1875: Death of a British Diplomat
After Britain's 1852 annexation of lower Burma lucrative trade with China through its back-door seemed more than a distant possibility. But after a successful first mission up the Irrawaddy and into Yunnan in 1868, the second British mission six years later ended in tragedy.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
Abstract: The rice terraces of the Ailao Mountains in southern Yunnan province, China, are some of the oldest terraced farms in Asia. First mentioned in Tang Dynasty records, these farms, 80% of which are irrigated, with water running through them all year round, have been in continuous use for over a thousand years. In 2013 UNESCO declared the heartland of this area a World Heritage Site. The Terrace Builders is a detailed account of how these farms are made and used, the cities and mountains of Honghe Prefecture and the far north of Vietnam, as well as the various ethnic minorities who live there. The book pays special attention to the Hani people, the largest ethnic group in the area, and includes summaries of the culture and clothing of their neighbors the Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Dai. The book includes 300 photos of the land and its people.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Reconstructed Qing Wenmiao, in a nice park setting.
Unspoiled Weishan boast Yunnan's most beautiful county town, an important Taoist mountain and areas of strong Muslim and Yi tradition.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
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.
Upper Benzhu Temple in Wase.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Jun |
| Raosanling in Majiuyi | 10 Jun |
| Praying For Rain | 10 Jun |
| Medicine Buddha Birthday | 13 Jun |
| Kuzhazha | 15 Jun |
| Kuzhazha | 15 Jun |
| New Moon Ritual | 15 Jun |
| Mango Festival | 15 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 15 Jun |
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| Golden Horse Festival | 18 Jun |
| Flower Mountain | 19 Jun |
Markets this Thursday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jiulong | 九龙乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Haidong | 海东 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| 太和社区 | |
| 西庄 | |
| 寅街村 | |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| 鲁庄 | |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Liming | 黎明 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |