Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Early Maps of Yunnan

The history of maps in Yunnan began more than a thousand years ago. But it was the Jesuits who revolutionised mapping in China, producing the first accurate maps of the provinces, including remote Yunnan.



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


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.


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

Once an important salt-mining town, now the second largest town along the Heihui River north of Yangbi.


Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

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The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.


A well-preserved Bai merchant town with perhaps the best examples of Bai traditional architecture.



Unspoiled Weishan boast Yunnan's most beautiful county town, an important Taoist mountain and areas of strong Muslim and Yi tradition.

Markets this Thursday

Kunming 昆明
Banqiao 板桥乡

Dali 大理
Duomei 朵美
Nanxin 南新
Junhua 均化
Yangcen 羊岑
Niujie 牛街
Shanyang 衫阳
Maidi 脉地
Gudi 古底
Qinghua 清华
Yinqiao 银桥
Liuhe 六合
Heqing 鹤庆县
Taiyi 太邑彝族乡
Caojian 漕间
Qiaohou 乔后
Niujie 牛街
Dacang 大仓镇
Daying 大营
Puping 普淜镇
Junhuacun 均华村
太和社区
Hedian 禾甸镇
Qinghaiying 青海营
Hongyan 红岩镇
Qiaodian 乔甸镇
鲁庄

Lijiang 丽江
Liming 黎明

Xishuangbanna 西双版纳
Xiding 西定哈尼族乡

Dehong 德宏
Husa 户撒乡
Nangsong 曩宋阿昌族乡

Honghe 红河
Shengcun 生村
Nafa 那发
Dianwei 甸尾乡
Heping 和平乡
Jiache 架车
Baixian 白显
Zhongzhai 中寨

Wenshan 文山
Puyang 普阳
Banlun 板仑乡
Shupi 树皮彝族乡
Xichou 西畴县

Chuxiong 楚雄
Jiyi 己衣乡
Tanhua 昙花乡
Sanchahe 三岔河乡
Mixing 弥兴镇
Dongpo 东坡傣族乡
Guanglu 光路镇

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

Nujiang 怒江
Jiakedi 架科底乡
Pihe 匹河怒族乡
Dimaluo

Puer 普洱
Jiangcheng 江城哈尼族彝族自治县
Fuyan 富岩

Diqing 迪庆
岩瓦