Learning Bai
Bai 白族话 is the language spoken by the Bai people 白族 in the Dali area. While Chinese has become the lingua franca, Bai is still actively spoken by many, particularly older people, but it does not have a native written form and comes in many dialects. Here we list the available resources for learning this difficult language.
Early 20th century murals at Mangzhong Temple near Menglian
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 number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
An ancient Bai folk play form, preserved in Yunlong county.
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 Bai village rich in cultural heritage.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Shankang Tea Ancestor Festival | 14 Apr |
| Water Splashing Festival | 15 Apr |
| Yongping Watersplashing Festival | 16 Apr |
| Water Splashing Festival | 16 Apr |
| Mengzhun Watersplashing Festival | 16 Apr |
| Xu Xiake Memorial Event | 17 Apr |
| Mengdui Bada | 17 Apr |
| New Moon Ritual | 17 Apr |
| Gutianshi Temple Fair | 17 Apr |
| Mengdui Daba | 17 Apr |
| Buddha Relic Worship | 17 Apr |
| Seeing off the Emperor's Son in Law Ritual | 18 Apr |
Markets this Thursday
| Kunming | 昆明 |
|---|---|
| Kedu | 柯渡镇 |
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Nanxin | 南新 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Yangcen | 羊岑 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Maidi | 脉地 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Gudi | 古底 |
| Qiaohou | 乔后 |
| Zuòyì | 作邑 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Daying | 大营 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Taiyi | 太邑彝族乡 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| 龙洞村 | |
| 西庄 | |
| 鲁庄 | |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| 太和社区 | |
| 寅街村 | |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Qiaodian | 乔甸镇 |
| Lijiang | 丽江 |
|---|---|
| Shigu | 石鼓镇 |
| Xishuangbanna | 西双版纳 |
|---|---|
| Xiding | 西定哈尼族乡 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Shangjiang | 上江 |