Baiyu · Puma Village | Revitalizing Tibetan Villages Through Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism, Forging a Distinctive Path to Rural Revitalization on the Plateau
Led by Professor Chen Keshi, China Urban Planning & Design Institute developed the *Cultural Tourism Master Plan for Puma Folk Custom Village in Baiyu County*. Centered on the core philosophy of "Empowering Development Through Culture, Enriching Villagers via Cultural Tourism, and Harmonizing Ecology and Human Settlement", the plan pioneers a replicable and sustainable new model of rural revitalization for plateau Tibetan villages.
## 01 Endogenous Development Advantages: Natural Strengths Nestled in the Zengqu River Valley
Located in Bailong Valley, Hepo Township, Baiyu County, Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Puma Village sits at the intersection of two major tourist loops—the Great Shangri-La Loop and the King Gesar Cultural Loop, endowed with innate core resources for rural revitalization.
## 02 Planning Vision: Reject Demolition and Reconstruction, Chart a Customized Development Path for Plateau Tibetan Villages
With decades of expertise in rural revitalization across Tibetan regions, Professor Chen Keshi and his team from China Urban Planning & Design Institute conducted multiple field surveys deep in the Puma River Valley. Adhering to four core principles—*conservation first, industrial self-sufficiency, livelihood improvement, and low-carbon ecology*—the team avoids large-scale demolition and reconstruction to formulate a tailored revitalization strategy fitting plateau Tibetan villages.
## 03 Development Blueprint: Building a Model Village of Intangible Cultural Heritage Tourism Amid Remote Mountains
Guided by the comprehensive master plan, a promising future for Puma Village’s rural revitalization unfolds clearly:
Villagers no longer need to seek work far from home; they can secure diversified, stable incomes by leveraging their ancestral homes and time-honored handicraft skills. Traditional aged Tibetan dwellings undergo gentle, refined renovations that fully preserve their century-old original architectural style, while integrating modern amenities including functional kitchens, bathrooms and scenic homestays for commercial operation. The millennia-old metal forging craft, long confined to private courtyards, will be showcased to visitors as an immersive cultural experience highlight. Once an isolated valley hamlet, the village is poised to evolve into a unique cultural landmark along the Great Shangri-La Tourism Loop.
The plan lays out pragmatic, well-defined strategies for plateau Tibetan village revitalization: all rural construction shall root itself in local land and customs, carry forward traditional cultural heritage, and safeguard pristine natural ecosystems. It takes indigenous intangible cultural heritage as the core characteristic industry, cultural-tourism integration as the main development thread, and adaptive renovation of residential buildings to boost residents’ quality of life. The framework continuously translates lucid waters, green mountains and age-old intangible cultural heritage into sustainable income streams for villagers, creating a referable and scalable model for similar Tibetan villages across the Garzê Plateau.
2026-07-08
