The Bai in Early Chinese Minority Film
After Liberation in 1949 Chinese cinema became a propaganda medium for the New China. The 1950 saw cinemas spreading to all towns, showing movies meant to increase the socialist spirit and fostering national unit. China's ethnic minorities often featured in these films before the Cultural Revolution. Only after its end played ethnic minority themes a role again. Here we look at films from before 2000 that feature the Bai minority.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
Abstract: The rice terraces of the Ailao Mountains in southern Yunnan province, China, are some of the oldest terraced farms in Asia. First mentioned in Tang Dynasty records, these farms, 80% of which are irrigated, with water running through them all year round, have been in continuous use for over a thousand years. In 2013 UNESCO declared the heartland of this area a World Heritage Site. The Terrace Builders is a detailed account of how these farms are made and used, the cities and mountains of Honghe Prefecture and the far north of Vietnam, as well as the various ethnic minorities who live there. The book pays special attention to the Hani people, the largest ethnic group in the area, and includes summaries of the culture and clothing of their neighbors the Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Dai. The book includes 300 photos of the land and its people.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Temple fair in the Fengyu basin.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
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 clan temple on the slopes of a burial hill near Xizhou.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
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| Chief's Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jun |
| Dandao Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| "Sharpen the Knife" Festival | 27 Jun |
| Green Flag Festival | 29 Jun |
| Full Moon Ritual | 29 Jun |
| Slight Heat | 07 Jul |
| Mango Festival | 11 Jul |
| Zheng He Cultural Tourism Festival | 11 Jul |
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| South Gate Festival | 12 Jul |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Yinqiao | 银桥 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| 桥街 | |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| 西庄 | |
| 寅街村 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |