Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


古镇: Death-knell for Yunnan's Historic Towns

In China even the 'old towns' are new. Under the 古镇, or ancient town, moniker old towns are razed and their population driven out to make space for sanitized versions of Chinese history that drive the tourist dollar.



Rare Silver Pheasants 白鹇 can be seen roaming the woods of Tonghai's Xiushan Temple Mountain 通海秀山.


Jim Goodman: The Akha: Guardians of the Forest

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The Akha, in China known as the Aini branch of the Hani people, migrated from China southwards into Laos, Burma and Thailand. In this richly illustrated book J Goodman, aka 'Akha Jim', explains their life and culture.


A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.

Central point of the activities of the third day of Raosanling.



This old caravan town on the Jinsha River is Yunnan's gateway to Tibet.


Judith Shapiro: Mao's War Against Nature: Politics and the Environment in Revolutionary China

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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.


Dali's dragon boat races were held on the day of the Torch Festival.



Unspoiled Weishan boast Yunnan's most beautiful county town, an important Taoist mountain and areas of strong Muslim and Yi tradition.

Markets this Wednesday

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

Dali 大理
Duomei 朵美
Junhua 均化
Shunbi 順濞
Qinghua 清华
Shaba 沙坝
Liuhe 六合
Heqing 鹤庆县
Niujie 牛街
Zhongying 种英
Shanglan 上兰
Zhouguanying 周官营
龙街
Gongguoqiao 功果桥镇
Shangcang 上沧
顺荡
Puping 普淜镇
Hedian 禾甸镇
Hongyan 红岩镇

Honghe 红河
Zhicun 芷村镇
Shengcun 生村
Nafa 那发
Sancun 三村
Jiache 架车
Baiyun 白云乡
Zhongzhai 中寨
Yongning 永宁乡
Tutai 土台
Hongtian 红田

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

Chuxiong 楚雄
Maojie 猫街镇
Mixing 弥兴镇
Yaoan 姚安县

Baoshan 保山市
Xiaopingtian 小平田
Tengchong 腾冲县
Wama 瓦马彝族白族乡

Lincang 临沧
Mangka 芒卡镇
Boshang 博商
Fengwei 风尾镇
Mengjiao 勐角乡

Qujing 曲靖市
Wopo 窝坡
Fenghuang 凤凰
干海子
Laochang 老厂乡
Sandao 三道
Wuxing 五星乡
Xinjie 新街回族乡

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuanghe 双河
Menggu 蒙姑镇

Yuxi 玉溪
Chahe 岔河
Dalongtan 大龙潭

Nujiang 怒江
Lazan 腊咱
Lumadeng 鹿马登乡

Puer 普洱
Jiangcheng 江城哈尼族彝族自治县
Yongping 永平镇
Meng'a 孟啊

Diqing 迪庆
Zhonglu 中路
Kaifaqu 开发区