>> A CEREMONY TO GATHER SPIRITS IS UNDERWAY.

IT'S A TRADITIONAL RITUAL PASSED DOWN FOR GENERATIONS BY THE WA PEOPLE, AN ETHNIC MINORITY IN CHINA'S YUNNAN PROVINCE.

>> THE WA PEOPLE HAVE DEVELOPED AND MAINTAINED AN ORIGINAL CULTURE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS.

THEIR VILLAGE, DOTTED WITH THATCHED HOUSES, IS CALLED "THE LAST TRADITIONAL VILLAGE IN CHINA."

BUT NOW IT'S BEING EXPOSED TO THE WAVE OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT SWEEPING CHINA.

>> THE LOCALS WEIGH THEIR CHOICES.

>> THIS EPISODE FOLLOWS THE WA PEOPLE'S DILEMMA AMIDST THE TIDE OF DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS THE CANGYUAN WA AUTONOMOUS COUNTY IN YUNNAN PROVINCE, SOUTHWEST CHINA.

THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION BORDERING MYANMAR IS INHABITED BY A MINORITY GROUP CALLED THE "WA PEOPLE."

THE POPULATION OF 390,000 HAS LIVED A UNIQUE CULTURE DEVELOPED BY THEIR ANCESTORS FOR OVER A THOUSAND YEARS.

DEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS IS A WA VILLAGE THAT PRESERVES THEIR TRADITIONAL LIFESTYLES.

WENGDING VILLAGE.

ITS NAME MEANS, "CITADEL SURROUNDED BY FOG" IN THE WA LANGUAGE.

IT'S BEEN KNOWN AS "THE LAST TRADITIONAL VILLAGE IN CHINA."

105 HOMES WITH THATCHED ROOFS AND RAISED FLOORS COVER THE LANDSCAPE.

ONE MAN MONITORS THE VILLAGE EVERY DAY.

YANG JIANGUO SERVED AS VILLAGE CHIEF UNTIL 2021.

>> WENGDING WAS DESIGNATED BY THE PROVINCE AS A CULTURAL PROPERTY, AND HAS BEEN UNDERGOING RAPID DEVELOPMENT.

CURRENTLY, AN AVERAGE OF 1,500 TOURISTS VISIT EACH DAY.

MANY VILLAGERS NOW WORK AS DAY LABORERS FOR TOURISM AGENCIES.

>> THIS ANCIENT CEREMONY USES CAMPHORWOOD TO EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO THE FOREST GODS.

NOW, IT'S PERFORMED DAILY AS A SHOW FOR TOURISTS.

>> THE WA PEOPLE RESIDE IN AREAS FROM SOUTHERN CHINA TO THE NORTHERN PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THE SWORDS AROUND THEIR WAISTS SYMBOLIZED A READINESS FOR COMBAT.

THEY WERE ONCE KNOWN FOR THEIR HEADHUNTING CUSTOMS.

THEY FLED HERE AFTER BEING CHASED AWAY BY OTHER PEOPLES, AND HAD LONG AVOIDED EXTERNAL INFLUENCE.

AFTER THE FOUNDING OF THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA, THEY EMBRACED MODERNIZATION.

BUT THE TRADITIONAL ELEMENTS OF RICE FARMING AND HUNTING REMAIN INTACT.

FOR THE WA PEOPLE, FIRE HOLDS A SPECIAL MEANING.

THE FLAME IN THEIR HEARTH IS CONSIDERED SACRED, AND LEFT TO BURN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WITH THE COMING OF THE NEW YEAR, A FRESHLY STARTED FIRE IS PLACED TO PRAY FOR HAPPINESS THAT YEAR.

WENGDING VILLAGE IS THE FOREMOST REPRESENTATION OF SUCH TRADITIONAL WA CULTURE.

>> BUT SOME TOURISTS SENSE THAT SOMETHING IS AMISS.

>> IN FACT, ALL THE VILLAGERS WERE RELOCATED TO A NEW VILLAGE BUILT TWO YEARS AGO.

NO ONE REMAINS IN THE ORIGINAL VILLAGE.

>> THE FORMER VILLAGE CHIEF YANG SHOWED US HIS OLD HOME.

>> THE VILLAGERS RELOCATED TO AN AREA WHERE AN ANCIENT TERRACED PADDY FIELD WAS DESTROYED TO BUILD A NEW VILLAGE.

>> THIS IS THE NEW WENGDING VILLAGE BUILT TO HOUSE THE VILLAGERS.

IT'S LOCATED 1.5 KM AWAY FROM THE ORIGINAL LOCATION.

>> THE SPACE THAT ONCE CENTERED UPON A HEARTH HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A MODERN LIVING ROOM.

THE RELOCATION PLAN WAS HATCHED IN 2012.

THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT BEGAN THE "WA PEOPLE HAPPINESS PROJECT," INITIATED TO IMPROVE THEIR STANDARD OF LIVING.

THE PLAN INVOLVED MOVING THE VILLAGERS TO A NEW VILLAGE.

MOST VILLAGERS OBEYED THE POLICY AND RELOCATED.

BUT 17 HOUSEHOLDS OPPOSED AND REMAINED IN THE VILLAGE.

YANG JIANGUO'S FAMILY WAS ONE OF THEM.

HIS FATHER, WHO WAS SERVING AS CHIEF, WAS CENTRAL TO THE OPPOSITION.

INSISTING THAT WENGDING WAS THEIR VILLAGE, YANG'S FATHER RESISTED RELOCATION UNTIL HE PASSED AWAY IN 2019.

>> YANG BUILT A GRAVE FOR HIS FATHER IN THE VILLAGE THAT HE CHERISHED.

THAT GRAVE IS NOW CONSIDERED PROBLEMATIC BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.

>> THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ORDERED YANG TO MOVE THE SITE BECAUSE IT OBSTRUCTS THE VIEW, BUT HE STAUNCHLY REFUSES.

>> IN 2021, TWO YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF YANG'S FATHER, TRAGEDY STRUCK THE VILLAGE.

A LARGE FIRE BROKE OUT THERE, AND BURNED DOWN ALL THE THATCHED-ROOF HOMES.

ACCORDING TO THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A TOURIST'S CARELESSNESS.

TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, THE FIRE HYDRANTS WERE DRY.

THE FIRE FORCED EVERYONE, INCLUDING THOSE VILLAGERS WHO WERE OPPOSED TO MOVING, TO RELOCATE TO THE NEW VILLAGE.

YANG JIANGUO, WHO HAD BECOME THE NEW VILLAGE CHIEF AFTER HIS FATHER, ALSO HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO MOVE.

HE LOST HIS POSITION AS CHIEF.

THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT MANAGES THE VILLAGE ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO REBUILD AFTER THE FIRE.

IT INCLUDED CONVERTING THE VILLAGE INTO A TOURISM SITE, WITHOUT THE WA PEOPLE LIVING THERE.

THE VILLAGE'S COMMUNIST PARTY OFFICIAL WHO FOLLOWED THE GOVERNMENT DECISION AND PROMOTED THE PLAN HAD THIS TO SAY.

>> SOME VILLAGERS HOLD OUT HOPE REGARDING THE GOVERNMENT'S DEVELOPMENT.

>> ZHAO GUOMIN AND HIS WIFE BEGAN OPERATING AN INN AFTER BEING RELOCATED.

THEY RENOVATED THE HOUSE SUPPLIED BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, AND TURNED TWO OF THE FOUR ROOMS INTO GUEST ROOMS.

ZHAO BELIEVES THAT THE INCREASED CASH INCOME WILL ENRICH THEIR LIVES AND STIMULATE THE ENTIRE REGION.

>> MEANWHILE, OTHER VILLAGERS ARE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THESE MEASURES.

