The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子
The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子, north of Dali's Erhai Lake 洱海, has with West Lake 西湖 and the Miju River corridor 弥苴河 some beautiful, if hardly known, scenic areas. It's natural scenery, however, is man-made, the result of more than a thousand years of cultivation and water-management projects that have transformed a swamp and marshland into the current cultural environment.
Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
A Bai town famous for its typical Bai architecture.
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.
Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China
Even if Chinese civilization has developed more against than with nature, the Mao years were a particular exercise in environmental destruction. In one case-study Shapiro tells the story of the draining of the northern part of Dianchi Lake, one of the first steps turning Kunming's lake into the fetid cess-pool it is today.
Bai wedding customs.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship | 24 Mar |
| Receiving Jingu | 30 Mar |
| Weibaoshan Songfest | 31 Mar |
| Sangongzhu Temple Fair | 31 Mar |
| Receiving Jingu | 31 Mar |
| Ani Mountain Songfest | 01 Apr |
| Receiving Jingu | 01 Apr |
| Laojun Temple Fair | 02 Apr |
| Receiving Jingu | 02 Apr |
| Full Moon Ritual | 02 Apr |
| Sanying Farm Fair | 02 Apr |
| Tianfeng Mountain Song Festival | 02 Apr |
Markets this Tuesday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jiulong | 九龙乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Zhongsuo | 中所 |
| Fuheng | 富恒 |
| Liandong | 炼洞 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Fengyu | 风羽 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Guanping | 关平 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Baofeng | 宝丰乡 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Yinqiao | 银桥 |
| Binju | 宾居 |
| Madeng | 马镫 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Shuijing | 水井 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| 西庄 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| 寅街村 | |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Liming | 黎明 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Mingjiu | 鸣鹫镇 |
| Wantang | 湾塘乡 |
| Caoba | 草坝镇 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Sankeshu | 三棵树 |
| Dayangjie | 大羊街 |
| Dixibei | 地西北 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |
| Nujiang | 怒江 |
|---|---|
| Gudeng | 古登 |
| Bingzhongluo | 丙中洛 |
| Lishadi | 利沙底乡 |