2024 Horizon Scan Workshop for Global Freshwater Harmful Algal
Blooms and Integration of Research, Education and Industry

Prospectus and Agenda
Kunming, Yunnan, China
July 6-11, 2024

1. Workshop Introduction
Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs) cause severe damage to aquatic ecosystems and human health globally.
Climate change and other anthropogenic stressors will exacerbate HABs in the future. Research on HABs
has made impressive progress, however some important issues have still been overlooked and not fully
understood (e.g. mining and synthesis of mechanisms of new algal toxins, succession of dominant algal
bloom taxa, and risk prediction under conditions of global change). Horizon Scanning is a collaborative effort
to better identify, understand, manage and mitigate emerging threats through multidisciplinary teams ofscientists to identify current and future challenges and opportunities. It has been successfully applied in many
fields of ecology, including conservation, urban ecosystem management, illegal wildlife trade, marine andcoastal biodiversity conservation, and invasive species. However, thus far, no horizon scan specificallytargeted HABs, providing our opportunity to convene the world's top scientists in this field to jointly identify
key scientific problems in the field of freshwater HABs.
The workshop is co-organized by Kunming University, Yunnan University and the University of Windsor. In
addition to the horizon scan, we invited four scientists from the United States, Denmark, New Zealand andChina to precede the workshop with keynote speeches, allowing both in-person and online discussions
following each presentation. The presentations will identify different opportunities and challenges in the fieldof freshwater HABs from a global perspective, and significantly enhance the internationalization of scientificresearch and talent training in this field.
12. General Information
Organizers: Kunming University, Yunnan University, and the University of Windsor
Co-organizer: Kunming Dianchi & Plateau Lakes Institute
Cooperate conference support: Yunnan Chenhai Business Co., LTD
Venue: Green Lake Hotel, Kunming, Yunnan, China. Green Lake is a popular site for both locals andtourists in downtown Kunming. The Green Lake Hotel is located on the lake’s shore. It takes about 1 hour
to walk around the lake, which is populated with many cafés and restaurants.
Zoom Access：ID: 835 5484 6917, Code: 084441
Organizing Committee:
Prof. Dr. Hugh J. MacIsaac, University of Windsor & Yunnan University
Prof. Dr. Xuexiu Chang, Kunming University & University of Windsor
Prof. Dr. Lirong Song, Institute of Hydrobiology, CAS
Prof. Dr. R. Michael McKay, University of Windsor, Director of GLIER
Prof. Dr. Tiyuan Xia, Kunming University, Dean of School of Agronomy and Life Sciences
Prof. Dr. Zhiming Zhang, Yunnan University, Executive Associate Dean of SEES
Prof. Dr. Haijun Wang, Yunnan University, Associate Dean of SEES
Prof. Min Pan, Kunming Dianchi & Plateau Lakes Institute, Associate Director
Prof. Weili Li, Kunming University, Director of Office of Science and Technology
Prof. Ling Chen, Kunming University, Director of Office of International Cooperation & ExchangeProf. Dr. Zhen Ren, Kunming University, Associate Dean of School of Agronomy and Life Sciences
Dr. Runbing Xu, Yunnan University
Affairs Committee and emergency contact information (Chinese/English = C/E)
Dr. Zhongzhao Duan (C/E)
Tel: 0086 15987106687
E-mail: dinod520@outlook.com
Mr. Zhuyuan Wang (C/E)

Tel: 0086 15987130978

E-mail: wang_zhuyuan@yeah.net

Dr. Xiuli Hou (C)Tel: 0086 15925211462

E-mail: hxlyn@aliyun.com

Dr. Yu Qian (C/E)

Tel: 0086 18788452139

E-mail: qianyu@ynu.edu.cn

Dr. Jiaojiao Li (C/E)

Tel: 0086 18088260774

E-mail: m15925168046@163.com

Dr. Jinmei Zi (C/E)

Tel: 0086 15887087202

E-mail: shmily.sjl@163.com

Dr. Jingjing Li (C/E)

Tel: 0086 18987959456

E-mail: anhanwedivorce@163.com

Dr. Ying Pei (C/E)

Tel: 0086 18213841441

E-mail: peiying@kmu.edu.cn

Dr. Zijin Hong (C/E)

Tel: 0086 19523329801

E-mail: 896368144@qq.com

Dr. Yuanyuan Lin (C/E)

Tel: 0086 15288282357

E-mail: 446109314@qq.com

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3. Agenda for 2024 Workshop for Horizon scan on cHABs
July 5-6th

ArrivalWhole day

Attendees will be picked up from Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) andtaken to the hosting hotel (Green Lake Hotel).

July 6th

City Tour

8:50

Bus departure from Green Lake Hotel.

09:00 - 9:50

Historical Donglu campus of Yunnan University (downtown).

9:50 - 11:00

Travel to and tour of Qianwang Old Street.

11:00 - 12:00

Group lunch: Crossing Bridge Rice Noodles at Yunxianlou Restaurant.

12:00 - 13:30

Return to Green Lake Hotel to rest.

13:30 - 14:10

Travel to Kunming University.

14:10 - 15:10

Tour of Kunming University, Dr. Jinmei Zi(Lab visiting; Dianchi Basin Ecology and Culture Museum).

15:10 - 15:40

Travel to Chenggong (new) campus of Yunnan University.

15:40 - 16:40

Tour of Yunnan University, Dr. Runbing Xu(Lab visiting; campus tour; YNU Museum).

16:40 - 19:00

Travel to and enjoy Ice-breaking dinner: Yunnan Lamb BBQ.

19:00 - 20:00

Return to Green Lake Hotel.

July 7th

Field tour

09:00

Bus departure from Green Lake Hotel.

09:30 - 10:30

Visit Kunming Dianchi & Plateau Lakes Institute, Lake Dianchi. Vice Director Min Pan
will give a talk about cHABs in Dianchi in English; Q&A.

10:30 - 11:30

Travel to and visit algae removal and harvesting system, Lake Dianchi.

11:30 - 12:00

Travel to and visit Dabokou eco-restoration system, Lake Dianchi.

12:00 - 13:30

Travel to lunch at Yuyuan Restaurant near Dianchi Lake (traditional group lunch).

13:30 - 15:00

Travel to and visit Baofeng Wetland Park, biodiversity and constructed restoration
wetland exhibition for COP15, Lake Dianchi.

15:00 - 16:30

Travel to and visit the world’s largest cut flower market, Kunming.

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16:30 - 18:30

Return to hotel for rest.

18:30 - 19:00

Opening ceremony and greetings from hosting universities in Green Lake Hotel (Dr.
Xuexiu Chang):
President Dr. Wenli Ding, Kunming University; introduced by Dr. Xuexiu Chang
Vice President Dr. Xingwu Duan, Yunnan University; introduced by Dr. Runbing Xu
President Dr. Rob Gordon (recorded video), University of Windsor; introduced by Dr.
Hugh MacIsaac.
Official thank you for local support (Dr. Hugh MacIsaac)

19:00 - 21:00

Welcome dinner.

July 8th

Keynote talks & Workshop discussions

Morning

Keynote talks

08:00 - 08:10

Formally opening of the workshop (Dr. Hugh MacIsaac)

08:10 - 09:10

Hans Paerl (virtual), Institute of Marine Sciences, University of North Carolina, USA.
(Introduced by Dr. Runbing Xu)
Topic: Mitigating harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a hotter, hydrologically more
extreme world: Evolving Issues

09:10 - 10:10

Lirong Song, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
(Introduced by Dr. Runbing Xu)
Topic: Proliferation of filamentous cyanobacterial bloom: recent understanding
on its eco-physiology and challenges for control

10:10 - 10:40

Coffee Break

10:40 - 11:40

Susie Wood, Coastal and Freshwater group, Cawthorn Institute, New Zealand.
(Introduced by Dr. Xuexiu Chang)
Topic: Insights into the ecology and toxin production of toxic benthic
cyanobacteria proliferations

11:40 - 12:40

Erik Jeppesen, Aarhus University (Denmark), Middle East Technical University(Turkey), Yunnan University (China). (Introduced by Dr. Xuexiu Chang)
Topic: Can macrophytes, zooplankton and nitrogen reduction help control
cyanobacteria in (shallow) lakes

12:40 - 14:00

Buffet lunch in Green Lake Hotel

14:00 - 15:00

Rest in Green Lake Hotel

15:00 - 18:00

Workshop discussions the topics/themes selection

18:00 - 19:30

Travel to dinner in local restaurant (Yunnan Dai cuisine)

July 9thWorkshop discussions

9:00-12:00

Workshop discussions of final topic choices, journal selection, establish writing teams
for each topic, establish the global writing team (5-6 persons), paper writing
instructions, timelines for initial team submission of drafts section, global review team,return first complete draft to authors for review.

412:00 - 13:30

Buffet lunch in Green Lake Hotel

13:30 - 15:00

Rest in Green Lake Hotel

15:00 - 17:00

Final Workshop discussions

17:00 - 19:00

Travel to dinner in local restaurant (Laodian Shanzhai)

July 10th

Field tour

08:30 - 09:30

Bus trip from hotel to Stone Forest National Park.

09:30 – 12:00

Tour Stone Forest World Natural Heritage.

12:00 - 13:30

Lunch near Stone Forest National Park.

13:30 - 17:30

Travel to and tour Jiuxiang Karst Cave National Park.

17:30 - 19:30

Travel back and farewell dinner, Yiliang Roast Duck restaurant.

July 11th

Departure

Whole day

Attendees will be delivered to KMG airport from hotel. Individuals with late-departing
flights can have activities created for day-time hours before departure. Possible
activities include group research meetings, lab tours of university aquatic labs, Green
Lake walking tour, local shopping etc. English/Chinese hosts will accompany travelers
through the airport check-in process.

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4. Introduction of Keynote Talks

Title: Mitigating harmful cyanobacterial blooms in a hotter, hydrologically more extreme
world: Evolving Issues

Hans W. Paerl, PhD - Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Institute of Marine Sciences, USA
Abstract: Cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) are a major threat to environmental and human healthalong the freshwater to marine continuum. As global proliferation of CyanoHABs continues to increase in prevalence,
intensity, and toxicity, it is important to identify and integrate the underlying causes and controls of blooms in order todevelop effective, long-term mitigation strategies. Nutrient input reductions should receive high priority. However,climate changes are driving CyanoHAB proliferation through increasing global temperatures, changing wind patterns
and intensities, and altered precipitation patterns, including more extreme rainfall events, protracted droughts. Resultant
hydrologic extremes have led to the “perfect storm scenario;” due to increases in pulsed nutrient loading events, followedby persistent low-flow, lengthened water residence times, favoring blooms. To meet the CyanoHAB mitigation
challenge, watershed and airshed N and P input reductions must be formulated under extreme hydrologic conditions inorder to maintain CyanoHABs below bloom thresholds. Specifically, long-term CyanoHAB management strategies
must incorporate anticipated climatic changes and extremes, and nutrient management strategies should be compatible
with other physical-chemical-biological mitigation approaches, such as altering freshwater flow and flushing, artificial
mixing, dredging, chemical applications, and top-down biological controls. Lastly, based on evolving knowledge ofenvironmental controls on cyanotoxin production, these management strategies should find ways to reduce CyanoHAB
toxin production, in order to minimize adverse ecosystem and human health impacts.

Dr. Hans W. Paerl is a famous international aquatic ecologist,
W.R. Kenan Distinguished Professor with UNC’s Institute ofMarine Sciences, Appointed Research Fellow at Nanjing
Institute of Geography and Limnology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences. His research addresses aquatic nutrient cycling andprimary production dynamics, environmental controls, andmanagement of harmful algal blooms. The Paerl lab also
focuses on assessing effects of human and climatic alterationsof water quality and sustainability to coastal and inland waters
around the globe. He has published more than 600 SCI papers,
including journal papers such as Science, Nature and PNAS,
being cited more than 76,000 times with h-index of 130 on
Google Scholar. He is the top one thousand cited author in thefield of ecology and environmental science. He got the G.
Evelyn Hutchinson Award from American Society of
Limnology and Oceanography in2003, Odum Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation in 2011.

6Title: Proliferation of filamentous cyanobacterial bloom: recent insights into its eco-physiology andcontrol challenges

Lirong Song, PhD - Professor, Institute of Hydrobiology, CAS, China
Abstract: Cyanobacterial blooms (CyanoHABs) have markedly increased over the past decades and are projected tocontinue increasing due to the combined impacts of eutrophication, elevated CO 2 levels, and global warming. While
excess nitrogen and phosphorus are often cited as primary contributors to CyanoHABs, the specific dominant species
responsible can vary widely between different lakes and seasons, even under similar nutrient conditions. The
proliferation and persistence of bloom-forming filamentous cyanobacteria (FC) are on the rise across various
geographical regions. Numerous studies have elucidated the ecological dominance of FC; however, there has been lessfocus on their nutrient utilization strategies. Recent research indicates that certain filamentous cyanobacteria may utilize
phosphonates (phosphonic acids) in aquatic ecosystems to support their growth. In N-deficient seasons,
Cylindrospermum. raciborskii sustained a relatively high biomass by utilizing cyanophycin-released nitrogen instead of
fixed nitrogen. Additionally, iron bioavailability plays a crucial role in influencing the dynamics C. raciborskii andpromoting the species’ blooms. In a case study of the shallow lake Honghu, both nutrient strategy and non-algal turbidity
contributed to the sustained dominance of FC over the past years. However, the effects to combat FC blooms on a largescale are limited. compared to those targeting Microcystis blooms. Therefore, it is imperative and urgent to address theincreasing issue concerning the mechanism and control of filamentous cyanobacteria.

Dr. Lirong Song, a professor at the Institute of Hydrobiology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, currently serves as the Deputy
Director of the National Aquatic Biological Resource Centerand Director of the Freshwater Algae Culture Collection. Dr.
Song has conducted extensive foundational research andtechnological applications in areas such as the physiologicaland ecological mechanisms of algal blooms, the ecologicalfate and prevention of cyanobacterial toxins and odors, andthe utilization of economic microalgae.
With over 200 publications in reputable journals such as
Water Research, The ISME Journal, Environmental Science& Technology, and Algal Research, Dr. Song’s research has
been cited over 8,000 times according to Web of Science, withan h-index of 45. He has previously served as the Chief
Scientist on national research projects, including the National
Basic Research Program (973), the National High-Tech
Development Program (863) and Scientist in the Algal Industry System designated by the Ministry of Agriculture.
Previously, Dr. Song served as the President of the Phycology Society of China and an Executive Committee Memberof the International Society for Applied Phycology (ISAP). He has been recognized as a National Advanced Individualin Field Scientific Work and has received three first-place awards at the provincial and ministerial level. Dr. Song has
mentored over sixty doctoral, master’s, and postdoctoral students.

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Title: Insights into the ecology and toxin production of toxic benthic cyanobacteria proliferations

Susie Wood, PhD - Senior Scientist, Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand
Abstract: Proliferations of benthic cyanobacteria are increasing in streams, rivers, lakes, and reservoirs worldwide. The
benthic mats responsible for the proliferations smother the bottom of water bodies and may cover many square
kilometers. Despite increasing reports of these proliferation and associated animal poisonings, research on many aspectsof benthic cyanobacteria ecology and toxin production is well behind the field of planktonic cyanobacteria. Currently
there is a limited understanding of the: (1) environmental conditions promoting toxic benthic cyanobacteria
proliferations; (2) life cycle of a toxic benthic proliferation (from the initiation of the biofilm to its detachment and fate);and (3) the dynamics of toxin production. In this presentation I will showcase the range of issues gloablly. Using research
examples from our team, I will highlight the suite of methods that we have used to explored what makes streams
susceptible to benthic proliferations at a national scale in Aotearoa-New Zealand, and factors that promote proliferations
at a regional, river and mat scale. I also demonstrate how genomic techniques are advancing our understanding of mat
formation and toxin production.

