tuanshan, every wall, every courtyard, every silence seems to tell a forgotten story.