Watersplashing in Yongping
Ask for the Watersplashing Festival, or Poshuijie 泼水节, and everyone will tell you to go to Jinghong, capital of Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Region: the 'biggest and best' Dai celebrations to mark their New Year are taking place there. And big it is. Thousands of Han Chinese and foreign tourist flock to Jinghong every year. Jinghong's Poshuijie certainly is big -- and very commercial. If big crowds and big events are your thing, go to Jinghong.
A Lahu minority Christian service in a hill village near Menglian.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
Everyone knows about the Mao's Long March, but a few years later another long march took place: that of Chinese students leaving their cushy campuses on the east coast, trekking all the way to Yunnan where their universities reformed as Lianda, the united university. Kunming, then a total backwater, became a hotbed for new ideas, not just scientific. We liked the section of east coast girls scampering around Mengzi in their latest fashion.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Yunlong's famous bridges.
Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.
Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest
The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.
Main Benzhu Temple in Wase.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Dharmic Assembly | 11 Nov |
| Benzhu Festival | 16 Nov |
| Leonid Meteor Shower | 17 Nov |
| Dai New Year | 18 Nov |
| New Moon Ritual | 20 Nov |
| Anniversary of Dali Bai Autonomous Region Foundation | 22 Nov |
| Yiyi Festival | 22 Nov |
| Slight Snow | 22 Nov |
| Meige Festival | 27 Nov |
| Mother Earth Worship | 27 Nov |
| Yi New Year | 29 Nov |
| Street Banquet | 30 Nov |
Markets this Monday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Kedu | 柯渡镇 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Yinqiao | 银桥 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shunzhou | 顺州 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Luodang | 洛党 |
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Lushi | 鲁史 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Fuyan | 富岩 |