The news was updated on August 13, 2019.

Topography in Yunnan features plateaus, rushing rivers, high mountains, and deep valleys. To scale the peaks, the industrious folks in Yunnan have blazed winding road sections on the perilous mountains.

68 turns at Jinganshao, Yiliang

The 68-turn road section at Jinganshao, central Yunnan’s Yiliang County, extends 6.3 kilometers in total, with the highest density of 42 turns in a matter of 3 km. The road section was built on a mountain ridge, dubbed as the “road with most turns in the world”.

Lining zigzag road

Known as the “18 turns for devils”, the Lining zigzag road section is the only access from Lijiang to the Lugu Lake in northwest Yunnan. The section passes through the Jinsha River Grand Canyon and it has a fall of over 1,000 meters. The road snakes along the cliffs near the Jinsha River, forming a spectacular sight.

Yongshan winding road

The Yongshan winding road section is located in Daxing Town of Yongshan County in northeast Yunnan. It poses challenge to drivers, but the roaring Jinsha River below and the chirping birds can be entertaining.

Matoushan winding road

With a mileage of 11 kilometers, the Matoushan winding section is part of the 108 national highway from Yuanmou to Kunming, Yunnan province. The road is built along the Matou Mountain. Seen from the mountain top, the road looks like a jade belt.

Balagezong winding road

The Balagezong winding road was actually carved out of the cliffs, and it took locals 8 years to finish building the road. With criss-crossing canyons, the Balagezong scenic area is located in Shangri-La, northwest Yunnan. The area was once cut off from the outside world by high mountains, including the Gezong 5545-m snow peak. It is the highest in Shangri-La.

Yunnan-Myanmar road

The former Yunnan-Myanmar road was built by 150,000 workers within nine months in 1938 amid China’s war efforts against Japanese aggression. This winding road section here has 24 turns along mountain ridges, and it is often covered with thin fog, with singing birds and worms on either side.

Despite the twists and turns, the zigzag road sections in Yunnan do form a visual feast for visitors.

Source from Yunnan Gateway

Introduction

Black Dragon Pool Park or known as Hei Long Tan Park, is located at the foot of Longquan Hill, about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of the center of Kunming. In this park, the most famous site is the Black Dragon Pool, which has an area of 600 square meters. The pool is divided into two parts by a bridge, and although the water is connected, the water at two sides has different colors and it is clear at one side but turbid at the other side. The fish in either side never swim to the opposite part of the pool. How strange! Moreover, for hundreds of years, this wondrous pool has never dried up, even in drought years.

Legend of Black Dragon Pool

An ancient legend lends the Black Dragon Pool its name; it is said that a long time ago there were ten wicked dragons that caused much destruction and did great harm to people. One day, one of the Eight Immortals of the Chinese legend ‘Lu Dongbin’ subdued nine of the dragons and jailed them in a tower. Only the youngest black dragon was left, charging with protecting and benefiting the people as the price of its freedom. This dragon is believed living in the pool till today. The pool is divided into two parts by a bridge, and although the water is connected, the two sides are different colors and the fish in either side never swim to the opposite part of the pool. Moreover, for hundreds of years, this wondrous pool has never dried up, even in drought years.

Attractions in Black Dragon Pool

1. Black Gragon Palace

Near the Black Dragon Pool is the Black Dragon Palace, which was built in 1394, in the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644), and rebuilt in 1454, in the reign of Emperor Jingtai of the Ming Dynasty. The whole palace consists of three halls and two courtyards, and the main hall features a stone plaque written by the governor of Yunnan in the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911) to praise the views here. The Black Dragon Palace is also called the Lower Temple, because when you walk along the stone steps, you come directly to the Upper Temple – the Dragon Fountain Temple – which is hidden among ancient trees. This 570-year-old temple includes Thunder Deity Hall, North Pole Hall, Sanqing Hall, Jade Emperor Hall and some other halls in which the deities of Taoism are worshiped. The Dragon Fountain Temple is the largest Taoist temple in southern China.

2. Three Ancient Trees

In front of the temple there are three huge and ancient trees: the Tang Dynastic Plum, the Song Dynastic Cypress and the Ming Dynastic Camellia. The main branch of the plum has already died of old age, but the remaining branches growing out sideways are still full of vital force and vigor. The 25-meter-high (82 feet) cypress has a very thick trunk – so thick that it takes four or five adults with linked arms to encircle it. The camellia is a prodigious tree which blossoms every year and always precedes the other camellias.

3. Pavilion of Stele

The Pavilion of Stele keeps many rare steles, tablets and plaques. The most famous is a tablet engraved with four Chinese characters – ‘Wan Wu Zi Sheng’ – which means that all things in the world are propagating and developing, flourishing and animated. The inscription was written by a famous Taoist of the Ming Dynasty named Liu Yuanran whose handwriting is vigorous and lively. The four characters are written in one continuous stroke and look convex but feel concave to the touch, owing to the unusual way they reflect light.

4. Tombs of Local Patriots

The Ming Dynasty was overthrown by the Qing Dynasty in Chinese history, and the potentates of the Qing were all from a minority ethnic group called ‘Manchu’. When the Manchu marched into the Chinese mainland and became the rulers, many people killed themselves to show their loyalty to the Ming Dynasty, including a scholar named Xue Erwang and his whole family. They drowned themselves, and the tomb of these loyalists is located beside the Black Dragon Pool.

Nearby Atrractions

In fact, centered by the Black Dragon Pool, there are also many attractions in this park, including Longquan Upper Taoist Temple and Lower Taoist Temple, Plum Garden, Azalea Valley, Red Maple forest, etc.. The Black Dragon Pool is only one of highlights of the park. There is a very cool stream running throughout the park and you can follow it up through bonsai gardens, different plantations and different types of trees.

Dragon Fountain Temple

The Dragon Fountain Temple is the largest Taoist temple in southern China. This temple was originally built in 1394 during the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty and later rebuilt in 1454 during the reign of Emperor Jingtai of the Ming Dynasty, so it has a hundreds-years-old history. The whole palace consists of three halls and two courtyards, including Thunder Deity Hall, North Pole Hall, Sanqing Hall, Jade Emperor Hall and some other halls in which the Dragon King (the God of Rain in Chinese mythology) and other deities of Taoism are worshiped.

How to Get there?

By Subway

To get here, you can take the Subway Line No.2 in blue to the second last stop Longtou Street Stop and walk 20 minutes to get there.

By Bus

Take bus 9, 79, 128 or 249 and get off at Heilongtan (Black Dragon Pool) Station.

By Taxi

It takes tourists about 40 minutes to Black Dragon Pool from downtown of Kunming.

Travel Tips

1. Best time to visit: From December to next February is the best time to visit, when is the flower season of plum and you can admire plum flower.
2. Tickets Fee: Free for children under 1.1m (3.6ft).

The news was updated on August 1, 2019.

The 2019 Kunming Zhenghe Cultural Tourism Festival opened in Jinning District, Yunnan province on July 11.

In the world history of navigation, there is a shining star, and he is Zheng He. Zheng is a Muslim navigator born in Jinning, central Yunnan. In 1405, a large fleet commanded by Zheng He left Taicang, east China’s Jiangsu province, kicking off the first of Zheng’s seven voyages to the Western Ocean. This happened 92 years earlier than Da Gamma’s journey around the Cape of Good Hope, and 114 years earlier than the inception of the around-the-world odyssey by Magellan in 1519.

Life story

In history of the Ming Dynasty of China, Zheng He’s life story is summed up in just 30 plus Chinese characters. It was not until 1918 when the tomb of Zheng He’s father, Ma Hazhi, was discovered in Kunyang County (today’s Jinning County), that the mystery of Zheng He’s life was revealed.

