I Met One of China’s Last Face-tattooed Women

A washed-out road stopped my drive into a remote village near the China–Myanmar border. I continued on foot to meet an elderly Derung woman with traditional facial tattoos. In this Yunnan travel vlog, I leave Gongshan, cross the Gaoligong Mountains, and follow the Dulong River into a valley home to the Derung (Dulong) people. Narrow cliffside roads and flood-damaged stretches make reaching the village a journey of its own. Inside the village, I share a meal, hear her sing, and spend time with a woman from the last generation to carry this facial tattoo tradition. Despite the language barrier, there is plenty of laughter. Along the way, we also see how roads, bridges, and tunnels connect these mountain communities to schools, hospitals, and life beyond the valley. Which moment stayed with you most? Let me know in the comments. Subscribe to follow the next part of my journey north toward Tibet. #ChinaTravel #Yunnan #DulongValley #Derung #DerungPeople #Dulongzu #facetattoo #ChineseFood #SalweenRiver #Dulongjiang #Nujiang #RemoteChina #ChinaDocumentary #Yunnan #YunnanFood #YunnanTravel #HiddenChina #TravelDocumentary #ChinaMyanmarBorder #GaoligongMountains CHAPTERS 00:00 Into the Dulong Valley 02:26 Following the Dulong River 02:42 Local People Crossing the River by Zip-line 06:45 A Washed-Out Road 07:44 Meeting a Face-Tattooed Derung Woman 15:32 Back on the Mountain Road 17:34 An Emerald River 18:09 Returning to Gongshan City WATCH MORE Previous episode — My journey through the Nujiang Valley: I Ate a Coffee-poached Egg in China’s Remote Christian Valley (   • I Ate a Coffee-poached Egg in China’s Remo...  ) I Ate “Saving the Emperor” Along China's Remote WWII Road Near Myanmar (   • I Ate “Saving the Emperor” Along China's R...  ) Filmed in August 2026 | Dulong Valley, Yunnan, China