Yunnan Province, southwest China.

The region bordering Myanmar is inhabited by an ethnic minority called the Wa people.

With a population of roughly 390,000, they have lived with a unique culture maintained for over 2,000 years.

Deep in the mountains is a Wa village referred to as "the last traditional village" in China.

Wengding Village: its name means "citadel surrounded by fog" in the Wa language.

105 homes with thatched roofs and raised floors are found there.

Designated by the state as a historically traditional village, Wengding gets an average of 1,500 tourists daily.

The classic atmosphere has been kept.

I'm glad China's last traditional
village is being preserved.

But as development progresses, local residents are debating just how their village should be preserved.

Why do they claim to promote tourism,
then destroy our landscapes?

More tourists means higher sales for the store.

To develop the land, or preserve it?

This episode follows the Wa people's dilemma.

Once the ceremony begins,
please stay behind the ropes.

Every day, performances are held for tourists in Wengding Village, the traditional village of the Wa people.

One man watches from afar.

Yang Jianguo was the village chief until 2021.

He still makes his rounds there every day.

This is where we got spring water
before waterworks were installed.

It feels strange that
no one lives here anymore.

Thatched roof houses were rebuilt,
but it feels empty.

The current village was rebuilt two years ago, after all the residents were moved out.

Wengding Village became well-known when it was featured in a major Chinese magazine in 2006.

It introduced the location as China's "last traditional village."

It showed the Wa people cherishing the fire from the hearth as something sacred.

In 2012, the Chinese government began the "Wa People Happiness Project," supposedly initiated to improve their standard of living.

The plan involved moving the villagers to new homes made from concrete.

While some villagers supported the plan, others vehemently opposed.

Then an incident happened.

In 2021, a large-scale fire broke out in the village, and burned down all the thatched-roof homes.

The villagers, including then-chief Yang, were forced to move to the new village.

The local government rebuilt all the homes, but didn't allow residents to move back in.

Then it used the empty traditional village as a tourism resource.

For efficient management, it invited an external tourism developer, and gave the company authority to run the village.

My house used to be above this.

Yang Jianguo took us to his rebuilt home.

As the chief's house, it was twice as big.

The roof reached up here.

And here, there was an altar
for the whole village.

At night, we would converse around the hearth.

This is rare footage taken of the Wa people in 1993.

They were cutting up camphor trees to make drums for a festival, and showing thanks to the gods of the forest.

That ceremony is now performed daily as a show for tourists.

Yang feels that the tradition passed down from their ancestors is on the verge of disappearing.

This was the terraced paddy field
before the new village was built.

It's really strange.
What are officials thinking?

Why do they claim to promote tourism,
then destroy our beautiful landscapes?

The ancient terraced paddy field was partly destroyed in order to build the new village.

It's located 1.5 kilometers away from the original one.

Among the villagers, some support the local government's tourism plan, holding high expectations for it.

This is my house.

Zhao Guomin and his wife began running an inn, after moving to the new village.

They renovated the home provided by the government, and rent out two of the four rooms.

Zhao believes the increased cash income will enrich lives and stimulate the local economy.

We moved here because we wanted to have
a business offering room and board.

With migrant labor, we could make US $1,400
a month together, but not when we get old.

The couple added the two guest rooms recently.

They hope to boost sales during the Chinese New Year holiday.

In mid-January, just before Chinese New Year, the village gets busy with young residents returning home from migrant work.

- When did you come back?
- In December.

- That's early.
- It was for the New Fire Festival.

The New Fire Festival is an important ritual for the Wa to welcome the new year.

The exact date is determined by Wa shamans, called Moba, via divining.

Villagers take home the newly started fire and pray for happiness in the new year.

This year, the New Fire Festival will be held at the center of the county,

some 30 kilometers away from Wengding Village, as a way to promote tourism.

It'll be conducted in a tourist area called Gourd Town, built in 2013 under the guidance of the local government.

The town's name is based on folklore that the Wa people were born from a gourd.

The event is run by Jinglan, a tourism developer based in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province.

They're also the ones in charge of running Wengding Village.

To attract more tourists, company president Zhang Zhongqin decided to

hold the New Fire Festival during the Chinese New Year season, rather than dates set by the Wa shaman.

Three days before the festival, Zhang is busy with preparations.

Wa people from nearby villages come together for a dance rehearsal.

They're day laborers employed by the tourism developer.

Isn't the fire-starter here yet?

All Wa people, gather round!

Rehearsals begin for the ceremony scheduled for the first day of the New Fire Festival.

The flame is started traditionally by rubbing wood together.

- Light it up.
- It isn't starting.

- It isn't starting.
- Why not?

Put the sawdust here.

Push it down and rub it!

It's not working.

Just do it somehow.

Use what you need and light it up.

Aside from the festival held in Gourd Town, residents of New Wengding Village are also trying to host their own New Fire Festival.

One young man participates in the preparations for the first time.

His name is Yang Sanmukuai.

Yang has been working away from home for over 20 years, since age 14.

He rarely returned to Wengding Village, but he's motivated by a new dream.

I want to build an inn.

That way I won't need to do
migrant labor.

A man should press forward,
never fearing failure.