Dr Wood is a Senior Scientist at Cawthron Institute in New
Zealand. Her research is multidisciplinary and integrative,
with the overarching goal of improving knowledge
on freshwater ecosystems. It spans three broad areas: (i) toxic
cyanobacteria dynamics in freshwater systems (bothplanktonic in lakes and benthic in rivers), (ii) the
development and application of molecular techniques tomonitor and understand aquatic systems, and (iii) integrating
cutting edge techniques with more traditional
paleolimnological approaches to guide future lake
management and restoration. She is considered a world
expert on toxic cyanobacteria and has been involved with
developing both recreational and drinking water guidelines
for cyanobacteria in Aotearoa New Zealand. She received
the Kilham Lecture Award from the International Limnology
Society in 2022 for her contribution to freshwater researchinternationally. and the New Zealand Freshwater Sciences Society medal in 2019 for her outstanding contributions tofreshwater science in Aotearoa New Zealand. She has published more than 230 SCI papers, being cited more than 11,000
times with h-index of 58 on Google Scholar. She serves as Associated Editor of Inland Waters (Journal of theInternational Society of Limnology).

8Title: Can macrophytes, zooplankton and nitrogen reduction help controlling cyanobacteria in (shallow)
lakes?

Erik Jeppesen and many collaborators
Abstract: Based particularly our own studies from shallow lakes, we show that macrophyte by various mechanisms(e.g. allelopathy, competition and shading) can help reducing the biomass of cyanobacteria. We further show thatcyanobacteria is the most negatively affected phytoplankton class when lakes are restored by biomanipulation (fishremoval) that leads to dominance of large-boded zooplankton - despite their low food quality for zooplankton. This
may in part reflect that zooplankton can overcome the low quality food of cyanobacteria by up-regulation of fatty aciddesaturase genes for essential/semi-essential biochemical synthesis, as shown experimentally. Moreover, high grazer
abundance means higher turnover of phytoplankton, which is not to the favor of S-strategists, such as cyanobacteria.
Further, using mass balance data from 10 lakes covering 30 years of recovery from eutrophication as well as data froma long-term mesocosm experiment (20 years) run at 3 different temperature scenarios, to which N-loading (but not Ploading) was reduced for 1 year (with data also from 2 years before and after for comparison), we further show that Nfixation cannot compensate for a selective reduction in nitrogen and that N-legacy is low. This suggest that that not only
external loading reduction of P, but also of N would be a useful strategy for reducing cyanobacteria biomass in shallow
lakes, not least in the period where these lakes are suffering a high internal P-loading.

Dr. Erik Jeppesen is a world-leading international lakescientist, professor of Aarhus University in Denmark andvisiting professor of Yunnan University, the main research
fields are aquatic ecology, climate change, lake restoration
and, eutrophication control. He has published more than 700
SCI papers, including journal papers such as Science, PNAS,Nature Climate Change, Nature Geoscience, The Innovation
and Trends in Ecology & Evolution, and cited more than
94,000 times on Google Scholar. He is the top one thousandcited author in the field of ecology and environmental science.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize as a member of theIntergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2007.
In 2010, he was awarded the Naumann-Thienemann Medal by
the International Society of Limnology (SIL) and in 2020 the
TUBA Distinguished Scientist International Award.

