Yunnan - China's most beautiful province


Black Well, White Gold

Black Well, White Gold
Heijing is a small town in the northern Chuxiong mountains. Salt once made Heijing one of Yunnan's richest towns. Now its architectural splendours are being rediscovered.



The Gourd Festival 葫芦节 is the main festival of the Lahu people. In Lancang, its date has been moved into April to coincide with the county's foundation.


Jim Goodman: The Terrace Builders: The Hani and their Neighbors in Yunnan's Ailao Mountains

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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.


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

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.

Markets this Saturday

Kunming 昆明
Fazhe 法者镇
Shilin 石林彝族自治县
Tangdan 汤丹镇
Banqiao 板桥乡

Dali 大理
Zhoucheng 州城
Yongping 永平县
Paiying 排营
Lijiao 力角
Qinghua 清华
Shijing 师井
Caicun 才村
Diannan 甸南
Dali 大理
Huangping 黄平镇
Zuòyì 作邑
Niujie 牛街
Jiangwei 江尾镇
Zhongjiang 中江
Jindunjiecun 金墩街村
果城村
Changyi 长邑村
Xinjie 新街镇
Beiya 北衙
Mizhi 密祉镇
桥街
Puping 普淜镇
Liuchang 刘厂镇
Deju 德苴乡

Lijiang 丽江
Jiuhe 九河
Shunzhou 顺州

Dehong 德宏
Lianghe 梁河县
Kachang 卡场镇

Honghe 红河
Xinansuo 新安所镇
Nafa 那发
Sancun 三村
Daheishan 大黑山乡
Leyu 乐育
Longwu 龙武镇
Wuwan 乌弯
Jiache 架车
Xinxian 新现乡
Daheigong 大黑公
Zhongzhai 中寨

Wenshan 文山
Pingba 坪坝镇
Matang 马塘镇
Puyang 普阳
Funing 富宁县
Shupi 树皮彝族乡
Xichou 西畴县

Chuxiong 楚雄
Shizhong 适中乡
Wanyaoshu 弯腰树
Dahekou 大河口乡

Baoshan 保山市
Wafang 瓦房彝族白族乡
Mangbang 芒棒

Lincang 临沧
Yongde 永德县
Danjia 单甲乡
Mengdui 孟堆乡
Fuhe 复合

Qujing 曲靖市
Wopo 窝坡
Dahai 大海乡
Huohong 火红乡
Nagu 娜姑镇
迤车
Zhehai 者海镇

Zhaotong 昭通
Shuitian 水田
Linfeng 麟风

Yuxi 玉溪
Mosha 漠沙镇
Yani 亚尼
Yuanjiang 元江哈尼族彝族傣族自治县
Nanuo 那诺乡

Nujiang 怒江
Hexi 河西
Puladi 普拉底乡
Laowo 老窝
Aludi 阿路底

Puer 普洱
Mangxin 芒信镇
Lancang 澜沧县
Qiannuo 千糯
Fubang 富邦乡
Mujia 木戛乡
Ankang 安康佤族乡
Wendong 文东佤族乡

Diqing 迪庆
Xiaoweixi 小维西
Kaifaqu 开发区