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.
An important Dai festival traditionally marking the beginning of the summer retreat for monks.
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.
Shaxi is the most complete historic ensemble of a caravan town in Yunnan.
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.
Traditional Bai vernacular architecture with buildings to three sides and a screenwall.
Largest Miao village in the Kunming area with a large Christian community and a nationally-acclaimed church-choir.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Ghost Month | 13 Aug |
| Longkan Ghost Festival | 13 Aug |
| Ghost Month Ritual | 14 Aug |
| Dicang Fair | 15 Aug |
| Wild Mushroom Festival | 16 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 17 Aug |
| Mule Fair | 17 Aug |
| Qixi Festival | 19 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 19 Aug |
| Benzhu Worship | 21 Aug |
| Moerduo Temple Fair | 22 Aug |
| Playing the Fragrant Dragon | 23 Aug |
Markets this Saturday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Zhoucheng | 州城 |
| Yongping | 永平县 |
| Lijiao | 力角 |
| Paiying | 排营 |
| Shijing | 师井 |
| Fengyi | 凤仪 |
| Wase | 挖色 |
| Diannan | 甸南 |
| Yongjian | 永连 |
| Dacang | 大仓镇 |
| Jiangwei | 江尾镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| 桥街 | |
| Liuchang | 刘厂镇 |
| 蛇街 | |
| Deju | 德苴乡 |
| Changyi | 长邑村 |
| Jindunjiecun | 金墩街村 |
| Shidongcun | 石洞村 |
| 果城村 | |
| Luming | 鹿鸣乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街镇 |
| Mizhi | 密祉镇 |
| 妙姑村 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Xinansuo | 新安所镇 |
| Daheishan | 大黑山乡 |
| Leyu | 乐育 |
| Shalatuo | 沙拉托 |
| Xinxian | 新现乡 |
| Tongchang | 铜厂 |
| Zhemi | 者米拉祜族乡 |
| Panzihua | 攀枝花 |
| Yuxi | 玉溪 |
|---|---|
| Mosha | 漠沙镇 |
| Xingmeng | 兴蒙 |
| Hexi | 河西 |
| Fuliangpeng | 富良棚 |
| Puer | 普洱 |
|---|---|
| Lancang | 澜沧县 |
| Donghui | 东回镇 |
| Fubang | 富邦乡 |
| Xuelin | 雪林佤族乡 |
| Menglian | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 |
| Mengsuo | 勐梭镇 |
| Mujia | 木戛乡 |
| Ankang | 安康佤族乡 |
| Wendong | 文东佤族乡 |