Black Well, White Gold
Heijing is a small town in the northern Chuxiong mountains. Salt once made Heijing one of Yunnan's richest towns. Now its architectural splendours are being rediscovered.
The Gourd Festival 葫芦节 is the main festival of the Lahu people. In Lancang, its date has been moved into April to coincide with the county's foundation.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Large Wenmiao and Wumiao complex.
Yunnan's only Shui-Township with stunning karst scenery.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
Temple fair at the Baohe Temple on the foot of Cangshan
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Walnut Festival | 01 Sep |
| Lingjiu Temple Jade Emperor | 11 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 11 Sep |
| Azhali Ritual | 11 Sep |
| New Moon Ritual | 11 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Sep |
| Caishen Festival | 13 Sep |
| Caishen Birthday | 13 Sep |
| Yunlong August Trade Fair | 13 Sep |
| New Rice | 15 Sep |
| "Replenish Provisions" Ritual | 16 Sep |
| Benzhu Festival | 16 Sep |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 果城村 | |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 桥街 | |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |