Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Into the Land of the Black Lisu

The Nujiang Canyon, on Yunnan's western frontier, was until the 1930s a blank area on the map that not even Chinese troops dared to enter. In 1905 two British explorers made the first foray into this land of the Black Lisu.



The discovery of the bronze age culture of Sanxingdui in the Chengdu Plain is one of the most significant of the 20th century.


Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

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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.


A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.

Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan

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Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.


Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.

Markets this Monday

Kunming 昆明
Jiulong 九龙乡

Dali 大理
Longjie 龙街
Biaocun 表村
Fengyi 凤仪
Weishan 巍山彝族回族自治县
Jizushan 鸡足山
Longjie 龙街
Wase 挖色
Tuanjie 团结
Misha 弥沙
Baishi 白石
Shaping 沙平村
Zuòyì 作邑
Dianzhong 甸中
Luming 鹿鸣乡
田口
北桥
Shidongcun 石洞村
Taiping 太平乡
Miaowei 苗尾傈僳族乡
Puping 普淜镇
妙姑村

Honghe 红河
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Laozhai 老寨苗族乡
Chemalong 车玛龙
Sankeshu 三棵树
Puxiong 普雄
Dixibei 地西北
Baihe 白河乡

Wenshan 文山
Badaoshao 八道哨乡
Heizhiguo 黑支果乡
Boai 剥隘镇
Dongma 董马乡
Xinzhai 新寨乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Qianchang 前场镇
Chadian 插甸乡

Baoshan 保山市
Xinzhai 新寨
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mengding 孟定
Yalian 亚练乡
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Baiwu 白雾
Daba 大坝
Daqiao 大桥乡
Leye 乐业镇
Malu 马路乡
Yulu 雨碌乡
Zhichang 纸厂乡

Yuxi 玉溪
Fuliangpeng 富良棚

Nujiang 怒江
Pengdang 捧当
Fugong 福贡
Maji 马吉乡

Puer 普洱
Nuofu 糯福
Mengma 孟马镇
Kangping 康平乡

Diqing 迪庆
Zili 梓里
Kaifaqu 开发区