古镇: Death-knell for Yunnan's Historic Towns
In China even the 'old towns' are new. Under the 古镇, or ancient town, moniker old towns are razed and their population driven out to make space for sanitized versions of Chinese history that drive the tourist dollar.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Rushan is a dried cheese made from cow-milk.
This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.
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.
One of the biggest Bai festivals.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yangmei Festival | 01 May |
| Migan Festival | 02 May |
| Zhetu Flower Street | 06 May |
| Start of Summer Market | 09 May |
| Sizhuang Pond Fair | 10 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 10 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 11 May |
| Benzhu Worship | 13 May |
| Master Earth | 14 May |
| Mouding March Fair | 14 May |
| Donghuangdadi Birthday | 14 May |
| Baimakou Village Festival | 14 May |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 汤涧 | |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 前所 | |
| 三胜 | |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 大栗树 | |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| 三鹤 | |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Kangpu | 康普 |