Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


A Republic Era Map of Dali

A Republic Era map shows the development of the Dali region over the last hundred years.



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

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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.

With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.


C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier

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Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.


Suona melodies in the Pingchuan area of Binchuan.



An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.

Markets this Tuesday

Kunming 昆明
Banqiao 板桥乡

Dali 大理
Fuheng 富恒
Zhongsuo 中所
Fengyu 风羽
Yongping 永平县
Liandong 炼洞
Guanping 关平
Qinghua 清华
Baofeng 宝丰乡
Madeng 马镫
Binju 宾居
Shuijing 水井
Huangping 黄平镇
Niujie 牛街
Zhongjiang 中江
Hedian 禾甸镇
Hongyan 红岩镇
Jindunjiecun 金墩街村
Puping 普淜镇
Deju 德苴乡
Beiya 北衙

Lijiang 丽江
Shunzhou 顺州

Honghe 红河
Shengcun 生村
Nafa 那发
Sancun 三村
Wantang 湾塘乡
Caoba 草坝镇
Mingjiu 鸣鹫镇
Longwu 龙武镇
Jiache 架车
Dayangjie 大羊街
Zhongzhai 中寨

Wenshan 文山
Jiayi 稼依镇
Puyang 普阳
Shupi 树皮彝族乡
Xichou 西畴县

Chuxiong 楚雄
Gaoqiao 高桥镇
Shizhong 适中乡
Dalongkou 大龙口乡

Baoshan 保山市
Xinzhai 新寨
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mengding 孟定
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Wopo 窝坡
Fenghuang 凤凰
干海子
Laochang 老厂乡
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡
Yangmeishan 杨梅山

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuitian 水田
Linfeng 麟风
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Yuxi 玉溪
Mosha 漠沙镇
Yani 亚尼
Yuanjiang 元江哈尼族彝族傣族自治县
Nanuo 那诺乡

Nujiang 怒江
Gudeng 古登
Bingzhongluo 丙中洛
Lishadi 利沙底乡

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
Meizi 梅子镇
Wenggake 翁嘎科镇