Early Maps of Yunnan
The history of maps in Yunnan began more than a thousand years ago. But it was the Jesuits who revolutionised mapping in China, producing the first accurate maps of the provinces, including remote Yunnan.
An important Dai festival traditionally marking the beginning of the summer retreat for monks.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
Abstract: The rice terraces of the Ailao Mountains in southern Yunnan province, China, are some of the oldest terraced farms in Asia. First mentioned in Tang Dynasty records, these farms, 80% of which are irrigated, with water running through them all year round, have been in continuous use for over a thousand years. In 2013 UNESCO declared the heartland of this area a World Heritage Site. The Terrace Builders is a detailed account of how these farms are made and used, the cities and mountains of Honghe Prefecture and the far north of Vietnam, as well as the various ethnic minorities who live there. The book pays special attention to the Hani people, the largest ethnic group in the area, and includes summaries of the culture and clothing of their neighbors the Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Dai. The book includes 300 photos of the land and its people.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Yunlong's famous bridges.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
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.
Yi embroidery.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Ghost Month | 13 Aug |
| Mule Fair | 17 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 21 Aug |
| Moerduo Temple Fair | 22 Aug |
| Playing the Fragrant Dragon | 23 Aug |
| End of Heat | 23 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 25 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 26 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 26 Aug |
| Maulid an-Nabi | 26 Aug |
| Burning Bag Festival | 26 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Aug |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| 汤涧 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Liming | 黎明 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Nuofu | 糯福 |
| Dashan | 大山乡 |
| Mengma | 孟马镇 |
| Meizi | 梅子镇 |