Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Early Maps of Yunnan

The history of maps in Yunnan began more than a thousand years ago. But it was the Jesuits who revolutionised mapping in China, producing the first accurate maps of the provinces, including remote Yunnan.



Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.


Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

Cover Image
Few people know as much about Chinese architecture as Knapp: from palaces to humble homes he explains important building principles; the connection between environment and housing styles and the development of style over time. A section on minority housing styles complements the book.


A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.

Cangshan 苍山 to the west and Erhai 洱海 to the east frame the Dali Bai homeland.



Fog swirling on a cold winter morning over endless rice-terraces, the red of the early morning sun reflected in the flooded paddies: this is the classic view of the Hani Rice Terraces of Yuanyang, now of UNESCO World Heritage status.


John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution

Cover Image
Everyone knows about the Mao's Long March, but a few years later another long march took place: that of Chinese students leaving their cushy campuses on the east coast, trekking all the way to Yunnan where their universities reformed as Lianda, the united university. Kunming, then a total backwater, became a hotbed for new ideas, not just scientific. We liked the section of east coast girls scampering around Mengzi in their latest fashion.


Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.

Markets this Tuesday

Kunming 昆明
Banqiao 板桥乡

Dali 大理
Zhongsuo 中所
Fuheng 富恒
Fengyu 风羽
Yongping 永平县
Shanyang 衫阳
Liandong 炼洞
Haidong 海东
Wanqiao 湾桥
Xintun 辛屯
Qinghua 清华
Songgui 松桂
Guanping 关平
Baofeng 宝丰乡
Madeng 马镫
Binju 宾居
Shuijing 水井
Niujie 牛街
Caojian 漕间
Huangping 黄平镇
Deju 德苴乡
Mizhi 密祉镇
Liuchang 刘厂镇
Xinjie 新街镇
果城村
Junhuacun 均华村
Puping 普淜镇

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇

Honghe 红河
Longpeng 龙朋镇
Daqiao 大桥乡
Nafa 那发
Mingjiu 鸣鹫镇
Wantang 湾塘乡
Caoba 草坝镇
Jiache 架车
Dayangjie 大羊街
Zhongzhai 中寨

Wenshan 文山
Jiayi 稼依镇
Puyang 普阳
Shupi 树皮彝族乡
Funing 富宁县
Xichou 西畴县

Chuxiong 楚雄
Gaoqiao 高桥镇
Dalongkou 大龙口乡
Shizhong 适中乡

Baoshan 保山市
Xiaopingtian 小平田
Tengchong 腾冲县
Wama 瓦马彝族白族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mangka 芒卡镇
Fengqing 凤庆县
Fengwei 风尾镇
Boshang 博商
Mengjiao 勐角乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Wopo 窝坡
Baiwu 白雾
Daqiao 大桥乡
Leye 乐业镇
Malu 马路乡
Zhehai 者海镇
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shikan 石坎
Jiucheng 旧城
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Tadian 塔甸
Jiasa 戛洒镇
Mosha 漠沙镇

Nujiang 怒江
Gudeng 古登
Bingzhongluo 丙中洛
Lishadi 利沙底乡

Puer 普洱
Baozang 宝藏乡
Meizi 梅子镇
Fubang 富邦乡
Yongping 永平镇
Mujia 木戛乡
Ankang 安康佤族乡
Meng'a 孟啊
Wendong 文东佤族乡
Wenggake 翁嘎科镇

Diqing 迪庆
Shangjiang 上江