Learning Bai
Bai 白族话 is the language spoken by the Bai people 白族 in the Dali area. While Chinese has become the lingua franca, Bai is still actively spoken by many, particularly older people, but it does not have a native written form and comes in many dialects. Here we list the available resources for learning this difficult language.
The temple in Mangdao 芒岛, built in 1899, is one of few surviving examples of Dai Buddhist temples having survived the Cultural Revolution by being converted into grain storage.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
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.
Large Wenmiao and Wumiao complex.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
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.
Rushan is a dried cheese made from cow-milk.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Litang Horse Racing | 01 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 08 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 08 Aug |
| Caobing Festival | 08 Aug |
| Swallow Nest Festival | 08 Aug |
| Gaofeng Torch Festival | 09 Aug |
| Mushroom Festival | 09 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 10 Aug |
| Perseid Meteor Shower | 12 Aug |
| Wumulong Torch Festival | 12 Aug |
| Yinongwu | 13 Aug |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| 青苗 | |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Babu | 八布乡 |
| Tiechang | 铁厂镇 |
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Zhuanjiao | 篆角乡 |
| Pingyuan | 平远 |
| Zhesang | 者桑乡 |
| Babao | 八宝镇 |
| Mulun | 睦伦乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Wumulong | 乌木龙乡 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Fenghuang | 凤凰 |
| 干海子 | |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Yema | 野马林场 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Lancang | 澜沧拉祜族自治县 |
| Nanling | 南岭乡 |
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Jiahe | 嘉禾乡 |
| Fuyan | 富岩 |