Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


From Niujiaozhai to Yuanyang

Yuanyang county, south of the Red River in the province's southeast, is famous for its Hani rice-terraces. With its splendid vistas and ethnic mix it is also a great area for hiking. Here we describe a moderate day-hike starting at the market-town of Niujiaozhai, passing through Yi and Hani villages and ending with stunning sunset vistas over the rice-terraces of Longshuba.



A small Yi group in Heqing County with distinctive dress.


Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

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

A clan temple on the slopes of a burial hill near Xizhou.



Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.


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.


Midu Folk song is a national level intangible cultural heritage.



The old border crossing to Guizhou.

Markets this Sunday

Kunming 昆明
Zhuanlong 转龙镇
Jijie 鸡街乡
Tuanjie 团结
Xundian 寻甸回族彝族自治县

Dali 大理
Jiuzhou 旧州
Sanying 三营
Xintun 辛屯
Songgui 松桂
Yunlong 云龙县
Yinqiao 银桥
Beitou 北头
Liantie 炼铁
Binchuan 宾川县
Lawu 拉乌
Jianchuan 剑川县
Changxin 长新
Pingpo 平坡
Eryuan 洱源县
Huangping 黄平镇
Xinjie 新街镇
Liuchang 刘厂镇
青苗
Niujie 牛街彝族乡
Minjian 民建乡
果城村
Mizhi 密祉镇

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Hongyan 红岩

Xishuangbanna 西双版纳
Menghun 勐混
Mengman 勐满拉祜族哈尼族布朗族镇

Honghe 红河
Pingbian 屏边苗族自治县
Diema 垤玛
Mengzi 蒙自县
Shalatuo 沙拉托
Liangdi 浪堤
Azhahe 阿扎河
Jiayin 甲寅
Chake 岔科
Baohua 宝华
Yongning 永宁乡
Luoen 洛恩
Tongchang 铜厂
Panzihua 攀枝花
Laomeng 老勐
Zhemi 者米拉祜族乡

Wenshan 文山
Tiechang 铁厂镇
Babu 八布乡
Guangnan 广南县
Zhuanjiao 篆角乡
Pingyuan 平远
Zhesang 者桑乡
Funing 富宁县
Babao 八宝镇
Jiumo 旧莫乡
Mulun 睦伦乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Nanhua 南华县
Xiaoju 小苴
Dayao 大姚县
Shizhong 适中乡
Bailu 白路
Yaoan 姚安县
Guanglu 光路镇

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
Wumulong 乌木龙乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Dahai 大海乡
Huohong 火红乡
Nagu 娜姑镇
Sandao 三道
Yema 野马林场
迤车

Zhaotong 昭通
Jiucheng 旧城
Shikan 石坎
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Chahe 岔河
Dalongtan 大龙潭

Nujiang 怒江
Liuku 六库
Tongdian 通甸

Puer 普洱
Lancang 澜沧拉祜族自治县
Jiahe 嘉禾乡
Menglian 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县
Mengsuo 勐梭镇