From Niujiaozhai to Yuanyang
Yuanyang county, south of the Red River in the province's southeast, is famous for its Hani rice-terraces. With its splendid vistas and ethnic mix it is also a great area for hiking. Here we describe a moderate day-hike starting at the market-town of Niujiaozhai, passing through Yi and Hani villages and ending with stunning sunset vistas over the rice-terraces of Longshuba.
Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian
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.
Cangshan 苍山 to the west and Erhai 洱海 to the east frame the Dali Bai homeland.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier
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.
Way of making ham in Nuodeng, Yunlong.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Picking Festival | 05 Apr |
| Easter | 05 Apr |
| Tomb Sweeping Day | 05 Apr |
| Benzhu Festival | 05 Apr |
| Fumin Cherry Picking | 05 Apr |
| Wrestling Competition | 05 Apr |
| Pingchuan Guanyin Birthday | 06 Apr |
| Tuzhu Temple Fair | 06 Apr |
| Dali Guanyin Worship | 06 Apr |
| Dengchuan Guanyin Worship | 06 Apr |
| Guanyin Festival | 06 Apr |
| Guanyin Birthday | 06 Apr |
Markets this Monday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jiulong | 九龙乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Yalian | 亚练乡 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Zili | 梓里 |
| Shangjiang | 上江 |
| Kaifaqu | 开发区 |