On the Statelets between Nanzhao and the Dali Kingdom
After the demise of Nanzhao 南诏, the Buddhist kingdom that integrated the tribes of the Erhai region in the second half of the first millennium, local strongmen proclaimed a succession of short-lived statelets before Duan Siping 段思平 in 937 CE established the Dali Kingdom 大理国.
A Lahu minority Christian service in a hill village near Menglian.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
An Yi ritual in Xiangyun county.
A history trading post on the upper reaches of the Yangzi.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
Abstract: The rice terraces of the Ailao Mountains in southern Yunnan province, China, are some of the oldest terraced farms in Asia. First mentioned in Tang Dynasty records, these farms, 80% of which are irrigated, with water running through them all year round, have been in continuous use for over a thousand years. In 2013 UNESCO declared the heartland of this area a World Heritage Site. The Terrace Builders is a detailed account of how these farms are made and used, the cities and mountains of Honghe Prefecture and the far north of Vietnam, as well as the various ethnic minorities who live there. The book pays special attention to the Hani people, the largest ethnic group in the area, and includes summaries of the culture and clothing of their neighbors the Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Dai. The book includes 300 photos of the land and its people.
Benzhu Temple dedicated to 段宗棒.
With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Mother Earth | 07 Dec |
| Geminid Meteor Shower | 13 Dec |
| Muli Temple Fair | 14 Dec |
| Tsongkhapa Festival | 14 Dec |
| Alu Festival | 15 Dec |
| New Moon Ritual | 20 Dec |
| Kuoshi | 20 Dec |
| Winter Solstice | 21 Dec |
| Hat Festival | 22 Dec |
| Christmas | 25 Dec |
| Festival of Lights | 26 Dec |
| Kuoshi Lisu New Year | 27 Dec |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| 三胜 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| 西庄 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| 寅街村 | |
| 桥街 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Sankeshu | 三棵树 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Dixibei | 地西北 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |