Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Into the Land of the Black Lisu

The Nujiang Canyon, on Yunnan's western frontier, was until the 1930s a blank area on the map that not even Chinese troops dared to enter. In 1905 two British explorers made the first foray into this land of the Black Lisu.



Remnants of colour still show on the stone carvings at Shibaoshan, revealing that the Buddhist images were once brightly painted.


Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains

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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.

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.


Reconstructed Qing Wenmiao, in a nice park setting. 


Markets this Sunday

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

Dali 大理
Jiuzhou 旧州
Sanying 三营
Shuixie 水泄
Yunlong 云龙县
Liantie 炼铁
Binchuan 宾川县
Beitou 北头
Lawu 拉乌
Jianchuan 剑川县
Changxin 长新
Eryuan 洱源县
Pingpo 平坡
Gonglang 公郎镇
云南驿村
前所
Niujie 牛街彝族乡
Minjian 民建乡
青苗

Lijiang 丽江
Hongyan 红岩

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

Honghe 红河
Pingbian 屏边苗族自治县
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Diema 垤玛
Mengzi 蒙自县
Majie 马街
Lvchun 绿春县
Azhahe 阿扎河
Liangdi 浪堤
Chake 岔科
Jiayin 甲寅
Baohua 宝华
Nanke 南科
Jinping 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县
Luoen 洛恩
Yongning 永宁乡
Mengqiao 勐桥乡
Laomeng 老勐

Wenshan 文山
Pingzhai 平寨乡
Guangnan 广南县
Pingyuan 平远
Zhesang 者桑乡
Muyang 木央镇
Banggu 蚌谷乡
Babao 八宝镇
Nanping (Majie) 南屏镇 (马街)

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

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
干海子
Kuangshan 矿山镇
Laochang 老厂乡
Luna 鲁纳乡
Sandao 三道
Shangcun 上村乡
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡
Yulu 雨碌乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Nujiang 怒江
Liuku 六库
Tongdian 通甸

Puer 普洱
Lancang 澜沧拉祜族自治县
Nanling 南岭乡
Donghui 东回镇
Minle 民乐
Menglian 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县
Xuelin 雪林佤族乡
Mengsuo 勐梭镇