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.
The watermills in Fengqing's Gumo village operate just like a thousand years ago.
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.
An isolated Bai town with rich culture.
John Israel: Lianda: A Chinese University in War and Revolution
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.
Reconstructed Qing Wenmiao, in a nice park setting.
An unspoilt Tibetan area along the Zhibaluo River.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Flower Festival | 17 Jun |
| "Southern Silk Road" Trade Fair | 19 Jun |
| Asian Valentines Day | 19 Jun |
| Horse Races | 19 Jun |
| Harp Festival | 21 Jun |
| Summer Solstice | 21 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyi Area) | 22 Jun |
| "Sharpen the Knife" Festival | 27 Jun |
| Chief's Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jun |
| Dandao Temple Fair | 27 Jun |
| Full Moon Ritual | 29 Jun |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Junhua | 均化 |
| Duomei | 朵美 |
| Shanyang | 衫阳 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Liuhe | 六合 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Heqing | 鹤庆县 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Caojian | 漕间 |
| Shuanglang | 双廊镇 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Minjian | 民建乡 |
| 青苗 | |
| 龙洞村 | |
| Niujie | 牛街彝族乡 |
| Shalong | 沙龙镇 |
| Longjie | 龙街 |
| Junhuacun | 均华村 |
| Xiazhuang | 下庄镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Mengla | 勐拉 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Sancun | 三村 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Maandi | 马鞍底 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Shadou | 沙斗 |
| Pingyuan | 平远 |
| Nijiao | 腻脚彝族乡 |
| Zhesang | 者桑乡 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Donggan | 董干镇 |
| Tienpeng | 田蓬镇 |
| Babao | 八宝镇 |
| Jiumo | 旧莫乡 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Daibu | 待补镇 |
| Fenghuang | 凤凰 |
| 干海子 | |
| Laochang | 老厂乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Wuxing | 五星乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街回族乡 |
| Yangmeishan | 杨梅山 |