Marco Polo in Yunnan?
Did the great Venetian traveller reach Yunnan? Almost certainly not, but still his accounts are the first words Europeans heard about this far-away region.
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.
Rattlestick Dance is a traditional dance of the Bai minority, specifically in Jianchuan county.
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.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
Few people know as much about Chinese architecture as Knapp: from palaces to humble homes he explains important building principles; the connection between environment and housing styles and the development of style over time. A section on minority housing styles complements the book.
Central point of the activities of the third day of Raosanling.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| "Southern Silk Road" Trade Fair | 19 Jun |
| Harp Festival | 21 Jun |
| Summer Solstice | 21 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyi Area) | 22 Jun |
| "Sharpen the Knife" Festival | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jun |
| Dandao Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Chief's Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Green Flag Festival | 29 Jun |
| Full Moon Ritual | 29 Jun |
| Slight Heat | 07 Jul |
Markets this Monday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Haidong | 海东 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shunzhou | 顺州 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| 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 |
| 恩永 |