Shilin Yi Autonomous County hold grand celebration meetings to mark the 60th anniversary of founding at Shilin Nationality Stadium on the afternoon of 18 Nov, 2016. The sound of drums, gongs and firecrackers filled the air on the site. Ashima And Aheige cheerfully danced with the three-stringed traditional Chinese guitars. People of all ethnic groups through the county celebrated the 60th anniversary, singing and dancing.  

Yi people played the mountain-echo long brass trumpet, Sani girl dressed on festival costumes. On the exited and indignant music,delegates of government organs, army soldiers, tourism, health care, education, finance, agriculture, forestry and power supply appeared at the venue. Especially the culture keeper delegates, including Bimo Priests, lion dancer, local traditional musicians, local singers , made a splash for their special function in keeping Sani culture going on.  

Shilin saw significant changes during the past 60 years. On the red soil of 1719 square kilometers, people of all ethnic groups, under the leadership of the Party,wrote another new chapter of reform and opening, created a new situation of Yi town development by hard work, sweat, dedication and efforts. The economic is booming, the society is stable, people are living in peace and enjoying their work, all the industries and causes are flourishing.

Shilin’s tourism experienced 4 phases during the past 60 years: starting, ground breaking, growing and strengthening. Successive county committees, county governments and generations of tourism staffs made painstaking efforts to enhance tourism facilities, to create world level tourism brands, to improve tourism services, to consolidate tourism-oriented pillar industry. All the hard work brought fruitful returns: Shilin scenic and historic area was approved as Global Geopark, World Natural Heritage, and China National AAAAA Scenic area.

As of the 12th Five-Year Plan, Shilin insisted on the concept of all-county tourism development. Tourism was integrated with the development of culture, cities, agriculture and industries. We upheld the the development modes of culture-tourism and town-city integration development. Our next move is to gradually change sightseeing tourism into leisure tourism, scenic area tourism into all county tourism. We are working hard for the realization of internationally reputed destination and national tourism demonstration area.

Looking back at the past 60 years, we made outstanding and fruitful achievements. Looking forward, Shilin will have chances and challenges triggered by the high-speed railway networks economy. Under the leadership of different level governments, 258 thousand Shilin people will work together to create an even better tomorrow, build Shilin into a more peaceful and prosperous place to live in.