The top culture in Zhenkang County, southwest China's Yunnan Province, has a long history. More than 40 percent of the villages there have built top-playing fields. The millstone-shaped top culture is an intangible cultural heritage.
The local millstone-shaped tops are made of hard wood, with a diameter ranging from 20 to 40 centimeters and a height from 5 to 8 centimeters. The De'ang ethnic group has the custom of playing millstone-shaped tops to celebrate the Spring Festival. The De'ang villagers in Baiyan Village, Zhenkang County, gather under the big banyan trees to have millstone-shaped top competitions.
(All photos taken by CGTN's Shi Chan and Zheng Hao, January 14, 2025.)