Jiangxi Province, Tonggu County

Jiangxi Province is considered to be southeastern China. Tonggu County is north of Yichun City, due west of the capital city of Nanchang, very near the border to Hunan Province. It is a small and rural county of 150,000 people under the jurisdiction of Yichun City. The county encompasses a small urban area, known as Yongning Town, and much rural farmland and mountains. The urban area of Yongning contains several schools, a hospital, a sprawling market, two hotels, the as yet unfinished SWI, the West Lake Square and many apartment buildings within its boundaries. The Ding Jiang (Ding River) runs directly through town. The town is nestled in the mountains and is very picturesque. The rural area includes vegetable farms, expansive rice paddies, bamboo forests and is home to many, many water buffalo. Tonggu consists of 80% minority peoples, with only 20% of the residents from the Han ethnic majority. These minority peoples are primarily of the Hakka descent. The Hakka never bound the feet of their girls and women, so we are highly impressed with their culture!