1875: Death of a British Diplomat
After Britain's 1852 annexation of lower Burma lucrative trade with China through its back-door seemed more than a distant possibility. But after a successful first mission up the Irrawaddy and into Yunnan in 1868, the second British mission six years later ended in tragedy.
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
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 number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Cantilevered wooden bridge.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings
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.
Traditional toys in Jianchuan county.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| National Day | 01 Oct |
| Baobo Festival | 02 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship on Jiansuo Island | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Dengchuan Area) | 03 Oct |
| Sky Lantern Festival | 03 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 03 Oct |
| Mountain God Temple Worship | 05 Oct |
| Confucius Birthday | 07 Oct |
| Confucius Worship | 07 Oct |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| 青苗 | |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 龙洞村 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Hongyan | 红岩 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Mengping | 勐坪 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Baoxiu | 宝秀镇 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Xincheng | 新城乡 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Shuanglongying | 双龙营乡 |
| Lida | 里达镇 |
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Zhujie | 朱街镇 |
| Mugan | 木杆 |
| Zhulin | 珠琳镇 |
| Pingyuan | 平远 |
| Zhesang | 者桑乡 |
| Babao | 八宝镇 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Menglai | 勐来乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| 干海子 | |
| Kuangshan | 矿山镇 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Yulu | 雨碌乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Lancang | 澜沧拉祜族自治县 |
| Nanling | 南岭乡 |
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Donghui | 东回镇 |
| Menglian | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 |
| Xuelin | 雪林佤族乡 |
| Mengsuo | 勐梭镇 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Zhonglu | 中路 |