Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Guandu Old Town

Guandu Old Town
With the Bird and Flower Market and the Muslim Quarter fallen, little remains of 'Lao Kunming', the characterful old town of former times. Now it is all high-rises, wide avenues, chain-shops. Everywhere? No, a small part of Kunming is holding out...



WeiBaDa 维巴达 is a Dai ritual worshipping traces of Buddha, such as footprints and handprints, in Jinggu county 景谷县.


John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution

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Everyone knows about the Mao's Long March, but a few years later another long march took place: that of Chinese students leaving their cushy campuses on the east coast, trekking all the way to Yunnan where their universities reformed as Lianda, the united university. Kunming, then a total backwater, became a hotbed for new ideas, not just scientific. We liked the section of east coast girls scampering around Mengzi in their latest fashion.


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

Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

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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.

Markets this Monday

Dali 大理
Xintun 辛屯
Biaocun 表村
Shuixie 水泄
Songgui 松桂
Jizushan 鸡足山
Misha 弥沙
Tuanjie 团结
Baishi 白石
Zuòyì 作邑
Shaping 沙平村
Huangping 黄平镇
Gonglang 公郎镇
Midian 米甸镇
三胜
西庄
Caifeng 财丰
前所
寅街村
云南驿村
Miaowei 苗尾傈僳族乡
Miaojie 庙街镇
Houshancun 后山村
Taiping 太平乡

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Yongsheng 永胜县
Banqiao 板桥

Honghe 红河
Laozhai 老寨苗族乡
Majie 马街
Chemalong 车玛龙
Lvchun 绿春县
Nanke 南科
Shaochong 哨冲镇
Puxiong 普雄
Xinjie 新街
Jinping 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县
Mengqiao 勐桥乡
Niujie 牛街镇
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)

Chuxiong 楚雄
Chadian 插甸乡
Qianchang 前场镇

Baoshan 保山市
Xiaopingtian 小平田
Tengchong 腾冲县
Wama 瓦马彝族白族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mangka 芒卡镇
Fengwei 风尾镇
Boshang 博商
Xinhua 新华彝族苗族乡
Mengjiao 勐角乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Baiwu 白雾
Daqiao 大桥乡
Jiache 驾车乡
Leye 乐业镇
Luna 鲁纳乡
Malu 马路乡
Shangcun 上村乡
Yulu 雨碌乡
Zhichang 纸厂乡

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
Minle 民乐
Yongping 永平镇
Meng'a 孟啊
Puyi 普义乡
恩永

Diqing 迪庆
Zili 梓里
Jiagetu 价格土
Kaifaqu 开发区
岩瓦