Into the Land of the Black Lisu
The Nujiang Canyon, on Yunnan's western frontier, was until the 1930s a blank area on the map that not even Chinese troops dared to enter. In 1905 two British explorers made the first foray into this land of the Black Lisu.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Ancient Daoist temple music performed in Dali.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
Yunlong's famous bridges.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Slight Heat | 07 Jul |
| Mango Festival | 11 Jul |
| Zheng He Cultural Tourism Festival | 11 Jul |
| Zhoucheng Patron Saint Birthday | 12 Jul |
| South Gate Festival | 12 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Jul |
| Danu Festival | 13 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 14 Jul |
| Southern Dipper Ritual | 14 Jul |
| Lizhi Festival | 16 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 18 Jul |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| 三鹤 | |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| 三胜 | |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 顺荡 | |
| 龙街 | |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Tutai | 土台 |
| Hongtian | 红田 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Wopo | 窝坡 |
| 干海子 | |
| Kuangshan | 矿山镇 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Yulu | 雨碌乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Qushui | 曲水乡 |
| Yongping | 永平镇 |
| Meng'a | 孟啊 |
| Mengxian | 勐先镇 |