Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Manglao - A Dai Village in Winter

Manglao - A Dai Village in Winter

Even in the depth of winter, life in a Dai village does not truly slow down—it merely changes its rhythm.





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


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

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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.


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

Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

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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 traditional technique making little figures etc from cloth, in Jianchuan 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.

Markets this Saturday

Kunming 昆明
Jiulong 九龙乡
Fazhe 法者镇
Shilin 石林彝族自治县
Tangdan 汤丹镇

Dali 大理
Zhoucheng 州城
Yongping 永平县
Lijiao 力角
Longjie 龙街
Paiying 排营
Xintun 辛屯
Shijing 师井
Songgui 松桂
Longjie 龙街
Caicun 才村
Diannan 甸南
Dali 大理
Jiangwei 江尾镇
Huangping 黄平镇
Deju 德苴乡
桥街
Caifeng 财丰
Miaojie 庙街镇
三胜
Puping 普淜镇
Changyi 长邑村
Houshancun 后山村

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Jiuhe 九河
Yongsheng 永胜县
Banqiao 板桥

Dehong 德宏
Husa 户撒乡
Nangsong 曩宋阿昌族乡

Honghe 红河
Xinansuo 新安所镇
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Daheishan 大黑山乡
Leyu 乐育
Sankeshu 三棵树
Xinxian 新现乡
Baxin 坝心镇
Dixibei 地西北
Shuiguachong 水瓜冲
Shaochong 哨冲镇
Niujie 牛街镇

Wenshan 文山
Matang 马塘镇
Badaoshao 八道哨乡
Pingba 坪坝镇
Heizhiguo 黑支果乡
Dongma 董马乡
Xinzhai 新寨乡
Boai 剥隘镇

Chuxiong 楚雄
Wanyaoshu 弯腰树
Dahekou 大河口乡

Baoshan 保山市
Manglong 芒龙

Lincang 临沧
Cangyuan 沧源佤族自治县
Luodang 洛党
Yalian 亚练乡
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
Baiwu 白雾
Daba 大坝
Daqiao 大桥乡
Leye 乐业镇
Malu 马路乡
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shikan 石坎
Jiucheng 旧城
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Mosha 漠沙镇
Yangjie 羊街乡
Dianzhong 甸中

Nujiang 怒江
Hexi 河西
Puladi 普拉底乡
Laowo 老窝
Aludi 阿路底

Puer 普洱
Lancang 澜沧县
Fuyan 富岩

Diqing 迪庆
Xiaoweixi 小维西
Jiagetu 价格土
Kaifaqu 开发区
岩瓦