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.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
Way of making ham in Nuodeng, Yunlong.
Fog swirling on a cold winter morning over endless rice-terraces, the red of the
early morning sun reflected in the flooded paddies: this is the classic view of the
Hani Rice Terraces of Yuanyang, now of UNESCO World Heritage status.
C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier
Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.
Suona melodies in the Pingchuan area of Binchuan.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| "Southern Silk Road" Trade Fair | 19 Jun |
| Harp Festival | 21 Jun |
| Summer Solstice | 21 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyi Area) | 22 Jun |
| "Sharpen the Knife" Festival | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jun |
| Dandao Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Chief's Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Green Flag Festival | 29 Jun |
| Full Moon Ritual | 29 Jun |
| Slight Heat | 07 Jul |
Markets this Monday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Haidong | 海东 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shunzhou | 顺州 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Nuofu | 糯福 |
| Dashan | 大山乡 |
| Mengma | 孟马镇 |
| 恩永 |