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?




A small Yi group in Heqing County with distinctive dress.


Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China

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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.

Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

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Few people know as much about Chinese architecture as Knapp: from palaces to humble homes he explains important building principles; the connection between environment and housing styles and the development of style over time. A section on minority housing styles complements the book.


Biggest festival in the Dali region, once Bai New Year.


Markets this Sunday

Kunming 昆明
Zhuanlong 转龙镇
Xundian 寻甸回族彝族自治县
Kedu 柯渡镇

Dali 大理
Jiuzhou 旧州
Sanying 三营
Yunlong 云龙县
Binchuan 宾川县
Beitou 北头
Liantie 炼铁
Lawu 拉乌
Jianchuan 剑川县
Shuanglang 双廊镇
Changxin 长新
Huangping 黄平镇
Zhongjiang 中江
Pingpo 平坡
Eryuan 洱源县
Beiya 北衙
Shalong 沙龙镇
青苗
Niujie 牛街彝族乡
Jindunjiecun 金墩街村
Xiazhuang 下庄镇
Minjian 民建乡
龙洞村
Longjie 龙街

Lijiang 丽江
Shunzhou 顺州
Hongyan 红岩

Xishuangbanna 西双版纳
Menghun 勐混
Mengman 勐满拉祜族哈尼族布朗族镇

Dehong 德宏
Kachang 卡场镇
Lianghe 梁河县

Honghe 红河
Pingbian 屏边苗族自治县
Diema 垤玛
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Mengla 勐拉
Mengzi 蒙自县
Liangdi 浪堤
Longwu 龙武镇
Wuwan 乌弯
Azhahe 阿扎河
Jiayin 甲寅
Daheigong 大黑公
Chake 岔科
Baohua 宝华
Yongning 永宁乡
Luoen 洛恩
Maandi 马鞍底
Laomeng 老勐

Wenshan 文山
Shadou 沙斗
Guangnan 广南县
Pingyuan 平远
Nijiao 腻脚彝族乡
Zhesang 者桑乡
Jijie 鸡街乡
Donggan 董干镇
Tienpeng 田蓬镇
Babao 八宝镇
Jiumo 旧莫乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Dayao 大姚县
Nanhua 南华县
Shizhong 适中乡
Bailu 白路
Yaoan 姚安县
Guanglu 光路镇

Baoshan 保山市
Wafang 瓦房彝族白族乡
Mangbang 芒棒

Lincang 临沧
Yongde 永德县
Danjia 单甲乡
Fengqing 凤庆县
Lushi 鲁史
Mengdui 孟堆乡
Fuhe 复合

Qujing 曲靖市
Daibu 待补镇
Fenghuang 凤凰
干海子
Laochang 老厂乡
Sandao 三道
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Linfeng 麟风
Shuitian 水田
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Yuxi 玉溪
Yani 亚尼
Yuanjiang 元江哈尼族彝族傣族自治县
Nanuo 那诺乡

Nujiang 怒江
Liuku 六库
Tongdian 通甸

Puer 普洱
Lancang 澜沧拉祜族自治县
Mangxin 芒信镇
Qiannuo 千糯