Protecting Erhai: The Seven Big Activities
When in April 2017 guesthouses and restaurants around western Yunnan's Erhai Lake were suddenly summarily ordered closed until further notice, big character slogans also began proclaiming: "Protecting Erhai: The Seven Big Activities" 保护洱海七大行动. The slogan suggests that the closure of tourist facilities is just one part of a wider campaign to clean up the Erhai environment.
Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian
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.
Benzhu Temple dedicated to 段宗棒.
The Danxia, or red sandstore, cliffs around Liming are a hikers' and climbers' paradise that is just now being discovered.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
Everyone knows about the Mao's Long March, but a few years later another long march took place: that of Chinese students leaving their cushy campuses on the east coast, trekking all the way to Yunnan where their universities reformed as Lianda, the united university. Kunming, then a total backwater, became a hotbed for new ideas, not just scientific. We liked the section of east coast girls scampering around Mengzi in their latest fashion.
Traditional dress in the Erhai region.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Water Splashing Festival | 15 Apr |
| Yongping Watersplashing Festival | 16 Apr |
| Water Splashing Festival | 16 Apr |
| Mengdui Bada | 17 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 17 Apr |
| Xu Xiake Memorial Event | 17 Apr |
| Gutianshi Temple Fair | 17 Apr |
| New Moon Ritual | 17 Apr |
| Mengdui Daba | 17 Apr |
| Seeing off the Emperor's Son in Law Ritual | 18 Apr |
| Seeing off the Emperor's Son in Law | 18 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 18 Apr |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| 三鹤 | |
| 桥街 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 三胜 | |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Sankeshu | 三棵树 |
| Dixibei | 地西北 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |