Slideshows

For the Bai people temple fairs are not solemn but joyous affairs.

The "Lotus Pond Societies" 莲池会 are the associations of older women in charge of the rituals in Dali's temples.

The summer rainy season brings clouds to Dali's Cangshan.

Bai Tie-Dye is part of China's Intangible Cultural Heritage, still carried out in simple workshops using traditional techniques.

Fazi Temple is an abandoned clan memorial temple on a cemetery hill west of Xizhou.

The Corona epidemic led to the cancellation of all major festivals, but some cannot be deterred to celebrate Raosanling 绕三灵.

Run by an irate couple, this temple on the shore of Erhai is one of Dali's strangest temples.

Early May the Azaleas on Maershan 马耳山 north of Erhai are in flower.

Clay sculpture is part of Dali's intangible cultural heritage, here are the temple sculptures of Xizhou's 'Central Emperor Hall' 中央皇帝祠, a Benzhu temple.

The suona 唢呐 is an important instrument in Chinese ritual and folk music. Here a Bai gentleman plays it as part of Azhali Buddhist rituals in the 催君寺 temple near Jianchuan 剑川.

Magic dances are part Azhali rituals: here it is the Flower Dance as part of the 太子会 in Jianchuan.

For many Bai the Torch Festival is the most important festival, here it is celebrated in a small village next to Erhai.