Xu Xiake 徐霞客 in Dali
Xu Xiake (1586 - 1641) was China's first travel blogger. During the third lunar month in 1639 he travelled through Dali and recorded his experiences in his diary, posthumously published as 徐霞客游记. Is it still possible to retrace Xu's steps on the Dali plain?
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
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.
Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains
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 Lahu Church
A history trading post on the upper reaches of the Yangzi.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Hani New Year | 14 Nov |
| Meige Festival | 16 Nov |
| Mother Earth Worship | 16 Nov |
| Leonid Meteor Shower | 17 Nov |
| Dai New Year | 18 Nov |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 21 Nov |
| Anniversary of Dali Bai Autonomous Region Foundation | 22 Nov |
| Slight Snow | 22 Nov |
| Yiyi Festival | 22 Nov |
| Full Moon Ritual | 23 Nov |
| Benzhu Worship | 23 Nov |
| Yongning Mule Fair | 23 Nov |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| 西庄 | |
| 寅街村 | |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| 桥街 | |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Jiuhe | 九河 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Sankeshu | 三棵树 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Dixibei | 地西北 |
| Baoxiu | 宝秀镇 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Xincheng | 新城乡 |
| Shayipo | 沙依坡乡 |
| Qingkou Xinzhai | 箐口新寨 |
| Dazhai | 大寨乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |