Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Marco Polo in Yunnan?

Did the great Venetian traveller reach Yunnan? Almost certainly not, but still his accounts are the first words Europeans heard about this far-away region.



A small Yi group in Heqing County with distinctive dress.


马健雄 (Ma Jianxiong): The Lahu Minority in Southwest China: A Response to Ethnic Marginalization on the Frontier

Cover Image
The Lahu, with a population of around 470,000, inhabit the mountainous country in Yunnan Province bordering on Burma, Laos and northern Thailand. Buddhists, with a long history of resistance to the Chinese Han majority, the Lahu are currently facing a serious collapse of their traditional social system, with the highest suicide rate in the world, large scale human trafficking of their women, alcoholism and poverty. This book, based on extensive original research including long-term anthropological research among the Lahu, provides an overview of the traditional way of life of the Lahu, their social system, culture and beliefs, and discusses the ways in which these are changing. It shows how the Lahu are especially vulnerable because of their lack of political representatives and a state educated elite which can engage with, and be part of, the government administrative system. The Lahu are one of many relatively small ethnic minorities in China – overall the book provides an example of how the Chinese government approaches these relatively small ethnic minorities.


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

Rattlestick Dance is a traditional dance of the Bai minority, specifically 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.


Brenda McLean: George Forrest, Plant Hunter

Cover Image
George Forrest, perhaps the most successful plant collector of his time, left little written about his numerous journeys to Yunnan, so this well-illustrated book fills in much needed detail about his life.


Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.

Markets this Saturday

Kunming 昆明
Fazhe 法者镇
Wumeng 乌蒙乡
Shilin 石林彝族自治县
Tuanjie 团结
Tangdan 汤丹镇

Dali 大理
Duomei 朵美
Junhua 均化
Zhoucheng 州城
Yongping 永平县
Paiying 排营
Lijiao 力角
Shuixie 水泄
Shijing 师井
Diannan 甸南
Liuhe 六合
Yinqiao 银桥
Heqing 鹤庆县
Jiangwei 江尾镇
Gonglang 公郎镇
前所
Deju 德苴乡
Changyi 长邑村
云南驿村
桥街

Lijiang 丽江
Jiuhe 九河

Honghe 红河
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Xinansuo 新安所镇
Leyu 乐育
Daheishan 大黑山乡
Majie 马街
Lvchun 绿春县
Xinxian 新现乡
Nanke 南科
Jinping 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县
Mengqiao 勐桥乡

Wenshan 文山
Pingzhai 平寨乡
Matang 马塘镇
Pingba 坪坝镇
Muyang 木央镇
Banggu 蚌谷乡
Nanping (Majie) 南屏镇 (马街)

Chuxiong 楚雄
Dahekou 大河口乡
Wanyaoshu 弯腰树
Mixing 弥兴镇

Baoshan 保山市
Zhonghe 中和
Bawan 坝湾镇
Mangkuan 芒宽彝族傣族乡

Lincang 临沧
Luodang 洛党
Menglai 勐来乡
Xinhua 新华彝族苗族乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Baiwu 白雾
Daqiao 大桥乡
Leye 乐业镇
Luna 鲁纳乡
Malu 马路乡
Shangcun 上村乡
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuanghe 双河

Yuxi 玉溪
Chahe 岔河
Mosha 漠沙镇
Dalongtan 大龙潭

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

Puer 普洱
Minle 民乐
Menglian 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县
Mengsuo 勐梭镇

Diqing 迪庆
Xiaoweixi 小维西
Zhonglu 中路
Kaifaqu 开发区