古镇: Death-knell for Yunnan's Historic Towns
In China even the 'old towns' are new. Under the 古镇, or ancient town, moniker old towns are razed and their population driven out to make space for sanitized versions of Chinese history that drive the tourist dollar.
An old cliff temple along the old trade route from Shunning 顺宁 to Menghua 蒙化, which Xu Xiake 徐霞客 visited almost 400 years ago.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
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 Benzhu temple above Shangyangxi village.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
Cantilevered wooden bridge.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Gedong | 14 Jan |
| Benzhu Worship | 18 Jan |
| Pulling the Wooden Drum | 19 Jan |
| New Moon Ritual | 19 Jan |
| Great Cold | 20 Jan |
| Kuoshi Lisu New Year | 23 Jan |
| Wuxi Festival | 24 Jan |
| "Replenish Provisions" Ritual | 24 Jan |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 26 Jan |
| Lingshan Temple Fair | 26 Jan |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 27 Jan |
| Long Table Feast | 27 Jan |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Haidong | 海东 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| 西庄 | |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| 顺荡 | |
| 寅街村 | |
| 龙街 | |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 前所 | |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Tutai | 土台 |
| Hongtian | 红田 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Baiwu | 白雾 |
| Daqiao | 大桥乡 |
| Jiache | 驾车乡 |
| Leye | 乐业镇 |
| Luna | 鲁纳乡 |
| Malu | 马路乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Shangcun | 上村乡 |
| Zhehai | 者海镇 |
| Zhichang | 纸厂乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |