Guandu Old Town
With the Bird and Flower Market and the Muslim Quarter fallen, little remains of 'Lao Kunming', the characterful old town of former times. Now it is all high-rises, wide avenues, chain-shops. Everywhere? No, a small part of Kunming is holding out...
A Lahu minority Christian service in a hill village near Menglian.
Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China
Even if Chinese civilization has developed more against than with nature, the Mao years were a particular exercise in environmental destruction. In one case-study Shapiro tells the story of the draining of the northern part of Dianchi Lake, one of the first steps turning Kunming's lake into the fetid cess-pool it is today.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Bai wedding customs.
This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.
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.
Tie-Dye is an Bai traditional technique with its centre in Zhoucheng 周城.
The turn of the Yangzi made Chinese civilization possible and was the location of many important battles.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas | 25 Dec |
| Festival of Lights | 26 Dec |
| Atai Birthday | 27 Dec |
| Bulang Harvest Festival | 27 Dec |
| Kuoshi Lisu New Year | 27 Dec |
| Mizhi Festival | 29 Dec |
| Coffee Festival | 01 Jan |
| Full Moon Ritual | 03 Jan |
| Yi New Year | 04 Jan |
| Slight Cold | 05 Jan |
| Birthday of the Sun | 07 Jan |
| Birthday of the Sun | 07 Jan |
Markets this Friday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jinsuo | 金所乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| 汤涧 | |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 果城村 | |
| 大栗树 | |
| 龙洞村 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Mengping | 勐坪 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Shangjiang | 上江 |