The Va ethnic group, with a population of 352,000, lives in Ximeng, Cangyuan, Menglian, Gengma, Lancang, Shuangjiang, Zhenkang and Yongde counties in Yunnan Province.. Ximeng and Cangyuan counties

Situated between the Lancang and Nu rivers, blocked by undulating mountain ridges some 2,000 meters above sea level, Ximeng, Cangyuan, Menglian and Langcang are are the main places where the Va people live in compact communities. Traditionally this area was called the Ava hilly region.

In the region, tribal chiefs used to came from four families: Hu, Han, Bao and Tian before the People's Republic of China in 1949. Some of the tribal chiefs became officials in both Ava hilly region and China after 1949, which has played an irreplaceable role in maintaining stability and harmonious development in border areas of China.

The descendants of the tribal chiefs are called “Simian” (prince) and “Nan” (princess) by the locals. Today, there are only two “Simian” and “Nan” alive in Ava hilly region. and both of them are near to eighty years old: Hu Desheng (胡德胜), the nephew of Hu Zhonghua (胡忠华) who is the last king in Banhong Va Autonomous Town and Zhang Xiaowu (张小五), wife of Hu Zhonghua.
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