Dancing under the Moonlight: the Costume Festival of Zhizuo
As villages go, Zhizuo could hardly be more remote. Some 70km from the county town, first along a winding mountain road, then on a deeply rutted track without public transport: even in the dry season it takes several hours and a bit of stamina to reach. Yet, at least on the first full moon of the year, the effort is worth it, as Zhizuo holds one of Yunnan's most colourful festivals, the Dress Competition Festival or Caizhuangjie 赛装节.
In Huize, the old capital of copper in Yunnan, many splendid guildhalls survive.
Jim Goodman: Living in Shangrila: Tibetans and Mosuo in Northwest Yunnan
Abstract: When Diqing Prefecture, opened its doors to foreign visitors in 1992, tourist agencies and government officials promoted Zhongdian County as the Shangrila of James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. In 2001 the city officially changed its name to Shangrila. On a high plateau of over 3200 meters, surrounded by snow covered mountain peaks, inhabited mainly by relatively prosperous, friendly and contented Tibetans, with beautiful monasteries, lakes, forests and summer flowers, the county’s scenery and lifestyle certainly bore a strong resemblance to that in the novel. Living in Shangrila describes the life and environment of the Tibetan people throughout Diqing Prefecture. It also examines their neighbors the Mosuo, a branch of the Naxi nationality, who adopted Tibetan Buddhism as their religion, but are still mainly a matrilineal society, unique to Yunnan, living around Lugu Lake, the most picturesque body of water in the province. The book includes over 200 photographs.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Rushan is a dried cheese made from cow-milk.
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.
One of the biggest Bai festivals.
Hometown of many Bai merchants, Xizhou boast some impressive architecture.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Pear Flower Festival | 17 Mar |
| Women's Sun Festival | 19 Mar |
| Madeng Trade Fair | 19 Mar |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu) | 19 Mar |
| Dragon Worship | 20 Mar |
| Wrestling Festival | 20 Mar |
| Benzhu Festival | 20 Mar |
| Benzhu Festival | 20 Mar |
| Tuzhu Festival | 20 Mar |
| Dragon Worship | 20 Mar |
| Seniors' Honours | 20 Mar |
| Benzhu Festival | 20 Mar |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| 桥街 | |
| 前所 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Wuwan | 乌弯 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Daheigong | 大黑公 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Shuanghe | 双河 |