Yuányáng Mu-se LíncÅ‚ng BÅ‚b o Ji: gÄ…o To Nánníng Southeast Asia fix in X%2Å‚shungbÎnnÄ… JiÄ…nshu¨ X¸shuÅ‚ngb nnÄ… Shípíng Ka¸yu n (280km) YÄ…nshÅ‚n FÅ‚níng (p324) WénshÅ‚n 323 GÅjiÅ‚ Hónghé Méngzì Lose your way (and your cares) in the
Yuányáng 326 Lashio funky old towns of Lìjing (p267) and LüchÄ„n S¸máo Ha Giang DÄ…lÐ (p257), then strike out into the sublime countryside around them. HékÄ„u LáncÅ‚ng JiÅ‚ngchéng XÄ…SHU NGB! NNÄ„ Lao Cai Escape the hordes and explore the regional time-warp towns and villages of Shx%2Å‚ (p277),
MÅnglián Sapa M: ngm M: ngÅ‚ VIETNAM Wishn (p245), JiÄ…nchun (p274) and NuòdÅng (p248) J¨nghóng Phongsali MYANMAR M: ngh i M: ngh n Test your legs (and recharge your soul) trekking Tiger Leaping Gorge (p281), Southwest
(G nl nbÄ…) (BURMA) DÄ…m: nglóng China s hiking rite of passage LAOS M: nglÄ… Dien Bien MóhÅ‚n Phu Kengtung To Hanoi AREA: 394,000 sq km POP: 42.1 MILLION www.yunnantourism.net Boten (60km) Y Ú N N Á N YÚNNÁN JiÅ‚ng) Valley g n u (J¸nshÅ‚ r Nujiang Valley ha River Jins Mekong Ri Tuoniang River ver Thanlivin River (Lá n c Å‚ng JiÅ‚ng) Red River Black River 218 YÚNNÁN " " Climate lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com YÚNNÁN " " Language 219 occupied by large numbers of non-Chinese Wracked by ethnic disturbances, including FESTIVALS IN YÚNNÁN aboriginal people. They lacked good politi- the bloody 1855 Muslim uprising and even Festival Location Lunar calendar 2008 2009 2010 cal organisation and their chieftains either bloodier Chinese army put-down, YÅ›nnán Water-Splashing JÐnghóng, (13-15 April fixed in Western calendar) obeyed or ignored the emperor. was exploited by local warlords, European Festival X%2Å‚shungbÎnnÄ… In the Three Kingdoms period (AD 220 powers along the border, and the emperor. Sanyuesan Western Hills, 3rd of 3rd 8 April 29 March 16 April 280), a kingdom including parts of Sìchun It was the death of China, at least in the east, Kknmíng was formed when a rebellion by YÅ›nnán s with the arrival of Japanese forces in 1937 Fertility Festival Lìjing 13th of 3rd 18 April 8 April 26 April up-and-coming elite was put down. From this that was to ironically augur a better future Third Moon Fair DÄ…lÐ 15th-21st 20-26 April 10-16 April 28 April- time and throughout the Western Jin period for YÅ›nnán. Strategically located away from of 3rd 4 May (AD 265 316), YÅ›nnán crept ever closer to Japan s forces in the east, the province was Guanyin Pavilion DÄ…lÐ 19th of 3rd 24 April 14 April 2 May consolidation, and came under the jurisdic- used to shuttle material for the Allied war Festival tion of some sort of Chinese control. machine. Later, the Red Army would be wel- Three Temples DÄ…lÐ 23rd-25th 27-29 May 17-19 May 5-7 June The power base of YÅ›nnán also shifted comed by a peasantry that felt it had been Festival of 4th slowly first eastward to Qkjìng, then west- ignored long enough. Guanyin Pavilion DÄ…lÐ 19th of 6th 21 July 9 August 30 July ward. By the 7th century AD the Bai people Today, YÅ›nnán province looks firmly Festival had established a powerful kingdom, the back in the Chinese fold. It is a province of Torch Festival Shílín, DÄ…lÐ, 24th of 6th 26 July 14 August 4 August Nanzhao, south of DÄ…lÐ. Initially allied with 42 million people, including a veritable con- Lìjing, the Chinese against the Tibetans, this king- stellation of minorities (25 registered): the ChÔxióng dom extended its power until, in the middle Zhuang, Hui, Yi, Miao, Tibetans, Mongols, Guanyin Pavilion DÄ…lÐ 19th of 9th 17 October 5 November 26 October of the 8th century, it was able to challenge Yao, Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Lahu, Wa, Naxi, Festival and defeat the Tang armies. It took control of Jingpo, Pumi, Nu, Achang, Bulang, Jinuo and Note: Festival dates are subject to change check ahead. a large slice of the Southwest and established Drung. These groups make up more than a itself as a fully independent entity, dominat- third of the population, but they occupy two- ing trade routes from China to India and thirds of the land. Burma. LANGUAGE DÄ…lÐ airport has flights to Kknmíng and The Nanzhao kingdom fell in the 10th CLIMATE In addition to Mandarin (which here has been GuÎngzhMu. From Lìjing there are daily century and was replaced by the kingdom of YÅ›nnán has a stunning range of geomor- modified into Yunnanese, intelligible to native flights in high season to Chéngdk, ShÄ…nghÎi, DÄ…lÐ, an independent state overrun by Kublai phology 76.4m above sea level in HékÒu to Mandarin speakers but often not to you!), the ShnzhÅn and GuÎngzhMu (and occasionally Khan and the Mongols in the mid-13th cen- 6740m in the Tibetan plateau with an average other major languages spoken in the YÅ›nnán X%2Å‚shungbÎnnÄ…). From Shangri-la, Yunnan tury. Kublai s armies also brought in many of of 2000m and thus the official classifica- province belong to the Tibeto-Burman family Airlines flies to Kknmíng, Chéngdk, Lhasa, Southwest China s Muslims, who were war- tion as subtropical highland monsoon re- (eg the Naxi language), and the Sino-Tibetan GuÎngzhMu, ShnzhÅn and Guìyáng. riors from Central Asia. ally translates as dozens of microclimates. In family (eg the Lisu language). This, however, Destinations from JÐnghóng include The Ming dynasty purged the Mongols but the grip of summer (June through August) is a simplified classification home to half of Lìjing, ShÄ…nghÎi, and GuÎngzhMu, as well as YÅ›nnán resisted capitulation to the emperor s you can freeze your tail off in the north, China s minority groups, in virtually every direct flights to Bangkok and Chiang Mai in armies. Finally, after 15 centuries of resistance and in the midst of winter (mid-November county of YÅ›nnán you pass through you Thailand. Mángshì currently only has flights to northern rule, the Qing emperor cowed through late February) you can get by with encounter a different language or dialect. to Kknmíng, though at some point flights into enough local power-brokers into submission a light coat within a 12-hour ride south of Burma should be on offer. to gain a modicum of control. In 1658 this Kknmíng, the capital, which seemingly lacks GETTING THERE & AWAY The southeast is now only served by four part of the Southwest was finally integrated weather , its mean temperature never fluc- Air flights per week to Wénshn on their way to into the empire as the province of YÅ›nnán. tuating more than 10°C throughout the year. Kknmíng is served by all Chinese airlines and Nánníng, though the flight is absurdly expen- Even so it remained an isolated frontier DÄ…lÐ is also blessed with an ideal tempera- has daily flights to most cities. International sive compared to the bus. region, with scattered Chinese garrisons ture year-round, with temperatures rarely destinations include but are by no means lim- Kknmíng also recently saw the start up of and settlements in the valleys and basins, a dipping below 4°C in the winter months or ited to Hong Kong, Hanoi, Vientiane, Chiang the province s first budget airline Lucky Air mixed aboriginal population occupying the above 25°C in summer. Mai/Bangkok, Rangoon, Osaka and Seoul. which hopes to offer cheap flights to/from DÄ…lÐ highlands, and various Dai (Thai) and other More detail about the worrisome extremes: Domestic airports in almost all corners of and JÐnghóng, if not other places. We ll see. minorities along the Mekong River (Láncng in the frozen northwestern region around YÅ›nnán province are served by daily flights from Jing). Like the rest of the Southwest, YÅ›nnán Déq%2Å‚n and Shangri-la, winters reach chilling Kknmíng (and other major Chinese cities). Keep Boat was always one of the first regions to break lows of -12°C and summer temperatures peak in mind that some of the following flights are From 2004 to 2006 a number of adventurous with the northern government. During China s at highs of 19°C. And though GuÎngdMng s seasonal meaning you still may be forced to foreigners managed to snag rides aboard cargo countless political purges, fallen officials often southernmost peninsula juts a bit further fly first to Kknmíng and change planes. boats from JÐnghóng in X%2Å‚shungbÎnnÄ… to found themselves exiled here, which added to south than YÅ›nnán s own border with Laos, The northwest is linked by Shangri-la, DÄ…lÐ Chiang Saen in Thailand. Chinese authori- the province s rebellious character. to most, YÅ›nnán is the real south China. The and Lìjing. Mángshì and BÎoshn provide ties liked that not a bit and put a stop to it in Right up to the 20th century, YÅ›nnán X%2Å‚shungbÎnnÄ… borderline with Laos lies on Déhóng prefecture in the southwest with an October 2006. Coincidentally (?) at the same looked as much to its neighbours Indochina the 21° latitude meaning steamy subtropics; air link and JÐnghóng is X%2Å‚shungbÎnnÄ… s air time a new high-speed passenger boat began and Burma as it did to the Chinese emperor. here the summer months soar to 33°C. link. running the same route (and stopping off at Y Ú N N Á N YÚNNÁN 220 YÚNNÁN " " Kknmíng lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com YÚNNÁN " " Kknmíng 221 six ports in between). For more details see the anachronistic meandering, chugging night WHERE TO FIND OUT MORE boxed text, p331. train to HékoÔ on the Vietnam border. The provincial government has announced plans Internet Resources Bus to completely overhaul and upgrade the sys- Go Kunming (http://gokunming.com) is run by expats in YÅ›nnán, specifically Kknmíng, this
Roadwise, YÅ›nnán is what Sìchun only tem, along with other Association of Southeast site either has what you need or a link to where you can find it. wishes it were, with a comprehensive and Asian Nations (Asean; the members of which smooth bus network to all major destina- can t seem to agree on whose system to use as Letters from China (www.voyage.typepad.com/china/yunnan) is a good hub for links to gov- ernmental-, transport- and tourism-information sources. tions; no other province in Southwest China a base). This would also, officials claim, event- has laid new roads in the past 10 years as fast ually include Myanmarr, if they can lay track Yunnan Explorer (www.yunnanexplorer.com) is an outstanding resource with excellent back-
as YÅ›nnán. A few curlicue ribbons still lurk from Kknmíng to Ruìlì near the border. ground articles, maps, and thorough links. out there if you re planning to head off the Yunnan Tourism (www.yunnantourism.net) is the official site of the YÅ›nnán provincial govern-
well-trodden paths, but these are generally KjNMÍNG ff ment, it provides a good overview though fairly basic of all things touristy in the province. of the serpentine mountain-road variety %0871 / pop 1.01 million you ll get a bit of queasiness perhaps but no YÅ›nnán means South of the Clouds , and Books tailbone smashing. (The worst are routes are Kknmíng, with the apt moniker Spring City , Consider the following brief list of eminent books for YÅ›nnán- or China-centric reading: between JÐnghóng and the DÄ…lÐ, BÎoshn or couldn t be a better meteorological metaphor Anything by Jonathan Spence, in particular his books The Search for Modern China and God s
Déhóng for Ruìlì prefectures.) for a place far from inclement weather. Indeed, Chinese Son. Expressways link Kknmíng with DÄ…lÐ (and the climate is generally the first thing travel- South of the Clouds: Tales from Yunnan, edited by Guo Xu and Lucien Miller. This fascinating
