Into the Land of the Black Lisu
The Nujiang Canyon, on Yunnan's western frontier, was until the 1930s a blank area on the map that not even Chinese troops dared to enter. In 1905 two British explorers made the first foray into this land of the Black Lisu.
The temple in Mangdao 芒岛, built in 1899, is one of few surviving examples of Dai Buddhist temples having survived the Cultural Revolution by being converted into grain storage.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Bai wedding customs.
Brenda McLean: George Forrest, Plant Hunter
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.
Cangshan 苍山 to the west and Erhai 洱海 to the east frame the Dali Bai homeland.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 31 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 31 Jul |
| Guanyin Practice Day | 01 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 01 Aug |
| Dali Guanyin Worship | 01 Aug |
| Play on the Lake | 01 Aug |
| Guanyin Practice Day | 01 Aug |
| Guanyinshan Temple Fair | 01 Aug |
| Litang Horse Racing | 01 Aug |
| Paddy Rice Birthday | 01 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 04 Aug |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| 汤涧 | |
| 前所 | |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Liming | 黎明 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |