Xu Xiake 徐霞客 in Dali
Xu Xiake (1586 - 1641) was China's first travel blogger. During the third lunar month in 1639 he travelled through Dali and recorded his experiences in his diary, posthumously published as 徐霞客游记. Is it still possible to retrace Xu's steps on the Dali plain?
Fishermen set out on Erhai during the short official fishing season.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
An ancient Bai wedding ritual only found in Yunlong county.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
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.
Shaxi is the most complete historic ensemble of a caravan town in Yunnan.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Kuoshi | 20 Dec |
| Winter Solstice | 21 Dec |
| Christmas | 25 Dec |
| Muli Temple Fair | 25 Dec |
| Kuoshi Lisu New Year | 27 Dec |
| Benzhu Worship | 30 Dec |
| Pulling the Wooden Drum | 31 Dec |
| New Moon Ritual | 31 Dec |
| Coffee Festival | 01 Jan |
| Kuoshi Lisu New Year | 04 Jan |
| Wuxi Festival | 05 Jan |
| Slight Cold | 05 Jan |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Beiya | 北衙 |
| 西庄 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| 青苗 | |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 寅街村 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Longwu | 龙武镇 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Shadou | 沙斗 |
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Pingyuan | 平远 |
| Nijiao | 腻脚彝族乡 |
| Zhesang | 者桑乡 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Donggan | 董干镇 |
| Tienpeng | 田蓬镇 |
| Babao | 八宝镇 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |