1875: Death of a British Diplomat
After Britain's 1852 annexation of lower Burma lucrative trade with China through its back-door seemed more than a distant possibility. But after a successful first mission up the Irrawaddy and into Yunnan in 1868, the second British mission six years later ended in tragedy.
A Lahu minority Christian service in a hill village near Menglian.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
Abstract: The rice terraces of the Ailao Mountains in southern Yunnan province, China, are some of the oldest terraced farms in Asia. First mentioned in Tang Dynasty records, these farms, 80% of which are irrigated, with water running through them all year round, have been in continuous use for over a thousand years. In 2013 UNESCO declared the heartland of this area a World Heritage Site. The Terrace Builders is a detailed account of how these farms are made and used, the cities and mountains of Honghe Prefecture and the far north of Vietnam, as well as the various ethnic minorities who live there. The book pays special attention to the Hani people, the largest ethnic group in the area, and includes summaries of the culture and clothing of their neighbors the Yi, Miao, Yao, Zhuang and Dai. The book includes 300 photos of the land and its people.
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 architecture style.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
Few people know as much about Chinese architecture as Knapp: from palaces to humble homes he explains important building principles; the connection between environment and housing styles and the development of style over time. A section on minority housing styles complements the book.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 02 Dec |
| Full Moon Ritual | 04 Dec |
| Yongning Mule Fair | 04 Dec |
| Benzhu Worship | 04 Dec |
| Benzhu Worship | 04 Dec |
| Panwang Festival | 05 Dec |
| Mother Earth | 07 Dec |
| Great Snow | 07 Dec |
| Geminid Meteor Shower | 13 Dec |
| Muli Temple Fair | 14 Dec |
| Tsongkhapa Festival | 14 Dec |
| Alu Festival | 15 Dec |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| 前所 | |
| 三胜 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| 顺荡 | |
| 龙街 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Tutai | 土台 |
| Hongtian | 红田 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| 干海子 | |
| Kuangshan | 矿山镇 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Luna | 鲁纳乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Shangcun | 上村乡 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yulu | 雨碌乡 |