Learning Bai
Bai 白族话 is the language spoken by the Bai people 白族 in the Dali area. While Chinese has become the lingua franca, Bai is still actively spoken by many, particularly older people, but it does not have a native written form and comes in many dialects. Here we list the available resources for learning this difficult language.
Market day in Shiping's Guanyin Temple Alley 观音寺巷 appears almost unchanged from twenty years ago.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
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.
Midu Folk song is a national level intangible cultural heritage.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
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.
Shaxi is the most complete historic ensemble of a caravan town in Yunnan.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Walnut Festival | 01 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 23 Sep |
| Yellow Dragon Temple Fair | 23 Sep |
| Autumn Equinox | 23 Sep |
| New Rice | 24 Sep |
| Across The Bridge Noodle Festival | 24 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 24 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 24 Sep |
| General's Cave Festival | 25 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 25 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 25 Sep |
| Yangle Festival | 25 Sep |
Markets this Thursday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| 鲁庄 | |
| 太和社区 | |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| 果城村 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Dianwei | 甸尾乡 |
| Heping | 和平乡 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Baoxiu | 宝秀镇 |
| Baixian | 白显 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Xincheng | 新城乡 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Menglai | 勐来乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Donghui | 东回镇 |
| Fubang | 富邦乡 |
| Xuelin | 雪林佤族乡 |
| Menglian | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 |
| Mengsuo | 勐梭镇 |
| Mujia | 木戛乡 |
| Ankang | 安康佤族乡 |
| Wendong | 文东佤族乡 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Zhonglu | 中路 |