XIAO CAISHENG RESISTED RELOCATION UNTIL THE VERY END ALONG WITH FORMER VILLAGE CHIEF YANG.

>> WHEN HE RELOCATED, XIAO DUG A HOLE IN THE CONCRETE FLOOR AND BUILT A HEARTH.

WHILE MANY VILLAGERS GAVE UP ON HAVING A HEARTH, XIAO BELIEVED THAT WITHOUT ONE, HE COULD NO LONGER CALL HIMSELF A WA.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT ACCELERATED ALL ACROSS CHINA FROM 2015.

>> UNDER THIS "POVERTY ELIMINATION DECLARATION" COMMENCED A VAST PLAN TO BETTER THE LIVES OF 70 MILLION IMPOVERISHED PEOPLE.

THOSE TARGETED UNDER THE PLAN WERE ETHNIC MINORITIES LIVING IN REMOTE AREAS.

TO CRACK DOWN ON POVERTY, THE GOVERNMENT MODERNIZED HOMES AND DEVELOPED TOURISM BUSINESSES.

IT RELOCATED MANY ETHNIC GROUPS TO SO-CALLED NEW VILLAGES, WHILE THE ORIGINAL VILLAGES WERE TURNED INTO SIGHT-SEEING SPOTS.

THE PROJECTS WERE IMPLEMENTED IN THE BORDERS OF YUNNAN PROVINCE INHABITED BY VARIOUS PEOPLES.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY JINGLAN IS IN CHARGE OF MANAGING WENGDING VILLAGE.

THE COMPANY CAME FROM YUNNAN'S CAPITAL, KUNMING, TWO YEARS AGO.

THE MAJOR DEVELOPER WITH 30 MILLION DOLLARS IN ASSETS HAS ENGAGED IN NUMEROUS DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS INVOLVING ETHNIC MINORITIES IN VARIOUS REGIONS.

IN 2023, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT HIRED JINGLAN TO OVERSEE WENGDING VILLAGE.

>> COMPANY PRESIDENT ZHANG ZHONGQIN IS STRONGLY FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING AREAS WHERE THE WA PEOPLE RESIDE, INCLUDING WENGDING VILLAGE.

>> THIS YEAR, JINGLAN RECEIVED A NEW REQUEST FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO DEVELOP GOURD TOWN, A TOURIST SITE LOCATED 30 KILOMETERS FROM WENGDING.

THE TOWN'S NAME IS BASED ON FOLKLORE THAT THE WA PEOPLE WERE BORN FROM A GOURD.

THIS AREA WAS BUILT BY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN 2012, BUT IT TURNED INTO A GHOST TOWN FOLLOWING MANAGEMENT DIFFICULTIES.

JINGLAN HAS BEEN TASKED WITH REBUILDING AND TURNING A PROFIT HERE.

>> TO REVITALIZE GOURD TOWN, ZHANG FOCUSED ON A TRADITIONAL WA FESTIVAL.

THE NEW FIRE FESTIVAL IS HELD ONCE A YEAR.

A NEW FLAME IS LIT AND DISTRIBUTED TO EACH HOUSEHOLD FOR USE IN ITS HEARTH.

IT'S THE RITUAL OF GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO THE WA.

ZHANG THOUGHT OF HOLDING THIS DURING THE CHINESE NEW YEAR SEASON AND TURNING IT INTO A MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION.

>> FOLLOWING ZHANG'S PLAN, WENGDING VILLAGERS HAVE BEEN CALLED FOR REHEARSALS.

THE FIRE-STARTING CEREMONY WILL SERVE AS THE MAIN EVENT.

>> ZHANG ALSO HOPES TO ATTRACT MORE TOURISTS TO THE TRADITIONAL WENGDING VILLAGE BY PROVIDING ADDED FEATURES TO IT.

SHE HIRED MANY OUTSIDE WORKERS FOR SERVICE THERE.

