The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子
The Dengchuan Plain 邓川坝子, north of Dali's Erhai Lake 洱海, has with West Lake 西湖 and the Miju River corridor 弥苴河 some beautiful, if hardly known, scenic areas. It's natural scenery, however, is man-made, the result of more than a thousand years of cultivation and water-management projects that have transformed a swamp and marshland into the current cultural environment.
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Sculpture making in the Dali region.
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.
Benzhu is the native believe system of the Bai peole.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Fishpond Fair | 25 Sep |
| Fenghuan Mountain Music Festival | 01 Oct |
| National Day | 01 Oct |
| Baobo Festival | 02 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship on Jiansuo Island | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Dengchuan Area) | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Oct |
| Sky Lantern Festival | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Oct |
| Mountain God Temple Worship | 05 Oct |
Markets this Thursday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Kedu | 柯渡镇 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| 鲁庄 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| 太和社区 | |
| 寅街村 | |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| 西庄 | |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 龙洞村 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Liming | 黎明 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Daibu | 待补镇 |
| Fenghuang | 凤凰 |
| 干海子 | |
| Jiache | 驾车乡 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |