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.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Rattlestick Dance is a traditional dance of the Bai minority, specifically in Jianchuan county.
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.
Making small figurines in Dali.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| "Southern Silk Road" Trade Fair | 19 Jun |
| Asian Valentines Day | 19 Jun |
| Horse Races | 19 Jun |
| Harp Festival | 21 Jun |
| Summer Solstice | 21 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyi Area) | 22 Jun |
| "Sharpen the Knife" Festival | 27 Jun |
| Chief's Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jun |
| Dandao Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Full Moon Ritual | 29 Jun |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| 青苗 | |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Shadou | 沙斗 |
| 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 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Daibu | 待补镇 |
| Fenghuang | 凤凰 |
| 干海子 | |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |