古镇: Death-knell for Yunnan's Historic Towns
In China even the 'old towns' are new. Under the 古镇, or ancient town, moniker old towns are razed and their population driven out to make space for sanitized versions of Chinese history that drive the tourist dollar.
In Huize, the old capital of copper in Yunnan, many splendid guildhalls survive.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Daoist temple mountain and a centre of Yi culture.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
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.
Yunlong's famous bridges.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Miluoqimi Fair | 23 Feb |
| Emperor Day | 27 Feb |
| Receiving the Village Protector | 27 Feb |
| Receiving the Village Protector | 27 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship (Binchuan) | 28 Feb |
| Receiving the Village Protector | 28 Feb |
| Receiving the Village Protector | 28 Feb |
| Benzhu Festival | 28 Feb |
| Benzhu Festival | 28 Feb |
| Benzhu Festival | 28 Feb |
| Benzhu Festival | 28 Feb |
| Welcoming the Benzhu | 01 Mar |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| 三胜 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 桥街 | |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 果城村 | |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 三鹤 | |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Lancang | 澜沧县 |
| Fubang | 富邦乡 |
| Qushui | 曲水乡 |
| Yongping | 永平镇 |
| Mujia | 木戛乡 |
| Meng'a | 孟啊 |
| Ankang | 安康佤族乡 |
| Wendong | 文东佤族乡 |