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.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Bai vernacular architecture is very ornate, the style of painting is recognised as national level intangible heritage.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
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 fake festival that has become part of Dali's intangible cultural heritage.
Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Yangmei Festival | 01 May |
| Migan Festival | 02 May |
| Start of Summer Market | 09 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 10 May |
| Sizhuang Pond Fair | 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 |
| Beggars' Convention | 14 May |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| 桥街 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Lancang | 澜沧县 |
| Jiahe | 嘉禾乡 |
| Yongping | 永平镇 |
| Meng'a | 孟啊 |