Historic Dali
Founded in the Ming dynasty, in today's old Dali history is present, but sometimes hidden.
A Lahu minority Christian service in a hill village near Menglian.
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.
Tie-Dye is an Bai traditional technique with its centre in Zhoucheng 周城.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
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.
Special form of ham making in Nanjian.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Mother Earth Worship | 27 Nov |
| Meige Festival | 27 Nov |
| Yi New Year | 29 Nov |
| Street Banquet | 30 Nov |
| Hani New Year | 01 Dec |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 02 Dec |
| Yongning Mule Fair | 04 Dec |
| Benzhu Worship | 04 Dec |
| Full Moon Ritual | 04 Dec |
| Benzhu Worship | 04 Dec |
| Panwang Festival | 05 Dec |
| Mother Earth | 07 Dec |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| 大栗树 | |
| 果城村 | |
| 三鹤 | |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| 三胜 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| 汤涧 | |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Menglai | 勐来乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Donghui | 东回镇 |
| Qushui | 曲水乡 |
| Fubang | 富邦乡 |
| Menglian | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 |
| Xuelin | 雪林佤族乡 |
| Mujia | 木戛乡 |
| Mengsuo | 勐梭镇 |
| Ankang | 安康佤族乡 |
| Wendong | 文东佤族乡 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Kangpu | 康普 |