CULTURE & HISTORY
Culture and history | Yunnan · Dali
Begin with mountains and roads, then follow kingdoms, beliefs, crafts and generations of people who came to Dali.
18 articles
Read articleThe Importance of Yunnan in Chinese History: An Underappreciated Frontier HistoryIn most people's impression, Yunnan is the "faraway place"—it is romantic scenery, ancient towns and inns, and ethnic minority festivals and costumes. Few associate it with the main artery of Chinese history. But it is precisely this "faraway place" that has repeatedly played a role in shaping the course of China over more than two thousand years. To understand Yunnan, one must first remember a saying: the history of Dali is the history of Yunnan, and the history of Yunnan is the frontier history of China. Here, "frontier" does not mean "periphery," but rather "hub." Yunnan has never been a dispensable corner of China's territory, but rather a nexus connecting China with the three great civilizations of Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Tibet.Landscapes, routes and the wider world
Rivers, ancient roads and wartime routes connected Yunnan far beyond its mountains.
The history of Yunnan and Dali
A timeline from Yunnan's place in China to the kingdoms that shaped Dali.
Belief, architecture and craft
History survives in temples, villages, buildings and living craft traditions.
People who came to Dali
Explorers, scholars, missionaries and newcomers changed Dali—and were changed by it.
Everyday life and cultural memory
Coffee, markets, festivals, books and film keep local memory in daily life.
Dali Wild Mushrooms: Mushroom Season, Table Preparations, and 2,000 Years of Mushroom-Eating HistoryEvery June, when the rainy season arrives in Yunnan, mushrooms start to emerge. Yunnan has 2,753 known species of wild mushrooms, accounting for more than half of the country's total. This article describes the ganba fungus, jizong, qingtou fungus, matsutake, and jianshouqing on the tables of Dali people, how locals stir-fry them, how they preserve them in oil until next year, and also records from Zhuangzi, Bencao Gangmu, and Xu Xiake about Yunnan people eating mushrooms for over 2,000 years—as well as the safety bottom line that must be maintained when picking and eating mushrooms.Read article →A Table of Dali: Bai Home Cooking, Halal Dishes, and Dai FlavorsRead article →In Dali, Follow the Markets to Find FoodRead article →History of Yunnan Coffee: From Zhukula to a Cup at the Foot of CangshanRead article →Dali and Yunnan: Books and Films Worth Taking AwayRead article →Dali's Festivals and Market Days: Understanding the Bai People Amid the BustleRead article →In Dali, Eat a Few Meals SeriouslyRead article →
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