Abstract: Gantong Temple, a temple famous during the Nanzhao and Dali periods, lies southwest to the ancient city of Dali, on the slopes of Gantong Mountain below Shengying Peak of the Cangshan Mountain range. Dali Gantong Tea, named after the temple, is one of the most famous local teas in Yunnan. Using historical documents, this article analyzes the relationship between Gantong Tea and historic cultural personalities. Then, with consideration of the present situation, discusses the characteristic qualities and development concepts of the tea.
Abstract: During Nanzhao Kingdom period, esoteric Buddhism was introduced into Dali area of Yunnan. Struggling with and adapting to the local indigenous religious, absorbing different cultural nutrients from Confucianism, Taoism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Chinese Buddhism etc., Azhali Religion was formed. Nowadays, being a unique esoteric sect, Azhali Religion has a history of over 1000 years. It had a greater impact on the provincial politics, economy, culture and other aspects. Since 20th century, domestic and foreign scholars were widely attracted by Azhali Religion, and many research results appeared. The paper gives an overview of the research progress of Azhali Religion.