Protecting Erhai: The Seven Big Activities
When in April 2017 guesthouses and restaurants around western Yunnan's Erhai Lake were suddenly summarily ordered closed until further notice, big character slogans also began proclaiming: "Protecting Erhai: The Seven Big Activities" 保护洱海七大行动. The slogan suggests that the closure of tourist facilities is just one part of a wider campaign to clean up the Erhai environment.
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Village Benzhu Temple.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
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.
Rattlestick Dance is a traditional dance of the Bai minority, specifically in Jianchuan county.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Lantern | 15 Oct |
| Lajing Salt Road Culture Festival | 15 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyi Area) | 18 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 18 Oct |
| Achimugua | 18 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 18 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Eryuan Area) | 19 Oct |
| Street Festival | 19 Oct |
| Orionid Meteor Shower | 21 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 21 Oct |
| Xinuluo Remembrance Day | 23 Oct |
| Temple Fair | 23 Oct |
Markets this Monday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Qinghaiying | 青海营 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Baoxiu | 宝秀镇 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Xincheng | 新城乡 |