Xu Xiake 徐霞客 in Dali
Xu Xiake (1586 - 1641) was China's first travel blogger. During the third lunar month in 1639 he travelled through Dali and recorded his experiences in his diary, posthumously published as 徐霞客游记. Is it still possible to retrace Xu's steps on the Dali plain?
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
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.
Cantilevered wooden bridge.
A history trading post on the upper reaches of the Yangzi.
C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier
Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.
With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.
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 Tuesday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhongsuo | 中所 |
| Fuheng | 富恒 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Fengyu | 风羽 |
| Liandong | 炼洞 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Guanping | 关平 |
| Baofeng | 宝丰乡 |
| Binju | 宾居 |
| Madeng | 马镫 |
| Shuijing | 水井 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| 前所 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Mingjiu | 鸣鹫镇 |
| Wantang | 湾塘乡 |
| Caoba | 草坝镇 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Dayangjie | 大羊街 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Baoxiu | 宝秀镇 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Xincheng | 新城乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Jiayi | 稼依镇 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Nujiang | 怒江 |
|---|---|
| Gudeng | 古登 |
| Bingzhongluo | 丙中洛 |
| Lishadi | 利沙底乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Donghui | 东回镇 |
| Jiahe | 嘉禾乡 |
| Meizi | 梅子镇 |
| Menglian | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 |
| Minle | 民乐 |
| Xuelin | 雪林佤族乡 |
| Mengsuo | 勐梭镇 |
| Puyi | 普义乡 |
| Wenggake | 翁嘎科镇 |