Dian Lake (滇池), in Kunming--- the largest lake in Yunnan
Yunnan (云南)is a mountainous and plateau region on China's south-western frontier. The provicial capital is Kunming (昆明).
Around the 3rd century BC, the central area of Yunnan, around the present Kunming, was known as Dian (滇). Zhuang Qiao (庄跷), a Chu (楚) general, entered the area and set himself up as King of Dian.
It had since started a long history of migration of the Han (汉族) to Yunnan.
There are twenty six ethnic minorities in Yunnan, making it one of the most culturally diverse provinces in China.
The ancestors of the Yi (彝族), Bai (白族), and Naxi (纳西族) were closely related with ancient Di (氐) and Qiang (羌) ethnic groups in north-western China.
The Cuan Clan (爨氏) migrated southwards. They had settled and become rulers in north-eastern part of Yunnan since the Three Kingdoms (三国) period. The area was called Cuan---the same as the rulers' surname.
Later, Cuan was divided into Eastern Cuan (东爨) and Western Cuan (西爨). The inhabitants in the Eastern Cuan were called Wuman (乌蛮) and those in Western Cuan were called Baiman (白蛮).
The Wuman and Baiman were ancestors of the present Yi and Bai respectively.
A few kingdoms had been establised in Dali by the Wuman and Baiman.
However, Nanzhao (南诏) and the Kingdom of Dali (大理国) were both the most glorious kingdoms in the history of Dali.
Around the 8th century, Piluoge (皮逻阁), one of the Wuman kings, established Nanzhao with Dali as is capital. In its glorious times, Nanzhao covered the whole area of Yunnan and parts of Sichuan and Guizhou. Nanzhao declined at the end of 9th century.
Later,Duan Siping (段思平), a Baiman, seized power in 937 to establish the Kingdom of Dali with Dali as its capital. It covered the whole area of Yunnan and part of Sichuan.
The Kingdom of Dali was conquered by Kublai Khan (忽必烈) during the Yuan Dynasty. The Mongols named it Yunnan and made it a province of the Yuan Empire.
Since the Southern Song Dynasty, the province had been governed through a hereditary tusi system (土司制度). Tusi (土司) is a local ruler serving as an agent of the imperial court. The system was abolished after the communist came into power.
木氏土司历史文化馆
Natural beauty is found throughout much of Yunnan.
Yunnan province has a very unique topography. It has Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau (云贵高原) on the east and Heng Duan Mountain Ranges (横断山脉) on the west. The southern part of Yunnan is a tropical region with an altitude of less than 500 m.
Due to the great difference in altitude and geographical location, Yunnan has a diverse climate. There is also a wide variety of flora and fauna species found in the province. Natural beauty is found throughout much of Yunnan.
Yunnan province has a very unique topography. It has Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau (云贵高原) on the east and Heng Duan Mountain Ranges (横断山脉) on the west. The southern part of Yunnan is a tropical region with an altitude of less than 500 m.
Due to the great difference in altitude and geographical location, Yunnan has a diverse climate. There is also a wide variety of flora and fauna species found in the province. Natural beauty is found throughout much of Yunnan.
Kunming---the Spring City (春城 )
Kunming is known as the Spring City because it has all the year round temperate climate.
昆明金马碧鸡坊
Stone Forest (石林)
Stone Forest
Stone Forest is a typical karst landscape. The limestone region has been eroded into numerous pillars with fantastic shapes. Even sword, animal and human figures are found in it.
Stone Forest is one of natural wonders in China.
Stone Forest (石林)
Jiuxiang Karst Cave (九乡溶洞)
Yincui Gorge (荫翠峡)
Jiuxiang Karst Cave, a limestone region, is famous for its
magnificent caves, waterfalls, and terraced fields.
One of the caves in Jiuxiang can be used as a concert hall.
Coloured Sand Forest (彩色沙林)
Coloured Sand Forest (彩色沙林）
Sculpture of Nie Er (聂耳雕像)
Nie Er is known for composing the national anthem of the People's Republic of China, 《义勇军进行曲》.
Coloured Sand Forest is famous for its coloured sand formations and sculptures.
Dali (大理）
下关的风
上关的花
苍山的雪
洱海的月
the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple
崇圣寺三塔
The three Pagodas is a symbol of ancient culture of Dali.
The tallest, centre one, was built during the period of Nanzhao, while the other two were built in the later period.
Chongsheng Temple
Ancient Town of Dali (大理古城)
Our pretty Bai tour guide (金花), in ethnic costume and headgear , was chatting with her boy friend (阿朋哥) over the phone in the ancient town.
Residents in Dali are predominantly Bai. The Bai have only spoken language, no written language.
Lijiang (丽江)
Lijiang (丽江)
The Ancient Town of Lijiang, with a history of 800 years, is well-preserved. It is a maze of cobble-stone alleys, criss-crossed by canals. The running water in the canals is crystal clear, creating a very relaxed atmosphere.
The Ancient Town of Lijiang was designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.
Ancient Town of Lijiang (丽江古城)
小桥流水人家---高原姑苏
Dongba Scripts (东巴文)
The pictographic scripts developed by the Naxi are very beautiful,
but it is not practical for daily use. Now, only the priests know the Dongba Scripts (东巴文).
pretty Naxi guide (胖金妹) in ethnic costume
The residents in Lijiang are predominantly Naxi (纳西族).They are traditionally followers of the Dongba religion.
Mu Mansion
The rulers of Lijiang were all from the Mu (木) clan
Lijiang has no city wall. It is because the Chinese word 木 (surname of the rulers) would become 困 (Chinese word meaning 'trap'), if it is surrounded by 口 or walls.
Black Dragon Pool (黑龙潭)
The First Bend of Yangtze River (长江第一湾)
The First Bend of Yangtze River (长江第一湾)
Starting from Qinghai, Yangtze River flows southward to Yunnan and makes a sharp turn to the northeast at Shigu (石鼓) town in Lijiang. Thus, the First bend of Yangtze River, a V-shaped bend, is formed. The current here is torrential.
Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡)
Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡)
Legend has it that there was once a tiger which jumped over the huge rock in the middle of the river, hence the name.
Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of the deepest gorges in the world, is on the Jinsha River (金沙江)---upper reaches of the Yangtze.
Lying between the Haba Snow Mountain (哈巴雪山) and Yulong Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山), Tiger Leaping Gorge is well-known for its precipitous and magnificent landscape with high mountains, deep valleys, shoals and rapids.
Zhongdian (中甸)
Napa Lake (纳帕海)
tf 问好藏民:扎西德勒
tf 简直跟小乔初嫁了时的周瑜一样"雄姿英发".
Zhongdian, also known as Shangri-La, is a primarily Tibetan county in north-west Yunnan province.
It was said that Zhongdian was depicted as an utopia by James Hilton in his novel, Lost Horizon 《消失的地平线》, written after WWI.
Tibetan Folk Dance
扎西和佐玛一起唱藏族民谣
savoured the Tibetan snacks, 酥油茶 and 青稞酒
Lugu Lake (泸沽湖)
东方的女儿国
西方的山水画
Lugu Lake (泸沽湖)
The tranquil Lugu Lake, situated in the border between Yunnan and Sichuan province at an altitude of 2,600m, is surrounded by sublime mountains. It has clean fresh air and crystal clear waters.
In Lugu lake, we learnt the customs and ways of life of the Mosuo people (摩梭人) of the mystical Ladies' Kingdom (女儿国).
The Mosuo people, a subgroup of Naxi, who live there still retains remnants of matriachal society. Women have more power. Men and women are not united by marriage. They practise "walking marriage" (走婚).
The Mosuo generally have large extended family, living together under the same roof. When the girls are above 13 years old, they have their own "private rooms" (花楼).
小阿哥一边划猪槽船一边跟远处的小阿妹对唱山歌....matamie (我爱你)....matamie...
If a Mosuo woman is interested in a man, she will invite him to spend the night with her in her "private room". Then, the man will walk to her house after dark and return to his home to work early in the morning.
When their baby is born, the man will invite his relatives and friends to his house and announce the birth of their child. However he still lives in his mother's house. Their child is brought up by the woman and her family. There is no sharing of property between the man and woman.
The Mosuo live isolated from the rest of China by steep mountains. Even in the recent past, there were no good roads connecting Lugu Lake and other cities. As the area is unaccessible, it is not easy to implement laws on them.
amazed at the turquoise waters of Lugu Lake
It was the winter of 2006. It was freezing in Lugu Lake. However, I admired the gradeur of the snow mountain and the crystal clear and turquoise waters of the lake.
Lugu Lake is the 2nd Shangri-La I have discovered.
丽娥和先生从2006年3月到2009年3月一共游玩了中国7次。云南之旅是丽娥最开心的一次旅游。
泸沽湖是丽娥心中的 Shangri-La: 雪山巍巍, 湖水清澈。丽娥深深体会到大自然的神奇与奥妙。
