Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Dancing under the Moonlight: the Costume Festival of Zhizuo

Dancing under the Moonlight: the Costume Festival of Zhizuo
As villages go, Zhizuo could hardly be more remote. Some 70km from the county town, first along a winding mountain road, then on a deeply rutted track without public transport: even in the dry season it takes several hours and a bit of stamina to reach. Yet, at least on the first full moon of the year, the effort is worth it, as Zhizuo holds one of Yunnan's most colourful festivals, the Dress Competition Festival or Caizhuangjie 赛装节.



Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian


Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

Cover Image
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.

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

Cover Image
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.


Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.

Markets this Monday

Dali 大理
Biaocun 表村
Xintun 辛屯
Haidong 海东
Wanqiao 湾桥
Jizushan 鸡足山
Songgui 松桂
Tuanjie 团结
Misha 弥沙
Baishi 白石
Shaping 沙平村
Huangping 黄平镇
Liuchang 刘厂镇
龙洞村
Xinjie 新街镇
Mizhi 密祉镇
果城村
Shalong 沙龙镇
Houshancun 后山村
Miaowei 苗尾傈僳族乡
三胜
Caifeng 财丰
Miaojie 庙街镇
Taiping 太平乡
Xiazhuang 下庄镇

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Yongsheng 永胜县
Banqiao 板桥

Honghe 红河
Laozhai 老寨苗族乡
Chemalong 车玛龙
Shaochong 哨冲镇
Mengping 勐坪
Puxiong 普雄
Niujie 牛街镇
Baihe 白河乡

Wenshan 文山
Lida 里达镇
Zhujie 朱街镇
Shuanglongying 双龙营乡
Mugan 木杆
Zhulin 珠琳镇
Funing 富宁县

Chuxiong 楚雄
Chadian 插甸乡
Qianchang 前场镇

Baoshan 保山市
Xinzhai 新寨
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mengding 孟定
Fengqing 凤庆县
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Baiwu 白雾
Daqiao 大桥乡
Leye 乐业镇
Malu 马路乡
Zhehai 者海镇
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shikan 石坎
Jiucheng 旧城
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
Nuofu 糯福
Dashan 大山乡
Fubang 富邦乡
Mengma 孟马镇
Mujia 木戛乡
Ankang 安康佤族乡
Wendong 文东佤族乡
恩永

Diqing 迪庆
Zili 梓里
Jiagetu 价格土
Kaifaqu 开发区
岩瓦