will eventually link with Lìjing), south to lers notice about the place. At an elevation of anthology of YÅ›nnán tales provides a wonderful thumbnail sketch of the cultural ethos of the BÎoshn and JÐnghóng, and southeast to GÅjiÅ‚, 1890m, Kknmíng has a milder climate than province and its people. JiÄ…nshuÐ and virtually every other city nearby most other Chinese cities (and other areas of mentioned in this book. These expressway the province). Winters are short, sunny and Mr China s Son, A Villager s Life, He Liyi. You cannot possibly be unmoved by this account of
networks also link Kknmíng with Sìchun, dry, though definitely a bit chilly in the shade. a simple man s ordeal during China s 20th-century upheavals. Mr He, a Bai from DÄ…lÐ, was GuìzhMu and GuÎngx%2Å‚, and at the time of writ- Snow isn t entirely unheard of, though these unlucky enough to have studied English, a crime for which he later found himself sent to the ing to the border with Laos (and ultimately spells are quite brief and it ll still be warmer countryside and otherwise persecuted for much of his life. In the end, he wound up sharing Thailand). For Vietnam and Myanmar these than the north! In summer (June to August) his wondrous outlook on life with foreign travellers in his café (now closed) in DÄ…lÐ. cushy highways only get close. Kknmíng has more rain but it offers cool Soul Mountain, Gao Xingjian. The Nobel prize winner for literature, Gao weaves a search for
respite to anyone coming in from Chéngdk, his own soul mountain as he wanders about the countryside of Southwest China. Brilliant. Train Chóngqìng or China s tropical neighbours to Anything by Joseph Rock. Seriously. The Ancient Nakhi Kingdom of Southwest China is Joseph
Arriving in (or departing from) YÅ›nnán by the south. Indeed, it will be this first breath Rock s definitive work, along with his Naxi dictionary. For an insight into the man and his train to Kknmíng is generally a snap, though, of fresh air in a long while that will probably work, take a look at In China s Border Provinces: The Turbulent Career of Joseph Rock, Botanist- as always, do not expect middle-berth hard- begin your infatuation with the city. Explorer by JB Sutton, or Rock s many archived articles for National Geographic. sleeper ticket miracles on short notice for the Given this fresh climate, it s not surprising most popular routes. that the capital of China s Greenhouse is not The Age of Wild Ghosts: Memory, Violence, and Place in Southwest China, Erik Mueggler. A
Railways link YÅ›nnán to GuìzhMu, GuÎngx%2Å‚ unlike one big park, with tree- and flower- compelling account of a Tibetan-Burmese minority community on the fringes literally and and Sìchun and further afield throughout the lined boulevards every which way. Sure, traf- figuratively of the Han world in the 20th century. country. Book early for trains to Chéngdk, fic is worsening by the minute the Spring probably the most popular route, and Guìlín; City s legendary breezes are having a harder for the latter, consider the eminently more time blowing away the resulting haze and ing areas are home to some Yí, Hui and Miao weapons, drums, paintings, and silver, jade easily nabbed ticket to Nánníng on the Nan- most of the city s quaint architecture has gone groups. There are also Vietnamese refugees- and turquoise jewellery that suggest a well- kun Railway. (neon is rare enough however that you can turned-immigrants who fled the Sino-Vietnam- developed culture and provide clues to a very Development of the railways has been actually see a few stars at night in the heart of ese border clashes that started in 1977. sketchy early history of the city. slower inside YÅ›nnán than elsewhere in downtown), but in the end you ll likely find It s an enormous municipality at some During the Warring States period the king- China; it was only a decade or so ago that the yourself quite cosy here and spend more time 6100 sq km. The city is surrounded on three dom of Dian was established close to present- passenger line was extended west to gotta-go- than you d thought. sides by the mountain ranges of the YÅ›nnán- day Kknmíng. The first Chinese prefecture, there DÄ…lÐ (a fu