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.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
Liao Yiwu: God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China
Liao Yiwu, one of China's most prominent dissidents, was driven out of China, but not before he used a period of internal exile to research Christian groups, mainly in Yunnan. In this book he tells the stories of the Christians of Dali and of Wuding county.
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 exorcism ritual in Nanjian 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 fake festival that has become part of Dali's intangible cultural heritage.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Buddha Relic Worship | 17 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 18 Apr |
| Hanna Temple Worship | 20 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 21 Apr |
| Ximu Buddha Print | 21 Apr |
| Fumeng Bada | 24 Apr |
| Monihei | 01 May |
| Yangmei Festival | 01 May |
| Third Month Fair | 01 May |
| May Day | 01 May |
| Migan Festival | 02 May |
| Baitan Temple Fair | 04 May |
Markets this Monday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Wanqiao | 湾桥 |
| Biaocun | 表村 |
| Jizushan | 鸡足山 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Tuanjie | 团结 |
| Misha | 弥沙 |
| Baishi | 白石 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Shaping | 沙平村 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Miaowei | 苗尾傈僳族乡 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Taiping | 太平乡 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |