Xu Xiake 徐霞客 in Dali
Xu Xiake (1586 - 1641) was China's first travel blogger. During the third lunar month in 1639 he travelled through Dali and recorded his experiences in his diary, posthumously published as 徐霞客游记. Is it still possible to retrace Xu's steps on the Dali plain?
A small Yi group in Heqing County with distinctive dress.
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 number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Baofeng's Benzhu festival is classed as Dali-level intangible cultural heritage.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
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.
Local Dali opera form.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Fishpond Fair | 06 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 14 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 14 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship on Jiansuo Island | 14 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Dengchuan Area) | 14 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 14 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 14 Oct |
| Flower Lantern | 15 Oct |
| Lajing Salt Road Culture Festival | 15 Oct |
| Mountain God Temple Worship | 16 Oct |
| Achimugua | 18 Oct |
| Confucius Festival | 18 Oct |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 青苗 | |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Shadou | 沙斗 |
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Pingyuan | 平远 |
| Nijiao | 腻脚彝族乡 |
| Zhesang | 者桑乡 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Donggan | 董干镇 |
| Tienpeng | 田蓬镇 |
| Babao | 八宝镇 |
| Jiumo | 旧莫乡 |