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
Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Dali has its own Torch Festival related customs.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
Small Benzhu shrine, used for rituals on the third day of Raosanling.
Unspoiled Weishan boast Yunnan's most beautiful county town, an important Taoist mountain and areas of strong Muslim and Yi tradition.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Water Splashing Festival | 15 Apr |
| Gutianshi Temple Fair | 17 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 17 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 18 Apr |
| Chenghuang Temple Fair | 19 Apr |
| Third of March | 19 Apr |
| Qiangang Bada | 19 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 19 Apr |
| Yu An Hall Temple Fair | 19 Apr |
| Water Splashing Festival | 19 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 19 Apr |
| Baohe Temple Songfest | 19 Apr |
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 |
| 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） |
| 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 |