Black Well, White Gold
Heijing is a small town in the northern Chuxiong mountains. Salt once made Heijing one of Yunnan's richest towns. Now its architectural splendours are being rediscovered.
An important Dai festival traditionally marking the beginning of the summer retreat for monks.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Traditional Bai vernacular architecture with buildings to three sides and a screenwall.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
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.
Tie-Dye is an Bai traditional technique with its centre in Zhoucheng 周城.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Ghost Month | 13 Aug |
| Mule Fair | 17 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 19 Aug |
| Qixi Festival | 19 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 21 Aug |
| Moerduo Temple Fair | 22 Aug |
| Playing the Fragrant Dragon | 23 Aug |
| End of Heat | 23 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 25 Aug |
| Maulid an-Nabi | 26 Aug |
| Burning Bag Festival | 26 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 26 Aug |
Markets this Thursday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Kedu | 柯渡镇 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Haidong | 海东 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Weishan | 巍山彝族回族自治县 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Dianzhong | 甸中 |
| 田口 | |
| 北桥 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| 鲁庄 | |
| 太和社区 | |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| 妙姑村 | |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Mosha | 漠沙镇 |
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Donghui | 东回镇 |
| Xuelin | 雪林佤族乡 |
| Menglian | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 |
| Kangping | 康平乡 |
| Dehua | 德化镇 |
| Mengsuo | 勐梭镇 |
| Liming | 黎明乡 |
| 把边 |