Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Marco Polo in Yunnan?

Did the great Venetian traveller reach Yunnan? Almost certainly not, but still his accounts are the first words Europeans heard about this far-away region.



An old cliff temple along the old trade route from Shunning 顺宁 to Menghua 蒙化, which Xu Xiake 徐霞客 visited almost 400 years ago.


C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier

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Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.


A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.

Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.


Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

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The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.


With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.

Markets this Tuesday

Dali 大理
Fuheng 富恒
Zhongsuo 中所
Fengyu 风羽
Liandong 炼洞
Yongping 永平县
Xintun 辛屯
Songgui 松桂
Guanping 关平
Baofeng 宝丰乡
Madeng 马镫
Binju 宾居
Shuijing 水井
Huangping 黄平镇
Miaojie 庙街镇
Shalong 沙龙镇
Hongyan 红岩镇
Xiazhuang 下庄镇
龙洞村
Hedian 禾甸镇
Qinghaiying 青海营
三胜
Houshancun 后山村
Caifeng 财丰
Deju 德苴乡

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Yongsheng 永胜县
Banqiao 板桥

Honghe 红河
Shengcun 生村
Caoba 草坝镇
Wantang 湾塘乡
Mingjiu 鸣鹫镇
Dayangjie 大羊街
Mengping 勐坪
Shaochong 哨冲镇
Niujie 牛街镇

Wenshan 文山
Zhujie 朱街镇
Shuanglongying 双龙营乡
Lida 里达镇
Mugan 木杆
Jiayi 稼依镇
Banlun 板仑乡
Zhulin 珠琳镇

Chuxiong 楚雄
Gaoqiao 高桥镇
Dalongkou 大龙口乡

Baoshan 保山市
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡
Xinzhai 新寨

Lincang 临沧
Mengding 孟定
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Dahai 大海乡
Huohong 火红乡
Nagu 娜姑镇
Xitu 西土
迤车

Zhaotong 昭通
Jiucheng 旧城
Shikan 石坎
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Mosha 漠沙镇
Yangjie 羊街乡
Dianzhong 甸中

Nujiang 怒江
Gudeng 古登
Bingzhongluo 丙中洛
Lishadi 利沙底乡

Puer 普洱
Jiangcheng 江城哈尼族彝族自治县
Nuofu 糯福
Dashan 大山乡
Mengma 孟马镇
Wenggake 翁嘎科镇

Diqing 迪庆
Jiagetu 价格土
岩瓦