From Niujiaozhai to Yuanyang
Yuanyang county, south of the Red River in the province's southeast, is famous for its Hani rice-terraces. With its splendid vistas and ethnic mix it is also a great area for hiking. Here we describe a moderate day-hike starting at the market-town of Niujiaozhai, passing through Yi and Hani villages and ending with stunning sunset vistas over the rice-terraces of Longshuba.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Jim Goodman: Xishuangbanna: The Tropics of Yunnan
For most of its history Xishuangbanna existed as an autonomous state on the remote southern periphery of China, run by the same Dai family since the 12th century. Lying in the tropical zone, on the northern rim of Southeast Asia, with flora and fauna not only unlike the rest of China, but even unique in Yunnan province, it has had close ethnic and cultural relations with its neighbors in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. The valleys are home to the Dai nationality, while several ethnic minorities inhabit the hills. Xishuangbanna: the Tropics of Yunnan narrates the history and development of the Dai people, their culture, society and religion, from ancient times through the period of incorporation into the Chinese state. It also covers the characteristics of the lifestyle, culture and celebrations of the peoples of the mountains, as well as the economic and political changes of recent times and their effects on both hill and plain.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
A traditional technique making little figures etc from cloth, in Jianchuan county.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
马健雄 (Ma Jianxiong): The Lahu Minority in Southwest China: A Response to Ethnic Marginalization on the Frontier
The Lahu, with a population of around 470,000, inhabit the mountainous country in Yunnan Province bordering on Burma, Laos and northern Thailand. Buddhists, with a long history of resistance to the Chinese Han majority, the Lahu are currently facing a serious collapse of their traditional social system, with the highest suicide rate in the world, large scale human trafficking of their women, alcoholism and poverty. This book, based on extensive original research including long-term anthropological research among the Lahu, provides an overview of the traditional way of life of the Lahu, their social system, culture and beliefs, and discusses the ways in which these are changing. It shows how the Lahu are especially vulnerable because of their lack of political representatives and a state educated elite which can engage with, and be part of, the government administrative system. The Lahu are one of many relatively small ethnic minorities in China – overall the book provides an example of how the Chinese government approaches these relatively small ethnic minorities.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yangmei Festival | 01 May |
| Fengyu Rice Transplant | 21 May |
| Grain Full | 21 May |
| Hotpant Festival | 22 May |
| Prince Festival | 24 May |
| Prince Festival | 24 May |
| Tiaogong Festival | 24 May |
| Dancing Cow | 24 May |
| Buddha's Birthday | 24 May |
| Dongpo Fair | 24 May |
| Cattle King | 24 May |
| Circling the Mountain | 24 May |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| 西庄 | |
| 寅街村 | |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| 汤涧 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shunzhou | 顺州 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |