From Niujiaozhai to Yuanyang
Yuanyang county, south of the Red River in the province's southeast, is famous for its Hani rice-terraces. With its splendid vistas and ethnic mix it is also a great area for hiking. Here we describe a moderate day-hike starting at the market-town of Niujiaozhai, passing through Yi and Hani villages and ending with stunning sunset vistas over the rice-terraces of Longshuba.
Hand-made giant sparklers, called "Fire Flowers" 火花, are part of the firework displays for temple fairs in Menglian county.
C. Patterson Giersch: Asian Borderlands: The Transformation of Qing China's Yunnan Frontier
Yunnan was not always China: indeed not so long ago large parts of Yunnan were only nominally part of the empire. To make Yunnan, outside the main Han cities, a Chinese province required significant effort. Here Giersch's study on Yunnan's hinterland makes an interesting if academic read.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Festival on Eryuan's Cibi Lake.
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.
Large Benzhu temple above Shangyangxi village.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Pupeng Zhejume Pilgrimage | 31 Oct |
| Dharmic Assembly | 31 Oct |
| Benzhu Worship | 31 Oct |
| Temple Fair | 01 Nov |
| Open Door Festival | 01 Nov |
| Benzhu Worship | 01 Nov |
| Anniversary of Yangbi County Foundation | 01 Nov |
| Benzhu Festival | 01 Nov |
| Dongshan Tuzhu Temple Fair | 02 Nov |
| Benzhu Festival | 04 Nov |
| Jingpo New Rice | 04 Nov |
| Benzhu Festival | 05 Nov |
Markets this Friday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xiangtu | 象图乡 |
| Hecun | 萂村 |
| Jiancao | 捡槽 |
| Gunipen | 沽泥盆 |
| Waxi | 瓦溪 |
| Wuxing | 五星 |
| Pingchuan | 平川 |
| Weishan | 巍山彝族回族自治县 |
| Qinghua | 清华 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Yangbi | 漾濞彝族自治县 |
| Baidangping | 白荡坪 |
| Niujie | 牛街 |
| Shaxi | 沙溪 |
| Dianzhong | 甸中 |
| Yousuo | 右所镇 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| 妙姑村 | |
| 汤涧 | |
| Xishan | 西山乡 |
| 北桥 | |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| 果城村 | |
| 大栗树 | |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 田口 | |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| Jijie | 鸡街乡 |
| Wachang | 瓦厂乡 |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| Puping | 普淜镇 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinhua | 新华乡 |
| Nafa | 那发 |
| Lengdun | 冷墩 |
| Lengquan | 冷泉镇 |
| Dongshan | 东山镇 |
| Jiache | 架车 |
| Shitouzhai | 石头寨 |
| Zhongzhai | 中寨 |
| Shiping Guanyin Temple Alley | 石屏观音寺巷 |
| Chezhi | 扯直 |
| Zhaotong | 昭通 |
|---|---|
| Menggu | 蒙姑镇 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Nuofu | 糯福 |
| Dashan | 大山乡 |
| Mengma | 孟马镇 |
| Fubang | 富邦乡 |
| Meizi | 梅子镇 |
| Dehua | 德化镇 |
| Mujia | 木戛乡 |
| Kangping | 康平乡 |
| Ankang | 安康佤族乡 |
| Liming | 黎明乡 |
| Wendong | 文东佤族乡 |
| 把边 |