Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Watersplashing in Yongping

Watersplashing in Yongping
Ask for the Watersplashing Festival, or Poshuijie 泼水节, and everyone will tell you to go to Jinghong, capital of Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Region: the 'biggest and best' Dai celebrations to mark their New Year are taking place there. And big it is. Thousands of Han Chinese and foreign tourist flock to Jinghong every year. Jinghong's Poshuijie certainly is big -- and very commercial. If big crowds and big events are your thing, go to Jinghong.



Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian


Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

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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.


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

Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains

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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 pretty lake area south of Eryuan.

Markets this Saturday

Kunming 昆明
Jijie 鸡街乡
Fazhe 法者镇
Shilin 石林彝族自治县
Tangdan 汤丹镇

Dali 大理
Junhua 均化
Zhoucheng 州城
Duomei 朵美
Shanyang 衫阳
Yongping 永平县
Lijiao 力角
Paiying 排营
Shijing 师井
Diannan 甸南
Liuhe 六合
Heqing 鹤庆县
Jiangwei 江尾镇
Caojian 漕间
Dacang 大仓镇
Junhuacun 均华村
Hedian 禾甸镇
桥街
Hongyan 红岩镇
Changyi 长邑村
Deju 德苴乡

Lijiang 丽江
Jiuhe 九河
Liming 黎明

Dehong 德宏
Husa 户撒乡
Nangsong 曩宋阿昌族乡

Honghe 红河
Shengcun 生村
Xinansuo 新安所镇
Leyu 乐育
Daheishan 大黑山乡
Shalatuo 沙拉托
Xinxian 新现乡
Panzihua 攀枝花
Tongchang 铜厂
Zhemi 者米拉祜族乡

Wenshan 文山
Babu 八布乡
Tiechang 铁厂镇
Pingba 坪坝镇
Matang 马塘镇
Zhuanjiao 篆角乡
Mulun 睦伦乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Dahekou 大河口乡
Wanyaoshu 弯腰树
Mixing 弥兴镇

Baoshan 保山市
Manglong 芒龙

Lincang 临沧
Cangyuan 沧源佤族自治县
Wumulong 乌木龙乡
Quannei 圈内
Shuangjiang 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县
Zhenkang 镇康县
Junsai 军赛乡

Qujing 曲靖市
干海子
Kuangshan 矿山镇
Laochang 老厂乡
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡
Yangmeishan 杨梅山
Yema 野马林场
Yulu 雨碌乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuanghe 双河
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Yuxi 玉溪
Mosha 漠沙镇
Tadian 塔甸
Jiasa 戛洒镇
Xingmeng 兴蒙
Hexi 河西

Nujiang 怒江
Hexi 河西
Puladi 普拉底乡
Laowo 老窝
Aludi 阿路底

Puer 普洱
Jiangcheng 江城哈尼族彝族自治县
Lancang 澜沧县
Fuyan 富岩

Diqing 迪庆
Xiaoweixi 小维西
Kaifaqu 开发区
岩瓦