Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


1875: Death of a British Diplomat

After Britain's 1852 annexation of lower Burma lucrative trade with China through its back-door seemed more than a distant possibility. But after a successful first mission up the Irrawaddy and into Yunnan in 1868, the second British mission six years later ended in tragedy.



In Huize, the old capital of copper in Yunnan, many splendid guildhalls survive.


Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

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Few people know as much about Chinese architecture as Knapp: from palaces to humble homes he explains important building principles; the connection between environment and housing styles and the development of style over time. A section on minority housing styles complements the book.


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.


Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains

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Abstract: The rice terraces of the Ailao Mountains in southern Yunnan province, China, are some of the oldest terraced farms in Asia. First mentioned in Tang Dynasty records, these farms, 80% of which are irrigated, with water running through them all year round, have been in continuous use for over a thousand years. In 2013 UNESCO declared the heartland of this area a World Heritage Site. The Terrace Builders is a detailed account of how these farms are made and used, the cities and mountains of Honghe Prefecture and the far north of Vietnam, as well as the various ethnic minorities who live there. The book pays special attention to the Hani people, the largest ethnic group in the area, and includes summaries of the culture and clothing of their neighbors the Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Dai. The book includes 300 photos of the land and its people.


An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.

Markets this Wednesday

Kunming 昆明
Shilin 石林彝族自治县
Longtou 龙头街
Kedu 柯渡镇

Dali 大理
Duomei 朵美
Junhua 均化
Shanyang 衫阳
Shunbi 順濞
Shaba 沙坝
Liuhe 六合
Caicun 才村
Dali 大理
Heqing 鹤庆县
Dacang 大仓镇
Shuanglang 双廊镇
Caojian 漕间
Zhongying 种英
Shanglan 上兰
Zhouguanying 周官营
龙洞村
西庄
寅街村
Shangcang 上沧
Gongguoqiao 功果桥镇
顺荡
Xiazhuang 下庄镇
Midian 米甸镇
Longjie 龙街
Junhuacun 均华村
龙街
Shalong 沙龙镇

Lijiang 丽江
Liming 黎明

Dehong 德宏
Lianghe 梁河县
Kachang 卡场镇

Honghe 红河
Zhicun 芷村镇
Mengla 勐拉
Daheigong 大黑公
Wuwan 乌弯
Xinjie 新街
Baiyun 白云乡
Yongning 永宁乡
Tutai 土台
Maandi 马鞍底
Hongtian 红田

Wenshan 文山
Shadou 沙斗
Nijiao 腻脚彝族乡
Jijie 鸡街乡
Tienpeng 田蓬镇
Donggan 董干镇

Chuxiong 楚雄
Maojie 猫街镇
Mixing 弥兴镇
Yaoan 姚安县

Baoshan 保山市
Wafang 瓦房彝族白族乡
Mangbang 芒棒

Lincang 临沧
Yongde 永德县
Luodang 洛党
Danjia 单甲乡
Lushi 鲁史
Fuhe 复合
Mengdui 孟堆乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Baiwu 白雾
Daibu 待补镇
Daqiao 大桥乡
Jiache 驾车乡
Leye 乐业镇
Malu 马路乡
Sandao 三道
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuanghe 双河

Yuxi 玉溪
Jiasa 戛洒镇
Tadian 塔甸
Xingmeng 兴蒙
Hexi 河西

Nujiang 怒江
Lazan 腊咱
Lumadeng 鹿马登乡

Puer 普洱
Mangxin 芒信镇
Qiannuo 千糯

Diqing 迪庆
Kaifaqu 开发区
岩瓦