Black Well, White Gold
Heijing is a small town in the northern Chuxiong mountains. Salt once made Heijing one of Yunnan's richest towns. Now its architectural splendours are being rediscovered.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
Benzhu Temple dedicated to 段宗棒.
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.
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.
Rushan is a dried cheese made from cow-milk.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Medicine Buddha Birthday | 13 Jun |
| New Moon Ritual | 15 Jun |
| Kuzhazha | 15 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 15 Jun |
| Mango Festival | 15 Jun |
| Kuzhazha | 15 Jun |
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| Golden Horse Festival | 18 Jun |
| Flower Mountain | 19 Jun |
| Flower Market | 19 Jun |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 19 Jun |
| Gunu Temple Healing Walk | 19 Jun |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 果城村 | |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| 汤涧 | |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shunzhou | 顺州 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Mengping | 勐坪 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Fenghuang | 凤凰 |
| 干海子 | |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |