1875: Death of a British Diplomat
After Britain's 1852 annexation of lower Burma lucrative trade with China through its back-door seemed more than a distant possibility. But after a successful first mission up the Irrawaddy and into Yunnan in 1868, the second British mission six years later ended in tragedy.
The annual Bai Raosanling is one of the wildest temple fairs in the province.
Jim Goodman: Children of the Jade Dragon: the Naxi of Lijiang and their mountain neighbours the Yi
In the first half of the 1990s Lijiang had barely made its appearance on the Chinese tourism stage, even less so the then remote mountains of Ningland and Lugu Lake. Jim Goodman's account of the Naxi and the Yi draws back to a time where not everything was staged for mass tourism: an account of a lost world.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Bai rattlestick dance in the Dali region.
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.
An ancient exorcism ritual in Nanjian county.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Summer Solstice | 21 Jun |
| South Gate Festival | 23 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 23 Jun |
| Zhoucheng Patron Saint Birthday | 23 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 23 Jun |
| Danu Festival | 24 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 25 Jun |
| Southern Dipper Ritual | 25 Jun |
| Lizhi Festival | 27 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 29 Jun |
| Waxberry Festival | 30 Jun |
| Benzhu Worship | 30 Jun |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 三鹤 | |
| 顺荡 | |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| 三胜 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| 龙街 | |
| 前所 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Niujiaozhai | 牛角寨 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Tutai | 土台 |
| Hongtian | 红田 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Pingzhai | 平寨乡 |
| Banggu | 蚌谷乡 |
| Muyang | 木央镇 |
| Nanping (Majie) | 南屏镇 (马街） |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |