Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


The Old Bridges Across the Longjiang

The Old Bridges Across the Longjiang

Many old bridges still span the Longjiang River in western Yunnan. 




In Huize, the old capital of copper in Yunnan, many splendid guildhalls survive.


Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains

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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.

The Yi in the southern part of Dali have a special Dance and Song Festival.



An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.


C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier

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Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.

Markets this Monday

Kunming 昆明
Tuanjie 团结

Dali 大理
Biaocun 表村
Shuixie 水泄
Xintun 辛屯
Songgui 松桂
Jizushan 鸡足山
Tuanjie 团结
Misha 弥沙
Baishi 白石
Shaping 沙平村
Huangping 黄平镇
Gonglang 公郎镇
前所
云南驿村
Taiping 太平乡
Miaowei 苗尾傈僳族乡

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇

Honghe 红河
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Laozhai 老寨苗族乡
Chemalong 车玛龙
Lvchun 绿春县
Majie 马街
Puxiong 普雄
Nanke 南科
Jinping 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县
Mengqiao 勐桥乡
Baihe 白河乡

Wenshan 文山
Pingzhai 平寨乡
Banggu 蚌谷乡
Muyang 木央镇
Nanping (Majie) 南屏镇 (马街)

Chuxiong 楚雄
Xiaoju 小苴
Chadian 插甸乡
Shizhong 适中乡
Qianchang 前场镇

Baoshan 保山市
Xinzhai 新寨
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mengding 孟定
Fengqing 凤庆县
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Xinhua 新华彝族苗族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Fenghuang 凤凰
干海子
Laochang 老厂乡
Luna 鲁纳乡
Shangcun 上村乡
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡
Yangmeishan 杨梅山

Zhaotong 昭通
Shikan 石坎
Jiucheng 旧城
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Yuxi 玉溪
Chahe 岔河
Dalongtan 大龙潭

Nujiang 怒江
Pengdang 捧当
Maji 马吉乡

Puer 普洱
Nuofu 糯福
Dashan 大山乡
Jiahe 嘉禾乡
Mengma 孟马镇
Minle 民乐

Diqing 迪庆
Zili 梓里
Kaifaqu 开发区