Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


A Republic Era Map of Dali

A Republic Era map shows the development of the Dali region over the last hundred years.



Market day in Shiping's Guanyin Temple Alley 观音寺巷 appears almost unchanged from twenty years ago.


Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan

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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.

Midu Folk song is a national level intangible cultural heritage.



This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.


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.


The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.

Markets this Friday

Kunming 昆明
Wumeng 乌蒙乡
Jinsuo 金所乡
Kedu 柯渡镇

Dali 大理
Hecun 萂村
Xiangtu 象图乡
Jiancao 捡槽
Haidong 海东
Gunipen 沽泥盆
Waxi 瓦溪
Fengyi 凤仪
Pingchuan 平川
Wuxing 五星
Yongjian 永连
Yangbi 漾濞彝族自治县
Baidangping 白荡坪
Shaxi 沙溪
Huangping 黄平镇
Shuanglang 双廊镇
Zhongjiang 中江
Wase 挖色
Dacang 大仓镇
蛇街
Shidongcun 石洞村
Shalong 沙龙镇
Wachang 瓦厂乡
Luming 鹿鸣乡
Xiazhuang 下庄镇
Jindunjiecun 金墩街村
妙姑村
汤涧
Longjie 龙街
Xishan 西山乡
Qinghaiying 青海营
Yousuo 右所镇
大栗树
龙洞村
Jijie 鸡街乡

Lijiang 丽江
Judian 巨甸镇

Honghe 红河
Xinhua 新华乡
Mengla 勐拉
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Lengdun 冷墩
Lengquan 冷泉镇
Dongshan 东山镇
Shitouzhai 石头寨
Maandi 马鞍底
Shiping Guanyin Temple Alley 石屏观音寺巷
Chezhi 扯直

Wenshan 文山
Shadou 沙斗
Banlun 板仑乡
Nijiao 腻脚彝族乡
Jijie 鸡街乡
Tienpeng 田蓬镇
Donggan 董干镇
Jiumo 旧莫乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Xiaoju 小苴
Qianchang 前场镇
Dalongkou 大龙口乡
Jiuchang 九厂
Guihua 桂花乡

Baoshan 保山市
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡
Xinzhai 新寨

Lincang 临沧
Guoda 郭大彝族白族乡
Mengding 孟定
Lushi 鲁史
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Dahai 大海乡
Daibu 待补镇
Huohong 火红乡
Nagu 娜姑镇
Xitu 西土
迤车

Zhaotong 昭通
Linfeng 麟风
Shuitian 水田

Yuxi 玉溪
Xingmeng 兴蒙
Hexi 河西
Fuliangpeng 富良棚

Nujiang 怒江
Chenggan 称杆
Daxingdi 大兴地乡
Zilijia 子里甲乡
Fugong 福贡

Puer 普洱
Nuofu 糯福
Dashan 大山乡
Mengma 孟马镇
Meizi 梅子镇

Diqing 迪庆
Weideng 维登
岩瓦