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.
In Huize, the old capital of copper in Yunnan, many splendid guildhalls survive.
C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier
Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.
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 has its own Torch Festival related customs.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
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.
Biggest festival in the Dali region, once Bai New Year.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Madeng Trade Fair | 19 Mar |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu) | 19 Mar |
| Play Festival | 20 Mar |
| Wenchang Birthday | 21 Mar |
| Wenchang Birthday | 21 Mar |
| Changtou Village Temple Fair | 21 Mar |
| Benzhu Worship (Eryuan Area) | 21 Mar |
| Dragon King Festival | 21 Mar |
| Bainiu Tuzhu Temple Festival | 21 Mar |
| Axi Fire Worship | 21 Mar |
| Flower Festival | 21 Mar |
| Lingjiu Temple Wenchang Ritual | 21 Mar |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| 青苗 | |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Wopo | 窝坡 |
| 干海子 | |
| Kuangshan | 矿山镇 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Yulu | 雨碌乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Lancang | 澜沧拉祜族自治县 |
| Nanling | 南岭乡 |
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Fuyan | 富岩 |