The Bai in Early Chinese Minority Film
After Liberation in 1949 Chinese cinema became a propaganda medium for the New China. The 1950 saw cinemas spreading to all towns, showing movies meant to increase the socialist spirit and fostering national unit. China's ethnic minorities often featured in these films before the Cultural Revolution. Only after its end played ethnic minority themes a role again. Here we look at films from before 2000 that feature the Bai minority.
The horse races at the Third Month Fair, made famous in the movie Five Golden Flowers 五朵金花, are getting ever more professional.
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.
Reconstructed Qing Wenmiao, in a nice park setting.
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.
Biggest festival in the Dali region, once Bai New Year.
With its well-preserved architecture and tranquil atmosphere, Weishan's capital is Yunnan's most beautiful county town.
Upcoming Festivals
| Name | Date |
|---|---|
| Benzhu Worship | 27 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship (Jianchuan Area) | 27 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 28 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 28 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 28 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 28 Jul |
| Taliu Pancake Festival | 29 Jul |
| Tuanjie Torch Festival | 29 Jul |
| Benzhu Worship | 29 Jul |
| Mishi Festival | 29 Jul |
| Torch Festival | 29 Jul |
| Yi Torch Festival | 29 Jul |
Markets this Sunday
| Dali | 大理 |
|---|---|
| Jiuzhou | 旧州 |
| Sanying | 三营 |
| Yunlong | 云龙县 |
| Dali | 大理 |
| Caicun | 才村 |
| Beitou | 北头 |
| Binchuan | 宾川县 |
| Liantie | 炼铁 |
| Lawu | 拉乌 |
| Huangping | 黄平镇 |
| Changxin | 长新 |
| Jianchuan | 剑川县 |
| Zhongjiang | 中江 |
| Eryuan | 洱源县 |
| Pingpo | 平坡 |
| Honghe | 红河 |
|---|---|
| Pingbian | 屏边苗族自治县 |
| Diema | 垤玛 |
| Mengzi | 蒙自县 |
| Liangdi | 浪堤 |
| Azhahe | 阿扎河 |
| Chake | 岔科 |
| Jiayin | 甲寅 |
| Shaochong | 哨冲镇 |
| Baohua | 宝华 |
| Mengping | 勐坪 |
| Yongning | 永宁乡 |
| Luoen | 洛恩 |
| Niujie | 牛街镇 |
| Laomeng | 老勐 |
| Wenshan | 文山 |
|---|---|
| Zhujie | 朱街镇 |
| Guangnan | 广南县 |
| Shuanglongying | 双龙营乡 |
| Lida | 里达镇 |
| Mugan | 木杆 |
| Zhulin | 珠琳镇 |
| Pingyuan | 平远 |
| Funing | 富宁县 |
| Zhesang | 者桑乡 |
| Babao | 八宝镇 |
| Baoshan | 保山市 |
|---|---|
| Xiaopingtian | 小平田 |
| Wama | 瓦马彝族白族乡 |
| Tengchong | 腾冲县 |
| Diqing | 迪庆 |
|---|---|
| Kangpu | 康普 |