The Old Salt Roads in Yunnan
The Tea Horse Road 茶马古道 into Tibet has become a romantic moniker for Yunnan, but economically more important were the old salt roads.
The Dai "Kinnarī" Bird Dance 紧那罗神鸟舞 draws on the local legend of Zhao Shutun 召树屯 with a half-bird/half-human dancer at its center.
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
An ancient burial mountain.
Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.
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.
Bai wedding customs.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Walnut Festival | 01 Sep |
| Fishpond Fair | 25 Sep |
| Baitan Temple Fair | 28 Sep |
| Confucius Sacrifice | 28 Sep |
| Confucius Festival | 28 Sep |
| Fenghuan Mountain Music Festival | 01 Oct |
| National Day | 01 Oct |
| Baobo Festival | 02 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Oct |
| Sky Lantern Festival | 03 Oct |
Markets this Monday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| 果城村 | |
| 三胜 | |
| Sanhe | 三鹤 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Baxin | 坝心镇 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Mengping | 勐坪 |
| Shuiguachong | 水瓜冲 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Luodang | 洛党 |
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |