Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


On the Statelets between Nanzhao and the Dali Kingdom

After the demise of Nanzhao 南诏, the Buddhist kingdom that integrated the tribes of the Erhai region in the second half of the first millennium, local strongmen proclaimed a succession of short-lived statelets before Duan Siping 段思平 in 937 CE established the Dali Kingdom 大理国.




Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.


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.


Ronald G. Knapp: China's Old Dwellings

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Few people know as much about Chinese architecture as Knapp: from palaces to humble homes he explains important building principles; the connection between environment and housing styles and the development of style over time. A section on minority housing styles complements the book.


The Yi in the southern part of Dali have a special Dance and Song Festival.



Best surviving station on the French-built Vietnam-Kunming railway.

Markets this Wednesday

Kunming 昆明
Shilin 石林彝族自治县
Longtou 龙头街
Banqiao 板桥乡

Dali 大理
Haidong 海东
Shunbi 順濞
Fengyi 凤仪
Shaba 沙坝
Weishan 巍山彝族回族自治县
Qinghua 清华
Yinqiao 银桥
Niujie 牛街
Zhongying 种英
Dianzhong 甸中
Shanglan 上兰
Wase 挖色
Zhouguanying 周官营
Hongyan 红岩镇
Shidongcun 石洞村
Gongguoqiao 功果桥镇
Luming 鹿鸣乡
Shundang 顺荡
妙姑村
Shangcang 上沧
Qinghaiying 青海营
Hedian 禾甸镇
北桥
田口
龙街
Puping 普淜镇

Honghe 红河
Shengcun 生村
Zhicun 芷村镇
Nafa 那发
Jiache 架车
Baiyun 白云乡
Zhongzhai 中寨
Yongning 永宁乡
Tutai 土台
Shiping Guanyin Temple Alley 石屏观音寺巷
Hongtian 红田
Chezhi 扯直

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

Chuxiong 楚雄
Maojie 猫街镇
Yaoan 姚安县

Baoshan 保山市
Hehua 荷花傣族佤族乡
Xinzhai 新寨

Lincang 临沧
Mengding 孟定
Nanmei 南美拉祜族乡
Banhong 班洪乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Wopo 窝坡
Kuangshan 矿山镇
Sandao 三道
Xitu 西土

Yuxi 玉溪
Fuliangpeng 富良棚

Nujiang 怒江
Lazan 腊咱
Lumadeng 鹿马登乡
Fugong 福贡

Puer 普洱
Jiangcheng 江城哈尼族彝族自治县
Nuofu 糯福
Dashan 大山乡
Mengma 孟马镇
Kangping 康平乡
Dehua 德化镇
Mengxian 勐先镇
Liming 黎明乡
把边

Diqing 迪庆
Kaifaqu 开发区