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 Gourd Festival 葫芦节 is the main festival of the Lahu people. In Lancang, its date has been moved into April to coincide with the county's foundation.
Liao Yiwu: God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China
Liao Yiwu, one of China's most prominent dissidents, was driven out of China, but not before he used a period of internal exile to research Christian groups, mainly in Yunnan. In this book he tells the stories of the Christians of Dali and of Wuding county.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
An Yi ritual in Xiangyun county.
Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
Everyone knows about the Mao's Long March, but a few years later another long march took place: that of Chinese students leaving their cushy campuses on the east coast, trekking all the way to Yunnan where their universities reformed as Lianda, the united university. Kunming, then a total backwater, became a hotbed for new ideas, not just scientific. We liked the section of east coast girls scampering around Mengzi in their latest fashion.
Ritual dance at the court of the local Menglian ruler
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Moerduo Temple Fair | 22 Aug |
| Bullfighting | 28 Aug |
| Men's Festival | 29 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 29 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 30 Aug |
| Walnut Festival | 01 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 02 Sep |
| Caishen Birthday | 03 Sep |
| Songgui Temple Fair | 03 Sep |
| Lanterns on the Lake | 03 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 04 Sep |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| 桥街 | |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Fenghuang | 凤凰 |
| 干海子 | |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Lancang | 澜沧县 |
| Jiahe | 嘉禾乡 |
| Fuyan | 富岩 |