Learning Bai
Bai 白族话 is the language spoken by the Bai people 白族 in the Dali area. While Chinese has become the lingua franca, Bai is still actively spoken by many, particularly older people, but it does not have a native written form and comes in many dialects. Here we list the available resources for learning this difficult language.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Brenda McLean: George Forrest, Plant Hunter
George Forrest, perhaps the most successful plant collector of his time, left little written about his numerous journeys to Yunnan, so this well-illustrated book fills in much needed detail about his life.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Village Benzhu Temple.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
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.
Historic Building of the Pacification Commission in Menglian
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| "Southern Silk Road" Trade Fair | 19 Jun |
| "Sharpen the Knife" Festival | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jun |
| Chief's Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Dandao Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Green Flag Festival | 29 Jun |
| Full Moon Ritual | 29 Jun |
| Slight Heat | 07 Jul |
| Zheng He Cultural Tourism Festival | 11 Jul |
| Mango Festival | 11 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Jul |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| Qinghaiying | 青海营 |
| 果城村 | |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 顺荡 | |
| 龙街 | |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Mengping | 勐坪 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Tutai | 土台 |
| Hongtian | 红田 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |