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.
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
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 number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Dali's biggest religious festival at the end of the fourth lunar month.
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.
Local Dali opera form.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Temple Fair | 10 Oct |
| Northern Dipper Ritual | 10 Oct |
| Gongguoqiao September Trade Fair | 12 Oct |
| Lajing Salt Road Culture Festival | 15 Oct |
| Flower Lantern | 15 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Eryuan Area) | 17 Oct |
| Holy Crane Festival | 17 Oct |
| Achimugua | 18 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 18 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 18 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyi Area) | 18 Oct |
| Street Festival | 19 Oct |
Markets this Thursday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jiulong | 九龙乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Yongjian | 永连 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| 妙姑村 | |
| 鲁庄 | |
| 太和社区 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| 蛇街 | |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Judian | 巨甸镇 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Dianwei | 甸尾乡 |
| Heping | 和平乡 |
| Sankeshu | 三棵树 |
| Dixibei | 地西北 |
| Baixian | 白显 |
| Shiping Guanyin Temple Alley | 石屏观音寺巷 |
| Chezhi | 扯直 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Mosha | 漠沙镇 |
| Xingmeng | 兴蒙 |
| Hexi | 河西 |
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Weideng | 维登 |
| 岩瓦 |