Dancing under the Moonlight: the Costume Festival of Zhizuo
As villages go, Zhizuo could hardly be more remote. Some 70km from the county town, first along a winding mountain road, then on a deeply rutted track without public transport: even in the dry season it takes several hours and a bit of stamina to reach. Yet, at least on the first full moon of the year, the effort is worth it, as Zhizuo holds one of Yunnan's most colourful festivals, the Dress Competition Festival or Caizhuangjie 赛装节.
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.
Dali's biggest religious festival at the end of the fourth lunar month.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Liao Yiwu: God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China
Liao Yiwu, one of China's most prominent dissidents, was driven out of China, but not before he used a period of internal exile to research Christian groups, mainly in Yunnan. In this book he tells the stories of the Christians of Dali and of Wuding county.
Way of making ham in Nuodeng, Yunlong.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yangmei Festival | 01 May |
| Temple Fair | 28 May |
| Walnut Valley Culture Festival | 28 May |
| Manlong Buckwheat Festival | 30 May |
| Butterfly Festival | 31 May |
| Benzhu Worship | 31 May |
| Full Moon Ritual | 31 May |
| Butterfly Spring Meeting | 31 May |
| Yongping Wenbi Pagoda Ceremony | 31 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Midu) | 31 May |
| Benzhu Worship | 01 Jun |
| Guniangjie | 03 Jun |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Yinqiao | 银桥 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| 汤涧 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Jiahe | 嘉禾乡 |
| Meizi | 梅子镇 |
| Yongping | 永平镇 |
| Meng'a | 孟啊 |