Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


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?




Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian


Fei Hsiao-Tung and Chang Chih-I: Earthbound China: A Study of Rural Economy in Yunnan

Cover Image
Fei is the father of modern sociology in China: western-trained, he came to Yunnan at the end of the 1930s when China's eastern universities relocated west. In "Earthbound China" he applied modern empirical techniques that he had pioneered around Shanghai to the Chinese hinterland. The economical development, and subsequent societal changes, of three un-named, but typical villages in Yunnan is analyzed in great detail in this fascinating study.


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

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

Cover Image
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.


Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.

Markets this Tuesday

Kunming 昆明
Banqiao 板桥乡

Dali 大理
Junhua 均化
Duomei 朵美
Zhongsuo 中所
Fuheng 富恒
Yongping 永平县
Shanyang 衫阳
Fengyu 风羽
Liandong 炼洞
Guanping 关平
Qinghua 清华
Liuhe 六合
Yinqiao 银桥
Baofeng 宝丰乡
Binju 宾居
Madeng 马镫
Heqing 鹤庆县
Shuijing 水井
Niujie 牛街
Caojian 漕间
Dacang 大仓镇
Xinjie 新街镇
Mizhi 密祉镇
果城村
Qinghaiying 青海营
Deju 德苴乡
Puping 普淜镇
Liuchang 刘厂镇
Junhuacun 均华村

Lijiang 丽江
Liming 黎明

Dehong 德宏
Husa 户撒乡
Nangsong 曩宋阿昌族乡

Honghe 红河
Nafa 那发
Mingjiu 鸣鹫镇
Caoba 草坝镇
Wantang 湾塘乡
Jiache 架车
Dayangjie 大羊街
Zhongzhai 中寨

Wenshan 文山
Jiayi 稼依镇
Banlun 板仑乡
Puyang 普阳
Funing 富宁县
Shupi 树皮彝族乡
Xichou 西畴县

Chuxiong 楚雄
Gaoqiao 高桥镇
Dalongkou 大龙口乡
Mixing 弥兴镇

Baoshan 保山市
Manglong 芒龙

Lincang 临沧
Cangyuan 沧源佤族自治县
Quannei 圈内
Shuangjiang 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县
Junsai 军赛乡
Zhenkang 镇康县

Qujing 曲靖市
Wopo 窝坡
Dahai 大海乡
Huohong 火红乡
Nagu 娜姑镇
Xitu 西土
迤车

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuanghe 双河

Yuxi 玉溪
Tadian 塔甸
Mosha 漠沙镇
Jiasa 戛洒镇
Xingmeng 兴蒙
Hexi 河西

Nujiang 怒江
Gudeng 古登
Bingzhongluo 丙中洛
Lishadi 利沙底乡

Puer 普洱
Fubang 富邦乡
Meizi 梅子镇
Mujia 木戛乡
Fuyan 富岩
Ankang 安康佤族乡
Wendong 文东佤族乡
Wenggake 翁嘎科镇

Diqing 迪庆
岩瓦