The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子
The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子, north of Dali's Erhai Lake 洱海, has with West Lake 西湖 and the Miju River corridor 弥苴河 some beautiful, if hardly known, scenic areas. It's natural scenery, however, is man-made, the result of more than a thousand years of cultivation and water-management projects that have transformed a swamp and marshland into the current cultural environment.
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.
Village Benzhu Temple.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
A specific theatre performance style in Dali.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yu An Ceremonies | 07 Jun |
| Raosanling | 07 Jun |
| Start of Raosanling | 07 Jun |
| Raosanling | 08 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 08 Jun |
| Raosanling in Heyicheng | 09 Jun |
| Praying For Rain | 10 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Jun |
| Raosanling in Majiuyi | 10 Jun |
| Medicine Buddha Birthday | 13 Jun |
| Mango Festival | 15 Jun |
| Kuzhazha | 15 Jun |
Markets this Monday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Banqiao | 板桥乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 果城村 | |
| 三鹤 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 三胜 | |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |