Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


The Old Salt Roads in Yunnan

The Old Salt Roads in Yunnan

The Tea Horse Road 茶马古道 into Tibet has become a romantic moniker for Yunnan, but economically more important were the old salt roads. 




Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian


Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan

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Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.


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

Unspoiled Weishan boast Yunnan's most beautiful county town, an important Taoist mountain and areas of strong Muslim and Yi tradition.


Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

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The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.


Midu Folk song is a national level intangible cultural heritage.



Fog swirling on a cold winter morning over endless rice-terraces, the red of the early morning sun reflected in the flooded paddies: this is the classic view of the Hani Rice Terraces of Yuanyang, now of UNESCO World Heritage status.

Markets this Monday

Dali 大理
Biaocun 表村
Shuixie 水泄
Wanqiao 湾桥
Fengyi 凤仪
Jizushan 鸡足山
Weishan 巍山彝族回族自治县
Wase 挖色
Tuanjie 团结
Misha 弥沙
Baishi 白石
Shaping 沙平村
Dianzhong 甸中
Gonglang 公郎镇
西庄
Shidongcun 石洞村
Luming 鹿鸣乡
妙姑村
寅街村
Miaowei 苗尾傈僳族乡
前所
田口
北桥
Taiping 太平乡
Midian 米甸镇
云南驿村

Dehong 德宏
Kachang 卡场镇
Lianghe 梁河县

Honghe 红河
Laozhai 老寨苗族乡
Chemalong 车玛龙
Lvchun 绿春县
Majie 马街
Daheigong 大黑公
Wuwan 乌弯
Xinjie 新街
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

Wenshan 文山
Pingzhai 平寨乡
Banggu 蚌谷乡
Muyang 木央镇
Nanping (Majie) 南屏镇 (马街)

Chuxiong 楚雄
Qianchang 前场镇
Chadian 插甸乡

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

Lincang 临沧
Yongde 永德县
Danjia 单甲乡
Fuhe 复合
Xinhua 新华彝族苗族乡
Mengdui 孟堆乡

Qujing 曲靖市
干海子
Jiache 驾车乡
Kuangshan 矿山镇
Laochang 老厂乡
Luna 鲁纳乡
Shangcun 上村乡
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡
Yangmeishan 杨梅山
Yulu 雨碌乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Yuxi 玉溪
Fuliangpeng 富良棚

Nujiang 怒江
Pengdang 捧当
Fugong 福贡
Maji 马吉乡

Puer 普洱
Mangxin 芒信镇
Qiannuo 千糯
Minle 民乐
Kangping 康平乡
Dehua 德化镇
Puyi 普义乡
Liming 黎明乡
恩永
把边

Diqing 迪庆
Zili 梓里
Kaifaqu 开发区