TORONTO, April 24, 2026 – On the northern shore of Fuxian Lake, there is a village that sits close to the water yet offers much more than just lake views — Mafang Village. It is located in Yousuo Town, Chengjiang, Yuxi, about 200 metres from Fuxian Lake, at an elevation of 1,740 metres, with an average annual temperature of 17.4°C. With no severe cold in winter and no intense heat in summer, Mafang Village has gradually grown in recent years from a traditional village into one of the most representative long-stay destinations by Fuxian Lake, thanks to both its natural conditions and location advantages.
Photo by Chengjiang Media Center.
What makes Mafang Village especially attractive is that it combines the openness and ease of a lakeside settlement with the cultural depth of an old village. It is said that the village got its name from Liang Wang’s horse station here during the late Yuan Dynasty. Military settlement culture, horse culture, fishing culture, and farming culture have all left distinctive marks on the village. Walking through it, visitors can see murals, reliefs, streetscape design, and architectural details that incorporate these cultural elements, making the village more than just visually appealing — it is also a place with stories to read.
In recent years, Mafang Village has continued to promote environmental improvement, village renewal, and tourism development under the direction of “ecological long-stay living + cultural empowerment.” Wetlands, water regulation zones, eco-parking areas, farmland scenery, and village spaces are connected to form a relatively complete eco-living environment. The yellow walls and dark-tiled roofs of the houses, the clean stone-paved roads, and guesthouses facing lotus ponds and farmland all give the village both an old-world atmosphere and a comfortable living experience.
Unlike many so-called “check-in villages,” Mafang Village does not rely on just a few scenic spots to attract visitors. Instead, it has gradually developed a fuller lifestyle-oriented ecosystem. There are distinctive guesthouses, local restaurants, intangible cultural heritage experiences, cafés, campsites, farmers’ markets, and wellness spaces. Visitors can enjoy lake and countryside views, experience local cultural activities such as kite-making and embroidery, join festival events, and taste local dishes such as stone pot fish, Chengjiang braised pork trotters, and lotus-themed banquets.
According to available information, Mafang Village has now developed 37 distinctive guesthouses with more than 600 beds, and receives more than 100,000 long-stay visitors annually. In 2025, Mafang Village was selected as one of the first pilot sites for the high-quality development of the “Living in Yunnan” initiative, and was featured as a model rural long-stay case in the “Living in Yunnan Pavilion” at the China-South Asia Expo. From an ancient lakeside village to a community that now combines ecological protection, cultural presentation, and long-stay capacity, Mafang Village’s transformation has shown another possibility for the development of rural cultural tourism in Yunnan.
In Mafang Village, Fuxian Lake is not the only main character. What truly moves people is the way lake scenery, village life, culture, and everyday living are woven together. The village has preserved its original local character while also creating a living space suited to the needs of modern people who want to stay for a while. For those searching for a life that is “close to the lake and far from the noise,” Mafang Village is indeed a place worth slowly getting to know. (End)
