Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Manglao - A Dai Village in Winter

Manglao - A Dai Village in Winter

Even in the depth of winter, life in a Dai village does not truly slow down—it merely changes its rhythm.





The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.


Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China

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Even if Chinese civilization has developed more against than with nature, the Mao years were a particular exercise in environmental destruction. In one case-study Shapiro tells the story of the draining of the northern part of Dianchi Lake, one of the first steps turning Kunming's lake into the fetid cess-pool it is today.


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

A traditional technique making little figures etc from cloth, in Jianchuan county.



A history trading post on the upper reaches of the Yangzi.


John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution

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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.

Markets this Friday

Kunming 昆明
Wumeng 乌蒙乡
Jinsuo 金所乡
Kedu 柯渡镇

Dali 大理
Xiangtu 象图乡
Hecun 萂村
Jiancao 捡槽
Waxi 瓦溪
Xintun 辛屯
Gunipen 沽泥盆
Wuxing 五星
Songgui 松桂
Pingchuan 平川
Baidangping 白荡坪
Yangbi 漾濞彝族自治县
Zuòyì 作邑
Shuanglang 双廊镇
Shaxi 沙溪
Yousuo 右所镇
Huangping 黄平镇
Jijie 鸡街乡
Wachang 瓦厂乡
汤涧
Shalong 沙龙镇
三胜
Xiazhuang 下庄镇
Longjie 龙街
Xishan 西山乡
Caifeng 财丰
大栗树
Miaojie 庙街镇
Houshancun 后山村
龙洞村

Lijiang 丽江
Shigu 石鼓镇
Yongsheng 永胜县
Banqiao 板桥

Honghe 红河
Xinhua 新华乡
Niujiaozhai 牛角寨
Mengla 勐拉
Lengquan 冷泉镇
Lengdun 冷墩
Dongshan 东山镇
Shitouzhai 石头寨
Shaochong 哨冲镇
Niujie 牛街镇
Maandi 马鞍底

Wenshan 文山
Shadou 沙斗
Nijiao 腻脚彝族乡
Jijie 鸡街乡
Donggan 董干镇
Tienpeng 田蓬镇
Jiumo 旧莫乡

Chuxiong 楚雄
Qianchang 前场镇
Dalongkou 大龙口乡
Jiuchang 九厂
Guihua 桂花乡

Baoshan 保山市
Xiaopingtian 小平田
Wama 瓦马彝族白族乡
Tengchong 腾冲县

Lincang 临沧
Mangka 芒卡镇
Boshang 博商
Fengwei 风尾镇
Lushi 鲁史
Mengjiao 勐角乡

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

Zhaotong 昭通
Jiucheng 旧城
Shikan 石坎
Weixin 威信
Changan 长安

Yuxi 玉溪
Yangjie 羊街乡
Dianzhong 甸中

Nujiang 怒江
Chenggan 称杆
Daxingdi 大兴地乡
Zilijia 子里甲乡

Puer 普洱
Meizi 梅子镇
Yongping 永平镇
Meng'a 孟啊

Diqing 迪庆
Jiagetu 价格土
岩瓦