The Red Soil of Dongchuan
The Wumeng Mountains' bright red soil, the buckwheat's yellow and Yunnan's dramatic skies make the region around Dongchuan a paradise for photographers.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
An ancient exorcism ritual in Nanjian county.
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.
Extremely beautiful Wenchang Temple, created in part by national level Intangible Cultural Heritage transmitter Li Yunyi.
This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| Golden Horse Festival | 18 Jun |
| Flower Mountain | 19 Jun |
| Horse Races | 19 Jun |
| Gunu Temple Healing Walk | 19 Jun |
| Flower Mountain | 19 Jun |
| Dragon Boat Festival | 19 Jun |
| Kanglang Shengmu Temple Fair | 19 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 19 Jun |
| Flower Market | 19 Jun |
| Xizhou Medicine Market | 19 Jun |
| 端午节 | 19 Jun |
Markets this Thursday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 三鹤 | |
| 龙洞村 | |
| 鲁庄 | |
| 三胜 | |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 太和社区 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Zhujie | 朱街镇 |
| Shuanglongying | 双龙营乡 |
| Lida | 里达镇 |
| Mugan | 木杆 |
| Zhulin | 珠琳镇 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Qushui | 曲水乡 |
| Yongping | 永平镇 |
| Meng'a | 孟啊 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Kangpu | 康普 |