Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


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.


Liao Yiwu: God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China

Cover Image
Liao Yiwu, one of China's most prominent dissidents, was driven out of China, but not before he used a period of internal exile to research Christian groups, mainly in Yunnan. In this book he tells the stories of the Christians of Dali and of Wuding county.


A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.

Azhali is a historic branch of Buddhism with strong Bai local characteristics.



Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.


Brenda McLean: George Forrest, Plant Hunter

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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.


Dali's dragon boat races were held on the day of the Torch Festival.



An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.

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)

Chuxiong 楚雄
Gaoqiao 高桥镇
Xiaoju 小苴
Shizhong 适中乡
Dalongkou 大龙口乡

Baoshan 保山市
Zhonghe 中和
Bawan 坝湾镇
Mangkuan 芒宽彝族傣族乡

Lincang 临沧
Menglai 勐来乡
Xinhua 新华彝族苗族乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Baiwu 白雾
Daqiao 大桥乡
Leye 乐业镇
Luna 鲁纳乡
Malu 马路乡
Shangcun 上村乡
Yulu 雨碌乡
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shikan 石坎
Jiucheng 旧城
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Chahe 岔河
Mosha 漠沙镇
Dalongtan 大龙潭

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