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.
A Lahu minority Christian service in a hill village near Menglian.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
Everyone knows about the Mao's Long March, but a few years later another long march took place: that of Chinese students leaving their cushy campuses on the east coast, trekking all the way to Yunnan where their universities reformed as Lianda, the united university. Kunming, then a total backwater, became a hotbed for new ideas, not just scientific. We liked the section of east coast girls scampering around Mengzi in their latest fashion.
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 ancient Bai folk play form, preserved in Yunlong county.
Fog swirling on a cold winter morning over endless rice-terraces, the red of the
early morning sun reflected in the flooded paddies: this is the classic view of the
Hani Rice Terraces of Yuanyang, now of UNESCO World Heritage status.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.
Dali's biggest religious festival at the end of the fourth lunar month.
With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Mizhi Festival | 29 Dec |
| Coffee Festival | 01 Jan |
| Full Moon Ritual | 03 Jan |
| Yi New Year | 04 Jan |
| Slight Cold | 05 Jan |
| Birthday of the Sun | 07 Jan |
| Birthday of the Sun | 07 Jan |
| Gedong | 14 Jan |
| Benzhu Worship | 18 Jan |
| Pulling the Wooden Drum | 19 Jan |
| New Moon Ritual | 19 Jan |
| Great Cold | 20 Jan |
Markets this Tuesday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Fuheng | 富恒 |
| Zhongsuo | 中所 |
| Fengyu | 风羽 |
| Liandong | 炼洞 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Weishan | 巍山彝族回族自治县 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Guanping | 关平 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Baofeng | 宝丰乡 |
| Binju | 宾居 |
| Madeng | 马镫 |
| Shuijing | 水井 |
| Dianzhong | 甸中 |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| 田口 | |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 北桥 | |
| 果城村 | |
| 妙姑村 | |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Mingjiu | 鸣鹫镇 |
| Caoba | 草坝镇 |
| Wantang | 湾塘乡 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Dayangjie | 大羊街 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Menggu | 蒙姑镇 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Mosha | 漠沙镇 |
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |
| Nujiang | 怒江 |
|---|---|
| Gudeng | 古登 |
| Bingzhongluo | 丙中洛 |
| Lishadi | 利沙底乡 |
| Fugong | 福贡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Fubang | 富邦乡 |
| Yongping | 永平镇 |
| Kangping | 康平乡 |
| Mujia | 木戛乡 |
| Ankang | 安康佤族乡 |
| Meng'a | 孟啊 |
| Wendong | 文东佤族乡 |
| Wenggake | 翁嘎科镇 |