Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


On the Statelets between Nanzhao and the Dali Kingdom

After the demise of Nanzhao 南诏, the Buddhist kingdom that integrated the tribes of the Erhai region in the second half of the first millennium, local strongmen proclaimed a succession of short-lived statelets before Duan Siping 段思平 in 937 CE established the Dali Kingdom 大理国.




Lingjiu Temple near Fengyu is said to date back to Nanzhao, but the current structures are from the Qing Dynasty


Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan

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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 number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.

With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.


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.


Historic village on the old Kunming-Dali road.

Markets this Monday

Kunming 昆明
Jijie 鸡街乡

Dali 大理
Xintun 辛屯
Biaocun 表村
Songgui 松桂
Jizushan 鸡足山
Tuanjie 团结
Misha 弥沙
Baishi 白石
Zuòyì 作邑
Shaping 沙平村
Huangping 黄平镇
Houshancun 后山村
Caifeng 财丰
Miaojie 庙街镇
Hedian 禾甸镇
Taiping 太平乡
Miaowei 苗尾傈僳族乡
三胜
Hongyan 红岩镇

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Yongsheng 永胜县
Banqiao 板桥

Dehong 德宏
Husa 户撒乡
Nangsong 曩宋阿昌族乡

Honghe 红河
Shengcun 生村
Laozhai 老寨苗族乡
Sancun 三村
Chemalong 车玛龙
Shalatuo 沙拉托
Shaochong 哨冲镇
Puxiong 普雄
Niujie 牛街镇
Tongchang 铜厂
Baihe 白河乡
Panzihua 攀枝花
Zhemi 者米拉祜族乡

Wenshan 文山
Tiechang 铁厂镇
Babu 八布乡
Zhuanjiao 篆角乡
Mulun 睦伦乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Qianchang 前场镇
Chadian 插甸乡

Baoshan 保山市
Manglong 芒龙

Lincang 临沧
Cangyuan 沧源佤族自治县
Wumulong 乌木龙乡
Quannei 圈内
Shuangjiang 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县
Zhenkang 镇康县
Junsai 军赛乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Dahai 大海乡
Huohong 火红乡
Nagu 娜姑镇
Yema 野马林场
迤车
Zhehai 者海镇

Zhaotong 昭通
Jiucheng 旧城
Shikan 石坎
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Yangjie 羊街乡
Dianzhong 甸中

Nujiang 怒江
Pengdang 捧当
Maji 马吉乡

Puer 普洱
Jiangcheng 江城哈尼族彝族自治县
Fuyan 富岩

Diqing 迪庆
Zili 梓里
Jiagetu 价格土
Kaifaqu 开发区
岩瓦