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5. Participants of Horizon Scan on Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms
Name

Affiliation and Country

E-mailDr. Chi-Yong Ahn

Korea Research Institute of Bioscience andBiotechnology, Korea

cyahn@kribb.re.kr

Dr. George Bullerjahn

Bowling Green State University, U.S.

bullerj@bgsu.edu

Dr. Xuexiu Chang

Kunming University, China

xchang@uwindsor.ca

Dr. Ingrid Chorus

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology andInland Fisheries, Germany

ingrid.chorus@gmail.com

Dr. Gregory Dick

University of Michigan, U.S.

gdick@umich.edu

Dr. David Hamilton

Griffith University, Australia

david.p.hamilton@griffith.edu.au

Dr. Sabine Hilt

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology andInland Fisheries, Germany

sabine.hilt@igb-berlin.de

Dr. Jef Huisman

University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

j.huisman@uva.nl

Dr. Erik Jeppesen

Aarhus University, Denmark

ej@ecos.au.dk

Dr. Xiangzhen Kong

Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

xzkong@niglas.ac.cn

Dr. Rainer Kurmayer

University of Innsbruck, Austriarainer.kurmayer@uibk.ac.at

Dr. Hugh MacIsaac

University of Windsor, Canada

hughm@uwindsor.ca

Dr. Michael McKay

University of Windsor, Canada

robert.mckay@uwindsor.ca

Dr. Shin-ichi Nakano

Kyoto University, Japannakano@ecology.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Dr. Hans Paerl
Dr. Boqiang Qin
Dr. Lewis Sitoki
Dr. Lisong SongDr. Xiangming TangThe University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill, U.S.
Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
Technical University of Kenya, Kenya
Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academyof Science, China
Nanjing Institute of Geography & Limnology,
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

hans_paerl@unc.edu
qinbq@niglas.ac.cn
sitoki.lewis@tukenya.ac.kelrsong@ihb.ac.cn
xmtang@niglas.ac.cn

Dr. Petra Visser

University of Amsterdam, Netherlands

p.m.visser@uva.nl

Dr. Haijun Wang

Yunnan University, China

wanghaijun@ynu.edu.cn

Dr. Steven Wilhelm

University of Tennessee, U.S.

wilhelm@utk.edu

Dr. Susie Wood

Cawthron Institute, New Zealandsusie.wood@cawthron.org.nz

Dr. Runbing Xu

Yunnan University, China

runbingxu@ynu.edu.cn

106. Tips for attendees
For a smooth journey, please pay attention to the following when you arrive in China:⚫ If you have any food restrictions, please contact Xuexiu Chang. She will arrange appropriate foods foryour meals.
⚫ Cash (currency exchange in the airport) and E-payment (AliPay, ApplePay) are commonly used in China.
Credit cards are typically not accepted.
⚫ Mobile Phone usage: If you desire to make phone calls while in China, you light wish to obtain a Chinese
SIM upon arrival. We recommend you to use the China Mobile SIM card. Prepaid SIM cards can bepurchased online or at the airport (PVG, PEK, CAN, only in day time).
⚫ Language: You can install a translation APP (Apple Translate, Baidu Translate, offline Google translate)and download the language pack you need before you arrive.
⚫ Transportation: Please download the offline map of Kunming before you will arrive in China (Apple map,
Baidu map). Transportation during the conference period will be handled by us. If you or your family
want to go on a city tour, we can provide you with volunteer services.
⚫ Weather: Kunming will be in the monsoon season during July, with average temperature ~ 22°C (rangeof 18-27°C). Expect brief, intense early evening storms daily.
⚫ Clothing: Kunming is located at 2000m and experiences intense solar radiation. We will prepare a hatfor everybody, but you can bring your own, and please use sun protection. We will have three days of
tours during the conference so we recommend you use easy walking shoes (ordinary sports shoes are
OK).
⚫ Mosquitoes: Since we will have field tours, we will provide mosquito repellent if required. If you have apreferred mosquito repellent, you can also bring your own. Note that mosquitoes in the Kunming area do
not transmit malaria.
⚫ Google, Facebook and other common tools do not work in China. Microsoft products do work. If desired,create an Outlook account and temporarily forward your gmail to this account.

7. Map of the Green Lake and Green Lake hotel∙
The red dot denotes the Green Lake hotel.

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8. Stone Forest World Natural Heritage
The Stone Forest lies about 120km southeast of Kunming. A geological phenomenon, the Stone Forest was a vast
expanse of sea during the Paleozoic era, 270 million years ago. Later, the movement of tectonic plates altered theearth's crust, causing the limestone bottom to appear, thereby forming land. Constant seepage of rain through the cracks
in the limestone produced great stone sculptures of different shapes, all molded by nature.