Yang is now building a new residence on elevated ground in the New Village.

He wants to make it a luxury inn, with ten rooms.

It'll be more spacious when
the balcony is done.

The second floor for guests
is almost done, too.

During the rainy season,
the scenery is the greatest.

My inn will have a view like no other.

But in fact, Yang already has a rival.

Look at that building. It's being painted.

The developer Jinglan is investing in it.

I only have myself to rely on.

After returning for the first time in a while, Yang invites a mentor to dinner.

Xiao Caisheng is strongly opposed to companies and local governments pushing forward with tourism development.

"Nostalgia" signifies more than
what we can express in words.

How can we let outsiders dominate
the land our ancestors preserved?

It's not a big problem for me.
The new village is my home now.

After Xiao returns home, Yang opens up.

I wanted to live in the original
Wengding Village, too.

I had the most land there.
Here I've got none.

I didn't worry about moving in the past.

Now that I have a family,
I've got a lot on my mind.

Ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday, tourists flood to Wengding Village from all over China.

Jinglan is operating a shuttle bus to and from the village, and selling bus tickets packaged with admissions there.

Since driving private cars in is forbidden, tourists can only come by bus.

The Wa people now work as day laborers in their old village for $8 a day.

Many outside workers are also hired.

They receive more than double the pay received by locals.

I came here to work because Dai people
don't celebrate Chinese New Year.

- How much do you make?
- I get $17 a day.

- Are you Wa?
- No, I'm Dai.

- What's your job?
- Facility maintenance.

- How much do full-timers make?
- $400 or more a month.

Wengding Village now has three shops, but none are run by Wa people.

This is dried beef.

Is it Wa cuisine?

We mixed Wa cuisine with other tastes.

- Are you one of the Wa?
- No, the owner is a Yi.

- How much is rent?
- $400 a month during the offseason.

The rent would be much too high for local Wa people, excluding them from running stores.

In Gourd Town, the New Fire Festival hosted by Jinglan has commenced.

An opening ceremony is held, welcoming local officials as special guests.

Jinglan President Zhang Zhongqin gives a speech.

We welcome the deputy governor, tourism chief,
and all of you to our ceremony!

We hope to develop a new era for Gourd Town,
and educate the world about the Wa culture.

Let's make the Wa's song of happiness
resonate with all of China.

The fire-starting ceremony symbolizes Wa culture more than anything else.

In the end, a lighter was used to start it.

On this auspicious occasion,
let's all work together.

Zhang attempts to draw tourism to New Wending Village as well.

We told villagers about our plan
to set up an association of inns.

Villagers can sign up even if they lack funds.

We'll apply for a bank loan on their behalf.

Our company will manage the
operating rights and share profit.

The villagers don't really understand,
so we built a model inn.

The New Fire Festival, long-cherished by the Wa, is now run by a for-profit company, as a tourism resource to rake in more profit.

Meanwhile at New Wengding Village, villagers begin their own festival.

Children, the stars of the event, gather at the entrance with sticks to light up with fire.

This year, they chose this location 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.

Zhao Guomin, who runs an inn at the New Village, has a sour expression despite the festive occasion.

He says few tourists were visiting the New Village.

The bus that carries tourists doesn't even stop here.

Making their buses the only way for access
is a hideous form of monopoly.

The developer is trying to dominate all industries.

They shouldn't be controlling businesses
in our new village as well.

In time for Chinese New Year, a high-end inn opened as a model business run by the association of inns.

Rooms cost $35 a night.

It's designed like a city hotel, with all six rooms equipped with air conditioners.

The inn became fully booked as soon as the reservations were opened.

Zhao Guomin holds mixed emotions.

- I heard an association of inns was launched.
- I haven't heard. Was it done in secret?

They say you can take out loans if you join.

I'll join if the conditions are good.

Only the village officials were informed.

They should consult all the villagers.

Former village chief Yang Jianguo also believes villagers' voices should be reflected in development.

I want them to also consider
improving the lives of local villagers.

Why do they treat us like
we're unnecessary?

We spoke to Xiao Wenjun, The New Village's Communist Party Secretary, who is promoting development with private sector companies.

We also plan to develop the new village
as a tourist spot.

The model inn is the standard.

So if inns don't meet our standard,
we won't allow them.

What do villagers think?

Villagers don't understand the significance
of the association.

It may take time.
We need to slowly lead them.

"One heart. Building China's dream together."

On the last day of the Fire Festival at the New Village, all the villagers participate in the ritual.

Former village chief Yang Jianguo leaves home early.

I'm going to the sacred forest today.

We're all offering prayers there.

The sacred forest stands atop a hill outside the village.

Villagers gather around a pig sacrificed to their goddess and chant prayers.

The shamans divine what will await their people in the new year.

Villagers are given food that's been offered up.

Yang Sanmukuai needs to depart soon for migrant labor, and earn more money to realize his inn.

Zhao Guomin, stocks new tea for his inn, while praying for an increase in tourists.

This year's new tea. On sale today.

Former village chief Yang Jianguo starts a fire in the hearth, as he reaffirms his vow to protect the Wa tradition.

The villagers, who once resided in China's "last traditional village," face a new year with their hopes and worries for the future.