古镇: Death-knell for Yunnan's Historic Towns
In China even the 'old towns' are new. Under the 古镇, or ancient town, moniker old towns are razed and their population driven out to make space for sanitized versions of Chinese history that drive the tourist dollar.
Remnants of colour still show on the stone carvings at Shibaoshan, revealing that the Buddhist images were once brightly painted.
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 Bai wedding ritual only found in Yunlong county.
Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.
Bai architecture style.
A spectacularly narrow canyon high above the Jinsha River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Feb |
| Lunar New Year's Eve | 16 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 16 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 16 Feb |
| Daba Spring Festival Evening Party | 16 Feb |
| Dalaogeng | 17 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 17 Feb |
| New Year Ritual | 17 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 17 Feb |
| Benzhu Worship | 17 Feb |
| Spring Festival | 17 Feb |
| Daguan Park Lantern Festival | 17 Feb |
Markets this Tuesday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhongsuo | 中所 |
| Fuheng | 富恒 |
| Fengyu | 风羽 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Liandong | 炼洞 |
| Guanping | 关平 |
| Weishan | 巍山彝族回族自治县 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Baofeng | 宝丰乡 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Binju | 宾居 |
| Madeng | 马镫 |
| Shuijing | 水井 |
| Dianzhong | 甸中 |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| 妙姑村 | |
| 田口 | |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| 北桥 | |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Caoba | 草坝镇 |
| Mingjiu | 鸣鹫镇 |
| Wantang | 湾塘乡 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Dayangjie | 大羊街 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Luodang | 洛党 |
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Wumulong | 乌木龙乡 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Mosha | 漠沙镇 |
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |
| Nujiang | 怒江 |
|---|---|
| Gudeng | 古登 |
| Bingzhongluo | 丙中洛 |
| Lishadi | 利沙底乡 |
| Fugong | 福贡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Fuyan | 富岩 |
| Kangping | 康平乡 |
| Wenggake | 翁嘎科镇 |