Marco Polo in Yunnan?
Did the great Venetian traveller reach Yunnan? Almost certainly not, but still his accounts are the first words Europeans heard about this far-away region.
The temple in Mangdao 芒岛, built in 1899, is one of few surviving examples of Dai Buddhist temples having survived the Cultural Revolution by being converted into grain storage.
Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest
The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Azhali is a historic branch of Buddhism with strong Bai local characteristics.
This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.
Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China
Even if Chinese civilization has developed more against than with nature, the Mao years were a particular exercise in environmental destruction. In one case-study Shapiro tells the story of the draining of the northern part of Dianchi Lake, one of the first steps turning Kunming's lake into the fetid cess-pool it is today.
A traditional technique making little figures etc from cloth, in Jianchuan county.
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.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Litang Horse Racing | 01 Aug |
| Red Rice Festival | 06 Aug |
| Yi Torch Festival | 06 Aug |
| Taliu Pancake Festival | 06 Aug |
| Lahu Torch Festival | 06 Aug |
| Torch Festival | 06 Aug |
| Tuanjie Torch Festival | 06 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 06 Aug |
| Mishi Festival | 06 Aug |
| Worship the Tree God | 07 Aug |
| Start of Autumn | 07 Aug |
| Zhoucheng Torch Festival | 07 Aug |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Qinghaiying | 青海营 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| 果城村 | |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| 汤涧 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shunzhou | 顺州 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |