A dwarf village in China: the mysterious reasons for the stunted growth of local residents
A dwarf village in China: the mysterious reasons for the stunted growth of local residents

Video: A dwarf village in China: the mysterious reasons for the stunted growth of local residents

Video: A dwarf village in China: the mysterious reasons for the stunted growth of local residents
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Yansi Village, Yangsi
Yansi Village, Yangsi

Average height of the villagers Yangsi in southwestern China - 80 cm. 40% of the population are born dwarfs or stop growing at the age of 5 years and reach from 64 to 117 cm. Due to the massive nature of this phenomenon, the Yans are called "Village of dwarfs" … Stunted people began to appear here at the beginning of the twentieth century. Since then, scientists have been racking their brains trying to figure out the reasons why a mysterious ailment has been afflicting a Chinese settlement for a century.

Dwarf village
Dwarf village

To find out the causes of an incomprehensible epidemic, scientists took samples of water, soil, grain and conducted research. However, no significant deviations from the norms were found. And in the village, the number of stunted people continues to increase.

Inhabitants of Yansy village, China
Inhabitants of Yansy village, China

The massive nature of this mysterious phenomenon was first noticed at the official level in 1951, although the existence of the village of dwarfs had been known since 1911. And the population census, carried out in 1985, recorded 119 cases of stunting among local residents.

Inhabitants of Yansy village, China
Inhabitants of Yansy village, China
Dwarf village
Dwarf village

Although the Chinese authorities do not deny the existence of the village of dwarfs, the settlement remains closed to foreign tourists, so so far only a few photos of Yansa residents can be found online.

Scientists still cannot explain the reasons for the growth retardation of Yansa residents
Scientists still cannot explain the reasons for the growth retardation of Yansa residents

In 1997, scientists put forward a version that the cause of growth retardation may be a high concentration of mercury in the soil, but to this day this version remains officially unconfirmed. Some have argued that the culprit was the toxic gas used by the Japanese during the invasion of China many years ago. But the fact is that the Japanese have never been near the village of Yansy, and in other settlements such problems have not arisen.

Kingdom of dwarfs in southern China
Kingdom of dwarfs in southern China
Dwarf village
Dwarf village

Locals tend to give mystical explanations for the causes of their ailments. They believe that it has not been without the intervention of evil forces. There are quite a few versions: the deceased ancestors were not properly buried, or people are being punished for the fact that a man named Wang, who found a spotted turtle with strange legs, instead of letting it go, killed and fried it.

Dwarf village
Dwarf village

And in the south of China there is a whole "kingdom of dwarfs", created for a more comfortable existence of undersized people and their social realization. They are not born here as dwarfs - they come here from different parts of the country. The maximum permissible growth of a settler is 130 cm. Everything here is created for their convenience - mini-cars, mini-houses, mini-furniture. To make a living, locals stage costume performances for visiting tourists.

Tourist show
Tourist show
In the kingdom of dwarfs, people can happily live among their own kind
In the kingdom of dwarfs, people can happily live among their own kind

People with stunted growth have always had problems finding decent work. To make money, they often have to take part in all sorts of shows and even risk their lives. An example of this is Mexican bullfighting: young calves and dwarf bullfighters

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