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.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest
The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
An ancient Bai folk play form, preserved in Yunlong county.
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.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.
Cangshan 苍山 to the west and Erhai 洱海 to the east frame the Dali Bai homeland.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yangmei Festival | 01 May |
| Migan Festival | 02 May |
| Zhetu Flower Street | 06 May |
| Start of Summer Market | 09 May |
| Sizhuang Pond Fair | 10 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 10 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 11 May |
| Benzhu Worship | 13 May |
| Master Earth | 14 May |
| Mouding March Fair | 14 May |
| Donghuangdadi Birthday | 14 May |
| Baimakou Village Festival | 14 May |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 汤涧 | |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 前所 | |
| 三胜 | |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| 三鹤 | |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Kangpu | 康普 |