The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子
The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子, north of Dali's Erhai Lake 洱海, has with West Lake 西湖 and the Miju River corridor 弥苴河 some beautiful, if hardly known, scenic areas. It's natural scenery, however, is man-made, the result of more than a thousand years of cultivation and water-management projects that have transformed a swamp and marshland into the current cultural environment.
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
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 specific theatre performance style in Dali.
This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.
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.
Rattlestick Dance is a traditional dance of the Bai minority, specifically in Jianchuan county.
With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Meige Festival | 16 Nov |
| Mother Earth Worship | 16 Nov |
| Leonid Meteor Shower | 17 Nov |
| Dai New Year | 18 Nov |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 21 Nov |
| Anniversary of Dali Bai Autonomous Region Foundation | 22 Nov |
| Slight Snow | 22 Nov |
| Yiyi Festival | 22 Nov |
| Benzhu Worship | 23 Nov |
| Benzhu Worship | 23 Nov |
| Yongning Mule Fair | 23 Nov |
| Full Moon Ritual | 23 Nov |
Markets this Monday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Haidong | 海东 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| 前所 | |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Longpeng | 龙朋镇 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Daqiao | 大桥乡 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Yingpan | 营盘乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Zili | 梓里 |
| Shangjiang | 上江 |
| Kaifaqu | 开发区 |