THE RECRUITED STAFF GET MORE THAN TWICE THE $8 A DAY PAID TO WA LABORERS.

I >> TRADITIONAL WA HOMES WERE RENTED TO OUTSIDE BUSINESSES THAT BEGAN RUNNING STORES THERE.

>> THE RENT WOULD BE MUCH TOO HIGH FOR LOCAL WA PEOPLE, EXCLUDING THEM FROM RUNNING STORES.

>> IN ADDITION, A PROFESSIONAL ART DIRECTOR WAS INVITED TO TEACH VILLAGERS TO SING AND DANCE.

>> SOME VILLAGERS ARE VERY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THE PROMOTIONAL MEASURES.

AMONG THEM IS XIAO NIBULE.

XIAO, WHO HAD BEEN PERFORMING FOR TOURISTS BEFORE RELOCATION, WAS HIRED AS A FULL-TIMER BY JINGLAN LAST YEAR BECAUSE OF HIS TALENT.

HE EARNS $650 A MONTH, MORE THAN FIVE TIMES THE AVERAGE FOR VILLAGERS.

>> EARLY IN THE MORNING, XIAO GAZES INTENTLY INTO THE MIRROR.

>> XIAO PRIDES HIMSELF IN SPREADING WA CULTURE WHILE ENTERTAINING TOURISTS.

HE BELIEVES DEVELOPMENT HAS HELPED IMPROVE THE LIVES OF VILLAGERS.

>> DEVELOPER JINGLAN PAYS OUT DIVIDENDS EVERY YEAR TO VILLAGERS WHO GAVE UP THEIR HOMES IN WENGDING VILLAGE.

>> IN FEBRUARY, TOURISTS FLOOD TO WENGDING VILLAGE FROM ALL OVER CHINA DURING THE CHINESE NEW YEAR HOLIDAY.

GOURD TOWN IS ALSO CROWDED WITH SIGHTSEERS.

THE NEW FIRE FESTIVAL HOSTED BY JINGLAN HAS KICKED OFF.

AN OPENING CEREMONY IS HELD, WELCOMING COUNTY OFFICIALS AS SPECIAL GUESTS.

ZHANG ZHONGQIN GIVES A SPEECH THERE.

>> THE FIRE-STARTING CEREMONY SYMBOLIZES WA CULTURE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

>> IN THE END, A LIGHTER WAS USED TO START IT.

>> THE NEW FIRE FESTIVAL, WHICH UNDERWENT A MAKEOVER AS A NEW EVENT, IS SCHEDULED TO BE HELD FREQUENTLY TO ATTRACT TOURISTS TO GOURD TOWN.

MEANWHILE, AT NEW WENGDING VILLAGE, THE VILLAGERS BEGIN THEIR OWN AUTHENTIC FESTIVAL.

THE VILLAGE IS ABUZZ WITH YOUNG MIGRANTS WHO HAVE RETURNED HOME.

>> VILLAGERS GATHER IN THE TOWN SQUARE AHEAD OF THE NEW FIRE FESTIVAL TO GET THEIR BLESSINGS FROM THE VILLAGE SHAMAN.

>> CHILDREN, THE STARS OF THE EVENT, GATHER AT THE ENTRANCE WITH STICKS TO LIGHT UP WITH THE FIRE.

EVERY YEAR, THEY CHOOSE THE LOCATION FOR THE FLAME BASED ON THE SHAMAN'S FORTUNE READING.

IT'S TRADITION FOR CHILDREN TO BRING HOME THE FIRST FLAME THEY GET HERE.

THEY WALK UNDER A ROPE WOVEN WITH BAMBOO TO WARD OFF EVIL SPIRITS, THEN BRING HOME GOOD FORTUNE WITH THE NEW FIRE.

THE VILLAGERS ALL ENJOY TAKING PART IN THIS ANNUAL FESTIVITY.

BUT FORMER VILLAGE CHIEF YANG JIANGUO DOESN'T PARTICIPATE IN THE THREE-DAY EVENT.

HE WANTS TO SHOW HIS OPPOSITION TO RELOCATION TO THE NEW VILLAGE.

AFTER REFUSING THE PROJECT, YANG WASN'T ALLOWED TO BUILD A HOME IN THE NEW VILLAGE.

HE LIVES IN HIS YOUNGER BROTHER'S HOUSE WITH HIS MOTHER AND HIS WIFE.

>> YANG HAS APPLIED FOR A PERMIT TO BUILD HIS OWN HOME NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS YET TO APPROVE.

MEANWHILE, ONE SPECIALIST IS CAREFULLY WATCHING THE DEVELOPMENT OF WENGDING.

YUAN LI, ONE OF CHINA'S LEADING RESEARCHERS OF ETHNIC CULTURE, SERVES ON THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PROTECTING INTANGIBLE CULTURAL ASSETS.

YUAN WARNS THAT ETHNIC MINORITY CULTURES ALL ACROSS CHINA ARE ON THE VERGE OF DISAPPEARING DUE TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT.

>> IN MAY 2024, YUAN CAME FROM BEIJING WITH AN INVESTIGATIVE TEAM TO SEE IN WHAT CONDITIONS THE WA PEOPLE HAD BEEN PLACED.

THE FIRST PERSON HE SPOKE TO WAS FORMER VILLAGE CHIEF YANG JIANGUO.

YANG TOLD HIM ABOUT HOW HE HAD TO RELOCATE DUE TO THE FIRE.

>> YANG TAKES YUAN TO WENGDING, NOW REBORN AS A SIGHTSEEING SPOT.

>> THESE SO-CALLED SKULL PILLARS ARE NOW A POPULAR SPOT IN WENGDING.

THEY'RE REGARDED AMONG TOURISTS AS A SYMBOL OF THE WA'S HISTORY OF HEADHUNTING.

>> YUAN DECIDES TO SPEAK WITH JINGLAN PRESIDENT ZHANG ZHONGQIN.

>> YUAN ALSO MEETS WITH OFFICIALS FROM THE COUNTY DIVISION MANAGING THE VILLAGE, HOPING TO CHECK THE POLICY.

>> YUAN ASKS THAT THE VILLAGERS' REQUEST BE REFLECTED IN THE GOVERNMENT POLICIES.

>> TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IS SWEEPING THE REGION.

A TRADITIONAL DAI VILLAGE LOCATED SIX KILOMETERS AWAY FROM WENGDING IS ALSO SCHEDULED TO BE TURNED INTO A SIGHTSEEING SPOT.

LOCAL RESIDENTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN RELOCATED, AND THE 96 TRADITIONAL DAI HOMES ARE BEING REEQUIPPED FOR TOURISTS.

>> TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IS ACCELERATING IN ETHNIC ENCLAVES, UNDER THE BANNER OF POVERTY ELIMINATION.

BUT THE VILLAGERS ARE ALIENATED AS A RESULT.

IN MAY, THE WA PEOPLE BEGIN PLANTING RICE IN THE TERRACED PADDY FIELDS THEY HAD PROTECTED FOR NUMEROUS GENERATIONS.

SURROUNDING THE PADDIES IS THE FOG THAT GAVE THE VILLAGE ITS NAME.

SINCE MOVING TO THE NEW VILLAGE, FORMER VILLAGE CHIEF YANG JIANGUO HAS SOUGHT PERMISSION NUMEROUS TIMES TO BUILD A HOME HERE.

NOW, HE'S DETERMINED TO MAKE A PLACE FOR HIMSELF.

EVEN >> TO REGAIN THE DIGNITY OF THE WA PEOPLE, YANG WANTS TO LEAD HIS VILLAGE AGAIN AND START A MOVEMENT FOR THOSE WHOSE VOICES ARE NO LONGER BEING HEARD.