Xingmeng: Yunnan's only Mongol township, west of Tonghai
Xingmeng, Tonghai County
About 15 km west of Tonghai town live some 5,000 Mongols descended from the army Kublai Khan led into Yunnan in 1253; they became farmers long ago and now speak Khatso, a language closer to the local Yi than to Mongolian. Walk the narrow lanes of the old quarter (part of the township has been on China's traditional-village list since 2013), where you may still see women in traditional jackets, vests and silver-trimmed caps, and visit the Sansheng Temple, which honours the great khans, Genghis and Kublai among them. Stay for lunch: roast duck, or 'taiji eel', live eels that curl into spirals in the hot wok.
What locals sayVisitors find the old quarter's lanes more rewarding than the newer Mongol-themed restaurants and garden by the entrance.
- Time
- Half day · From Tonghai town
- In Chinese
- 兴蒙蒙古族乡
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Based on what locals and regular visitors share, checked against current sources · Updated September 2026. Details change — check opening times locally.
