The Red Soil of Dongchuan
The Wumeng Mountains' bright red soil, the buckwheat's yellow and Yunnan's dramatic skies make the region around Dongchuan a paradise for photographers.
Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Village Benzhu Temple.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
Reconstructed Qing Wenmiao, in a nice park setting.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Sangkan Festival | 09 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Xiangtu) | 10 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Apr |
| Laotai Temple Fair | 10 Apr |
| Bainian | 10 Apr |
| Wooden Drum Festival | 10 Apr |
| Holy Fish Festival | 11 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 11 Apr |
| Waterflower Festival | 12 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Apr |
| Water Splashing Festival | 12 Apr |
| Watersplashing Festival | 13 Apr |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Weishan | 巍山彝族回族自治县 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Dianzhong | 甸中 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| 汤涧 | |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 妙姑村 | |
| 田口 | |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| 北桥 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |