Into the Land of the Black Lisu
The Nujiang Canyon, on Yunnan's western frontier, was until the 1930s a blank area on the map that not even Chinese troops dared to enter. In 1905 two British explorers made the first foray into this land of the Black Lisu.
The discovery of the bronze age culture of Sanxingdui in the Chengdu Plain is one of the most significant of the 20th century.
Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest
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.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Daoist temple mountain and a centre of Yi culture.
Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.
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.
Historic ancestral hall north of Pingchuan.
Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Lantern | 15 Oct |
| Lajing Salt Road Culture Festival | 15 Oct |
| Welcoming the Grandmother | 20 Oct |
| Orionid Meteor Shower | 21 Oct |
| Temple Fair | 21 Oct |
| Welcoming the Grandmother | 21 Oct |
| Northern Dipper Ritual | 21 Oct |
| Holy Crane Festival | 22 Oct |
| Benzhu Festival | 22 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 22 Oct |
| Gongguoqiao September Trade Fair | 23 Oct |
| Descent of Frost | 23 Oct |