In the midst of the forest exists is a huge rock screen on which two words - Stone Forest - are engraved in official
script (in a calligraphic style typical of the Han Dynasty, 206 B.C.-220 A.D.). Among the scenic sights is the "Sword PeakPond" with jadeite-colored water so clear that one can see the bottom of the pond. Other astonishing sights include"figure of Ashima," "Shi Ba Xiang Song" (its name originating in the Chinese love story, "LiangShanbo and Zhu Yingtai"),and "Lotus Peak. The splendor of the Stone Forest is enhanced by local customs of the Sani people (who are part of
the Yi minority). Sani people are industrious and hospitable and unconstrained. Sani women are expert at spinning,weaving, and embroidering. They like to wear rainbow-colored headgear and bright-colored dresses. The young people
are very good singers and dancers. Every evening, under the moonlight, boys and girls gather at the village platform.
Boys play the three-stringed plucked instruments, while girls clap their hands and dance the strong-rhythmed traditional"Dance in the Moon" with great enthusiasm.

Every lunar year, on June 24th, the Sani people celebrate their national festival - the Torch Festival. On that day,the entire Stone Forest is permeated with a celebratory atmosphere. Traditional performances of wrestling and bullfighting occur. Finally, when the land is enveloped in the curtain of night, the young men (holding torches in their hands)
run after the young women to propose marriage in the light of colored lanterns.

129. Jiu Xiang Karst Cave National Park
There is a saying in Yunnan: "Look at the stone forest on the ground, look at the nine villages underground." Thenine villages are also a karst landscape, with their beauty in karst caves. The area has hundreds of caves of various
sizes, and is known as the "Cave Museum". It is one of the recommended tourist attractions around Kunming.

The Jiuxiang Scenic Area is located in Jiuxiang Yi and Hui Autonomous Township, Yiliang County. The scenic area
is densely forested and rich in flora and fauna resources, with magnificent mountain valleys and underground karst
caves, making it a typical karst landscape. The main attractions include Yincui Gorge, Jinghun Gorge, Xiongshi Hall,
Male and Female Flying Waterfall, Kanda, etc.
To enter the scenic area, take a sightseeing elevator with a drop of 53 meters to the bottom of the Yincui Gorge,
and take a cruise through the canyon. Stone stalactites on both sides are diverse and dazzling. Passing through thecanyon leads to an underground karst cave. The Lion Hall is an elliptical underground hall with a sloping dome, named
after the stalactite mound at the southern entrance resembling a lion. The Lion Hall is tall and spacious, with a total areaof over 15000 m2. The top of the cave is a huge rock without any support, making it a miracle. In the middle is a huge
exhibition hall, showcasing rare stones and ethnic handicrafts.

Passing through the Lion Hall is the Goddess Palace. The densely packed stalactites inside the cave are in various
forms, and under the backdrop of colorful lights, they are ethereal and mysterious. Walk over the Diehong Bridge overthe hidden river and enter Wolong Cave. On the walls of the Dongzhong Mountain, there are two huge waterfalls flowing
straight down, reaching a height of 30 m. From a distance, it looks like a "person" and is called a "male and female dual
waterfall". It is one of the iconic landscapes of the Jiuxiang Scenic Area. The splashing waterfall makes the mountainroad slippery and difficult to walk on, so it is important to pay attention to safety. On the side of the mountain road,stalactites are stacked layer by layer, converging into terraced fields. Under light, they are magnificent, which is thelegendary "Kanda". There is a huge conical stalactite between the Kanda, which is said to be a granary and looks quite
similar. Continuing forward, pass through the Linyin Village (where young men and women perform folk dances). Follow
the winding mountain road to reach the next stop on the cableway, and take the cableway for 10 minutes to return tothe entrance of the scenic area.

13