Yunnan
Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture 大理白族自治州

Homeland of the Bai, the Dali area remains perhaps the most traditional region in Yunnan: even the hordes of tourists in the old town of Dali have not managed to kill its charm.

Kiss of Life for an Old Caravan Market

Until the middle of last century, Shaxi was a flourishing village on the caravan road to Tibet. The following decades made it a place that history forgot. Now Shaxi is undergoing an award-winning restoration.

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Marco Polo in Yunnan?

Did the great Venetian traveller reach Yunnan? Almost certainly not, but still his accounts are the first words Europeans heard about this far-away region.

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古镇: Death-knell for Yunnan's Historic Towns

In China even the 'old towns' are new. Under the 古镇, or ancient town, moniker old towns are razed and their population driven out to make space for sanitized versions of Chinese history that drive the tourist dollar.

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Learning Bai

Bai 白族话 is the language spoken by the Bai people 白族 in the Dali area. While Chinese has become the lingua franca, Bai is still actively spoken by many, particularly older people, but it does not have a native written form and comes in many dialects. Here we list the available resources for learning this difficult language.

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Dali City

Dali City administers surroundings of Erhai with the lofty Cangshan mountains to the west, a region dominated by the Bai people.

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Yangbi Yi Autonomous County

Yangbi is an Yi area to the western side of the Cangshan mountains. It is famous for its walnuts.

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Nanjian Yi Autonomous County

Nanjian's main attractions are the cherry flower in December and the Earth Forest.

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Midu County

Home of 'Rippling Brook' 小河淌水, a famous Yunnan folk song.

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Yunlong County

Called 'museum of bridges', Yunlong county is one of Yunnan's rarely visited gems: the small county town with pleasant Hushan temple mountain in the back, the historic salt town Nuodeng just a few kilometers away and the many covered bridges across the picturesque Bi River that have given the county its moniker make a trip to Yunlong a trip back in time.

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Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County

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

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Binchuan County

A low-lying county to the east of Dali with a mostly Han population.

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Jianchuan County

With Shibaoshan Jianchuan hosts the most historically interesting temple complex in Yunnan and just south of it lies Shaxi, the best preserved traditional trading post.

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Eryuan County

The 'Source of Erhai' has with Cibi Lake, West Lake and Fengyu a number of nice place, plus plenty of hotsprings.

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Festivals

Chaoshan Fair 23 Apr 2024

Third Month Fair 23 Apr 2024

Lingbao Mountain Fair 28 Apr 2024

Start of Summer Market 05 May 2024

Benzhu Worship 07 May 2024

Butterfly Festival 22 May 2024

Raosanling 29 May 2024

Dandao Temple Fair 18 Jun 2024

Benzhu Worship 19 Jul 2024

Benzhu Worship 20 Jul 2024

Guanyin Practice Day 24 Jul 2024

Bai Torch Festival 30 Jul 2024

Benzhu Worship 30 Jul 2024

Benzhu Worship 02 Aug 2024

Bridge Temple Fair 18 Aug 2024

Benzhu Worship 24 Aug 2024

Benzhu Worship 25 Aug 2024

Songgui Temple Fair 25 Aug 2024

Lanterns on the Lake 25 Aug 2024

Benzhu Worship 26 Aug 2024

Benzhu Worship 27 Aug 2024

Shibaoshan Songfest 30 Aug 2024

Fishpond Fair 17 Sep 2024

Benzhu Worship 25 Sep 2024

Flower Lantern 15 Oct 2024

Guanyin Enlightenment 21 Oct 2024

Opening of the Fishing Season 28 Oct 2024

Benzhu Worship 13 Jan 2025

Benzhu Worship 14 Jan 2025

Benzhu Worship 17 Jan 2025

Benzhu Worship 22 Jan 2025

Bai Opera 02 Feb 2025

Yaba Festival 05 Feb 2025

Singing Festival 06 Feb 2025

Weishan Temple Fair 06 Feb 2025

Flower Lantern Festival 12 Feb 2025

Singing Festival 12 Feb 2025

Mute God Festival 07 Mar 2025

Benzhu Worship 07 Mar 2025

Caojian Bath Gathering 07 Mar 2025

Snack Festival 07 Mar 2025

Temple Fair 14 Mar 2025

Singing Festival 18 Mar 2025