The Bai in Early Chinese Minority Film
After Liberation in 1949 Chinese cinema became a propaganda medium for the New China. The 1950 saw cinemas spreading to all towns, showing movies meant to increase the socialist spirit and fostering national unit. China's ethnic minorities often featured in these films before the Cultural Revolution. Only after its end played ethnic minority themes a role again. Here we look at films from before 2000 that feature the Bai minority.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
A traditional Bai folk song form.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.
Large Benzhu temple above Shangyangxi village.
The turn of the Yangzi made Chinese civilization possible and was the location of many important battles.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Jun |
| Guniangjie | 03 Jun |
| Grain in Ear | 05 Jun |
| Yanguang Birthday | 05 Jun |
| Praying for Rain | 05 Jun |
| Start of Raosanling | 07 Jun |
| Yu An Ceremonies | 07 Jun |
| Raosanling | 07 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 08 Jun |
| Raosanling | 08 Jun |
| Raosanling in Heyicheng | 09 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Jun |
Markets this Thursday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| 太和社区 | |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 果城村 | |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| 鲁庄 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Dianwei | 甸尾乡 |
| Heping | 和平乡 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Baixian | 白显 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Zhonglu | 中路 |