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.
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.
Central point of the activities of the third day of Raosanling.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
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.
Shaxi is the most complete historic ensemble of a caravan town in Yunnan.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Butterfly Spring Meeting | 31 May |
| Yongping Wenbi Pagoda Ceremony | 31 May |
| Benzhu Worship (Midu) | 31 May |
| Butterfly Festival | 31 May |
| Full Moon Ritual | 31 May |
| Benzhu Worship | 31 May |
| Benzhu Worship | 01 Jun |
| Guniangjie | 03 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Jun |
| Yanguang Birthday | 05 Jun |
| Praying for Rain | 05 Jun |
| Grain in Ear | 05 Jun |
Markets this Monday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| 前所 | |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Laozhai | 老寨苗族乡 |
| Chemalong | 车玛龙 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Puxiong | 普雄 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Baihe | 白河乡 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |