Xu Xiake 徐霞客 in Dali
Xu Xiake (1586 - 1641) was China's first travel blogger. During the third lunar month in 1639 he travelled through Dali and recorded his experiences in his diary, posthumously published as 徐霞客游记. Is it still possible to retrace Xu's steps on the Dali plain?
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.
Yunnan Tours
We can put you in contact with personally vetted, experienced tour guides, speaking Chinese, English, Dutch and German, for southwestern China. They can help you plan a trip matching your personal interests and requirements and accompany you on your trip. We just provide the introduction, we do not charge any commission or fees.
For enquiries email tours@yunnanexplorer.com.
Followers of Jianchuan Azhali Buddhism perform a candle dance in Shaxi.
A well preserved small town that grew rich on salt.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Brenda McLean: George Forrest, Plant Hunter
George Forrest, perhaps the most successful plant collector of his time, left little written about his numerous journeys to Yunnan, so this well-illustrated book fills in much needed detail about his life.
A Bai town famous for its typical Bai architecture.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yanguang Birthday | 07 Jun |
| Praying for Rain | 07 Jun |
| Guniangjie | 07 Jun |
| Start of Raosanling | 09 Jun |
| Raosanling | 09 Jun |
| Yu An Ceremonies | 09 Jun |
| Raosanling | 10 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Jun |
| Raosanling in Heyicheng | 11 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Jun |
| Raosanling in Majiuyi | 12 Jun |
| Medicine Buddha Birthday | 15 Jun |