Watersplashing in Yongping
Ask for the Watersplashing Festival, or Poshuijie 泼水节, and everyone will tell you to go to Jinghong, capital of Yunnan's Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Region: the 'biggest and best' Dai celebrations to mark their New Year are taking place there. And big it is. Thousands of Han Chinese and foreign tourist flock to Jinghong every year. Jinghong's Poshuijie certainly is big -- and very commercial. If big crowds and big events are your thing, go to Jinghong.
Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian
Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China
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 rebuilt large temple complex.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
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.
Biggest festival in the Dali region, once Bai New Year.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Sangkan Festival | 09 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Xiangtu) | 10 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 10 Apr |
| Laotai Temple Fair | 10 Apr |
| Bainian | 10 Apr |
| Wooden Drum Festival | 10 Apr |
| Holy Fish Festival | 11 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 11 Apr |
| Waterflower Festival | 12 Apr |
| Benzhu Worship | 12 Apr |
| Water Splashing Festival | 12 Apr |
| Watersplashing Festival | 13 Apr |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Hedian | 禾甸镇 |
| 桥街 | |
| Hongyan | 红岩镇 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Shengcun | 生村 |
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Wumulong | 乌木龙乡 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| 干海子 | |
| Kuangshan | 矿山镇 |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |
| Yema | 野马林场 |
| Yulu | 雨碌乡 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Jiangcheng | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 |
| Lancang | 澜沧县 |
| Fuyan | 富岩 |