Learning Bai
Bai 白族话 is the language spoken by the Bai people 白族 in the Dali area. While Chinese has become the lingua franca, Bai is still actively spoken by many, particularly older people, but it does not have a native written form and comes in many dialects. Here we list the available resources for learning this difficult language.
In Huize, the old capital of copper in Yunnan, many splendid guildhalls survive.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
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 isolated Bai town with rich culture.
This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.
Jim Goodman: Xishuangbanna: The Tropics of Yunnan
For most of its history Xishuangbanna existed as an autonomous state on the remote southern periphery of China, run by the same Dai family since the 12th century. Lying in the tropical zone, on the northern rim of Southeast Asia, with flora and fauna not only unlike the rest of China, but even unique in Yunnan province, it has had close ethnic and cultural relations with its neighbors in Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. The valleys are home to the Dai nationality, while several ethnic minorities inhabit the hills. Xishuangbanna: the Tropics of Yunnan narrates the history and development of the Dai people, their culture, society and religion, from ancient times through the period of incorporation into the Chinese state. It also covers the characteristics of the lifestyle, culture and celebrations of the peoples of the mountains, as well as the economic and political changes of recent times and their effects on both hill and plain.
A well-preserved Bai merchant town with perhaps the best examples of Bai traditional architecture.
With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Feb |
| Lunar New Year's Eve | 16 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 16 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 16 Feb |
| Daba Spring Festival Evening Party | 16 Feb |
| Dalaogeng | 17 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 17 Feb |
| New Year Ritual | 17 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 17 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 17 Feb |
| Spring Festival | 17 Feb |
| Daguan Park Lantern Festival | 17 Feb |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 西庄 | |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| 顺荡 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| 寅街村 | |
| 龙街 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Liming | 黎明 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Sankeshu | 三棵树 |
| Dixibei | 地西北 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Tutai | 土台 |
| Hongtian | 红田 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Daba | 大坝 |
| 干海子 | |
| Jiache | 驾车乡 |
| Kuangshan | 矿山镇 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Yulu | 雨碌乡 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Kaifaqu | 开发区 |
| 岩瓦 |