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.
Laoxudian 老旭甸 in Shiping 石屏 has been dubbed Fossil Village 化石村 as the houses are built from sandstone containing many fossilised plants. In a region mostly inhabited by Yi, this village is entirely Han with the families from the Zhou 周 clan.
Liao Yiwu: God is Red: The Secret Story of How Christianity Survived and Flourished in Communist China
Liao Yiwu, one of China's most prominent dissidents, was driven out of China, but not before he used a period of internal exile to research Christian groups, mainly in Yunnan. In this book he tells the stories of the Christians of Dali and of Wuding county.
A number of Chinese historic texts covering life and politics in Yunnan have survived over the centuries. I have translated a few of them.
Yunnan's best preserved historic town.
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.
Remote temple in Weishan, site of temple fair.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Walnut Festival | 01 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 23 Sep |
| Yellow Dragon Temple Fair | 23 Sep |
| Autumn Equinox | 23 Sep |
| New Rice | 24 Sep |
| Across The Bridge Noodle Festival | 24 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 24 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 24 Sep |
| General's Cave Festival | 25 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship | 25 Sep |
| Benzhu Worship (Fengyu Area) | 25 Sep |
| Yangle Festival | 25 Sep |
Markets this Wednesday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Xintun | 辛屯 |
| Shunbi | 順濞 |
| Shuixie | 水泄 |
| Songgui | 松桂 |
| Shaba | 沙坝 |
| Yinqiao | 银桥 |
| Zhongying | 种英 |
| Gonglang | 公郎镇 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Shanglan | 上兰 |
| Zhouguanying | 周官营 |
| 三胜 | |
| 云南驿村 | |
| Gongguoqiao | 功果桥镇 |
| Shundang | 顺荡 |
| Caifeng | 财丰 |
| 寅街村 | |
| Shangcang | 上沧 |
| 前所 | |
| Midian | 米甸镇 |
| Miaojie | 庙街镇 |
| 龙街 | |
| 西庄 | |
| Houshancun | 后山村 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Zhicun | 芷村镇 |
| Lvchun | 绿春县 |
| Majie | 马街 |
| Baxin | 坝心镇 |
| Baiyun | 白云乡 |
| Xinjie | 新街 |
| Nanke | 南科 |
| Shuiguachong | 水瓜冲 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Jinping | 金平苗族瑶族傣族自治县 |
| Mengqiao | 勐桥乡 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| 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 |
|---|---|
| Manglong | 芒龙 |
| Lincang | 临沧 |
|---|---|
| Luodang | 洛党 |
| Cangyuan | 沧源佤族自治县 |
| Xinhua | 新华彝族苗族乡 |
| Quannei | 圈内 |
| Shuangjiang | 双江拉祜族佤族布朗族傣族自治县 |
| Junsai | 军赛乡 |
| Zhenkang | 镇康县 |
| Qujing | 曲靖市 |
|---|---|
| Baiwu | 白雾 |
| Daqiao | 大桥乡 |
| Jiache | 驾车乡 |
| Leye | 乐业镇 |
| Luna | 鲁纳乡 |
| Malu | 马路乡 |
| Sandao | 三道 |
| Shangcun | 上村乡 |
| Zhichang | 纸厂乡 |