Zheng He, originally named Ma He or Ma Sanbao, was born in 1371 near the south shore of the Dianchi Lake, Yunnan. After Zhu Di took the throne in 1402 as the Yongle emperor, Ma He was conferred the surname Zheng as a reward and he was promoted to a fourth-class post official in charge of the eunuch affairs. In the 28 years from 1405 to 1433, Zheng He commanded over 20,000 men on seven voyages, visiting more than 30 countries and regions in Asia and Africa. The mileage of his voyages exceeded 150,000 km, and Chinese trade with local peoples was thus initiated.

Navigation 

At the beginning of this century, Zhu Jianwen, a Chinese researcher in ocean surveying and mapping, studied historical records and discovered that Zheng He’s fleet was equipped with nautical knowledge and reliable instruments. It was found that the timing for setting sails and returning home was sensibly arranges according to the seasonal variation of ocean currents, and they know how to use the compass and the stars to identify location or direction.

On the basis of maritime practices, the Zheng He Nautical Chart was later compiled and mapped, which is 20.3 cm high and 560 cm long. More than 530 places were marked on it, involving 30 plus countries and regions along the Asian-African coasts. More than 50 round-trip routes were mapped out, with rich navigational information attached. This is the earliest surviving nautical atlas in the world.

In 1985, an ancient-modern version of the navigation chart was worked out to mark the 580th anniversary of Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Ocean. The chart was a joint effort by maritime surveying and mapping experts at Dalian Maritime University. For the first time, shipping routes by Zheng He was put on a modern-day map in terms of navigational technology.

Treasure ship

In the legends of Zheng He, the treasure ship is almost as appealing as his life story. The treasure ship is the largest kind in the Zheng fleet, equivalent to an aircraft carrier or a battleship in the modern navy.

In the past decade, scholars have been working hard and the treasure ships have “surfaced.”

Chen Yanhang, a professor and expert in ancient shipping at Jimei University in east China’s Xiamen, tried to solve this mystery by referring to “Zhifang Waiji (Chronicle of foreign lands)” by the Italian Jesuit Giulio Aleni (1582–1649) and similar historical materials written by other foreign missionaries in the Tianqi Period of the Ming Dynasty.

Giulio Aleni detailed panorama of the large treasure ship, an 8-storey structure. To stabilize the treasure ship, sandstones are placed on the bottom. The second and third floors form two large storages for cargos and food, and both are 80 meters long, 36 meters wide and 2 meters high. The storages serve as the “supply hub” for the entire voyage.

The fourth floor takes the deck as its ceiling, with 20 emplacements on the ship sides. The 3,280-square-meter rooms in the middle are where 826 soldiers and junior officials live. The deck is divided into two parts, and 108 sailors live and work in the fore cabin.

The “rudder” offices on the ship stern are “brain” of the entire fleet. The rudder building has 4 floors. The first floor is where the helmsmen and medical officer work. The second floor is called the official hall. It is a place where Zheng He and other senior officials, as well as envoys from varous countries, live and work. The third floor is a shrine for the gods of Mazu. At the top of the rudder building lie venues for commands, meteorological observation, contact signals and others. On the deck between the fore cabin and rudder building, there lie artilleries and sail winches, as well as an exercise area which is equivalent to the size of two basketball courts. According to professor Chen, the entire ship carries over 1,000 men of varied posts and ranks.

On September 24, 2006, a modeled treasure ship of Zheng He was inaugurated in Nanjing. The model was designed in accordance with the size of the medium-sized treasure ship in Zhenghe’s fleet. The ship has a length of 63.25 meters and a width of13.8 meters, equipped with six masts and eight sails. The displacement was around 1,300 tons. This model ship vividly presents the world shipbuilding technologies in ancient China.

Legacy

Zheng He commanded seven voyages to the Western Ocean, leaving behind him different kinds of stories and legends in the countries he visited. In Southeast Asia and South Asia, a great many places are relevant to Zheng He: Sam Po Kong port in Thailand, Bukit China in Malaysia, Zamboanga port in the Philippines, and Semarang city in Indonesia.

In Champa (Vietnam), Zheng He told locals how to harvest rice three times in a year, and Champa has since gained fame for producing rice. He also let locals in Siam (Thailand) know about wood chopping, pottery making, and obtaining salt by evaporating brine. On the island of Cochin, India, a fishing method called “Zheng He lifting the fishnet” is still in use.

As the Indonesian scholar Usman Effendi said: “In Southeast Asia, Zheng He is respected by people like God. His name will be remembered for generations to come.”

Now in his hometown Jinning, the Zheng He elements are quite visible: the Zhenghe Culture Square, the Yongle Street, the Zhenghe Park, and the Yangcheng Inn, a Zhenghe-themed hotel.

Since 2006, a cultural tourism festival has been held annually in Jinning on July 11 in honor of Zhenghe, signature of the town and in whom the Jinning folks take pride.

Source from Yunnan Gateway

The news was updated on August 9, 2019. 

July 7 marked the annual Chinese Valentine’s Day. 

For many flower vendors at the Chajie Flower Market in central Kunming, Yunnan province, this is one of their busiest times over a year, for the soaring demand of roses. 

Red, pink and even artificially-painted blue roses were avaliable along with a great choice of wrapping papers and silk ribbons in stock. 

The prices of roses and some other flowers doubled before and on the Valentine’s Day, ranging from 200 to over 1,000 yuan. 

Sellers now can make personalized flower boxes depending on customers’ needs, and online booking and delivering services are guaranteed. 

Introduction

Tanhua Temple, also called Taohu Nunnery, is located at the foot of Jinma Mountain in the eastern suburb of Kunming City. With an area of 8 hectares, it originally was a thatched shack of Shi Shiqiao, a scholar of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). During the reign of Emperor Chongzhen(1628-1644), his grandson, Shi Tai, donated the estate for the shack whereon Tanhua Temple was built. And it rebuilt after the earthquake during the reign of Emperor Daoguang. There was an epiphyllum tree in the backyard, which came from India according to legend, which is called “tanhua” in Chinese and honored as “Buddha’s Flower”, hence the name “Tanhua Temple”.

Attractions in Tanhua Temple

Tanhua Temple is known for its luxuriant trees and showy flowers. At the beginning of the republic of China, the abbot Yingkong was good at gardening and famous in Yunnan. He made the trees and flowers in Tanhua Temple green and bloom in every four season. The plants such as peony, cymbidium, orchid, Myanmar osmanthus and Malus halliana were very famous at that time. Now, it still attracts a lot of tourists both at home and abroad every year.

Epiphyllum Tree

In the backyard there was an epiphyllum tree, which is called tanhua in Chinese, hence the name. The temple went through many renovations during the Qing Dynasty. It is well-known for its flowers and plants. It has been a scenic spot for more than three hundred years, and an epitome of Kunming, the Flower City of the Southern Frontier. The epiphyllum tree was planted in the side court of the depository of Buddhist Scriptures. There is a stone tablet on which four characters are carved “The Epiphyllum Brings Luck”. After the erection of the temple, the original epiphyllum withered and died. The epiphyllum now standing taller than the eaves of the templeeavefrom the root of the original one at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, and is about three hundred years old. It bursts into flowers in mid-summer. The big loquat tree in the backyard is said to have been planted in the early Ming Dynasty. In the South Garden there are flowers and rockeries with winding paths among the flowers and the zigzagging corridor surround the Lotus Pond, where you can watch fish. The East Garden is shaded by tall cedars and cypresses and include seven smaller gardens and a Children’s Playground.

Peony Flower

Whether the Spring Festival comes early or late, the peonies in Tanhua Temple can bloom perfectly during the holiday while the natural flowering period is usually in March and April. Thanks to the specific cultivation techniques which makes the natural growth law of peony broken. It is easier said than done. In the greenhouse of over 6,000 square meters in the park, different batches peonies are placed in line. The peony flower seedlings were like firewood sticks 2 months ago, however, they became luxuriant after more than 50 days. Besides complicated processes, the degree, the light, and the watering are significant factors influencing the time and quality of flowering as well.

Gardens and Pavillions

Tanhua Temple is divided into three parts, including the front garden, middle garden and back garden. The front garden is mainly base on the Sanjin Courts. There are pavilions, artificial hill, trees and flowers in it. The flowers and rockeries with winding paths among the flowers and the zigzagging corridor surround the Lotus Pond, where you can watch fish. Middle garden is bigger than the front garden. It is shaded by tall cedars and cypresses and includes seven smaller gardens and a Children’s Playground. In the back garden, there is a Ruiying Tower with a high of 48 meters, which offer for visitors to look far into the distance to enjoy the beautiful sight of whole garden.

Nearby Atrraction

Golden Temple

Golden Temple is the biggest and heaviest as well as the best preserved copper temple in China. It is a key national cultural and historical relics. The whole temple reflects the excellent metallurgical and casting technology more than 300 years ago in Yunnan.

Kunming City Museum

The Kunming City Museum is a historical museum and one of the popular tourist attractions in Kunming City, which is encompassed by the Yunnan Province in China. The museum is quite comprehensive for a local museum; all in all, it occupies an area of 5,000 square meters.

Kunming Zoo

Kunming Zoo, also called Yuantong Mountain Zoo, located in the Yuantong Mountain, northern section of Qingnian Road, northeast of Kunming city. Founded in 1953, with about 200 kinds of Yunnan specialty animals and rare animals in the world, Kunming zoo is one of the national top ten zoos and seven major zoos in China. As one of the eight scenes of Kunming, Yuantong Mountain is a willow leaf that is long and narrow. It covers a total area of 26 hectares and presents the most abundant and the most visited park in Kunming. The annual visitor even has reached 3 million people. The most attractive things are flower boom, animal and temple. Yuantong flower boom is regard as the most especial activity and is listed as one of the famous spots to appreciate sakura in China.

How to Get there？

By Bus

You can take bus No.132、z108、z99 to Taihua Temple Station.

By Taxi

It takes you about 20 minutes to Tanhua Temple from downtown of Kunming.

The news was updated on August 8, 2019.

The Creative Yunnan Culture Industry Expo 2019 opens in Kunming on August 8 and will last to August 12. This year, there are seven themed pavilions which exhibit Yunnan flower, Yunnan pottery, anime, electronic sports and so on.

Pottery exhibition is a highlight of the expo. Among the exhibits, well-known pottery from Jianshui and Huaning are displayed, showing the diverse culture of Yunnan. In addition, 20 world-class pottery masters from China, Japan, Korea, and Australia exhibited their artworks.

As one of the four famous pottery producing areas in China, Yunnan has abundant pottery resources. And thanks to the rich ethnic culture, the people from different ethnic groups have developed their own unique ceramic skills.

Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/craft_0808/17445.html

Brief Introduction

Guandu Jingang Pagoda is located in Guandu Township of Kunming City. Guandu Old Town is usually recognizable by Jingang Pagoda in front of Miaozhan Temple. Sponsored by Luo Gui, a eunuch who garrisoned in Yunnan in the Ming Dynasty, it was constructed in 1457. (“Jingang” is a kind of pagoda construction style originating from India. Buddhist pagodas designed in this style usually comprise two parts: the pedestal and the major part. The pedestal surface appears rectangle or square while the major part turns out to be a big pagoda surrounded by four small ones)

The pagoda is said to be erected to vanquish a devastating devil locally called “Luo Si Guai” (Devil Conch). As the core of the architecture complex of Guandu Old Town, Jingang Pagoda appears to be the oldest of its kind in China.

The Structure of Jingang Pagoda

Jingang Pagoda is composed of the pedestal and the major part. The surface of the pedestal is 10.4 meters wide and long, and 4.7 meters high; its base is hollow and has four gates spacious enough for vehicles to pass through. The major part of the pagoda is five pagodas the biggest of which is as tall as 16 meters and the small four ones all measure 8.84 meters high.

What to Do here?

1. Exploring Buddhism Culture

This temple management takeover attracted its share of criticism for commercializing Buddhism, but on a recent visit we found that Guandu Shaolin Temple felt more cared-for than when it was Miaozhan Temple. 

2. Studying Kung Fu

We sat down for a cup of tea and a chat with Yan Bei (延贝), the head monk from the Shaolin delegation, who told us that we could study Kung Fu for US$500 per week or US$10,000 per year, not including room and board. Not cheap, but probably worth it for martial arts enthusiasts who would rather learn Shaolin Kung Fu in sunny Yunnan than crowded and polluted Henan.

3. Tasting Local Foods

The majority of interesting things to do and see in Guandu Old Town is located south of Vajra Pagoda. A designated food street on the old town’s east side offers a wide selection of local eats including Rice Noodle(米线), Ersi (饵丝), Shao Erkuai (烧饵块), Yellow Pot Chicken, Stinky Tofu and Barbecued Chicken Feet, as well as food from further afield such as Western Yunnan and Burmese food at Ah Bo’s Burmese Cuisine or Kaili-style Sour Soup Chicken (suantang ji, 酸汤鸡).

4. Watching Kunming Opera

The old town is also home to one of the few places keeping the dying tradition of Kunming Opera (滇剧) alive. Gudu Liyuan Theater (古渡梨园) where the high-pitched singing in local dialect – Guandu’s Kunming dialect is considered the most “authentic” in the city – is accompanied by a small orchestra just offstage.

Nearby Atrractions

Major sights of Guandu Old Town can be briefed as “six temples, seven pavilions and eight shrines”, among which the earliest are Tuzhu Temple and Fading Temple.

1. Miaozhan Temple -the No. 1 of the six temples

Miaozhan Temple was first constructed in the 27th year (1290) of Zhiyuan Period of the Yuan Dynasty but was damaged by floods. It was reconstructed and shifted to the present site in 1325. There used to be two 13-storeyed dense-eave and solid pagodas of which the west one has been brought down by earthquake.

One can see a plaque inscribed with “Shao Lin Si” (Shaolin Temple). In 2008, Guandu District of Kunming and Shaolin Temple based in Songshan Mountain in Henan Province signed an agreement, according to which the latter is entitled to take over for 20 years Miaozhan Temple, Tuzhu Temple, Fa’ding Temple and Guanyin Temple in Guandu Old Town. Master Shi Yongxin, the Buddhist Abbot of Shaolin Temple, showed up to attend the opening ceremony of “Guandu Shaolin Temple”.

2. Fading Temple 

Originally erected in the Nanzhao Kingdom Period (around 756), Fading Temple underwent renovation in the 21st year of Guangxu Period of the Qing Dynasty. It covers an area of about 2,500 square meters, consisting of the Main Hall, the Side Halls, the Wing Rooms and the Gate etc. Being a column-and-tie wooden structure (Chuan Dou Shi), the main hall used to be the shrine of Mahakaya. The side halls and wing rooms are shrines of Buddhist and Taoist deities such as Goddess of Mercy, God of Fortune and Yuewang King (namely Mr. Yue Fei, a brave general in the Song Dynasty).

3. Tuzhu Temple

Originally erected in the Nanzhao Kingdom Period (738-937), Tuzhu Temple covers an area of more than 5,000 square meters and serves as the shrine for Deity Mahakaya (Da Hei Tian Shen)-a protector of the Nanzhao Kingdom. Mahakaya was in fact Siva in Brahmanism in Ancient India. After converting into Buddhism, he became a Buddhist guardian. When Buddhism was introduced into the Nanzhao Kingdom (Dali Area) from Tianzhu (Ancient India), he was enshrined as a “patron god” (Tuzhu) by locals of Dali.

Best Time to Visit Jingang Pagoda

Kunming do not have harsh winter nor hot temple, and is reputed as “Spring City. ” Belonging to the humid temperate type plateau monsoon climate, the average temperature of a year here is around 15℃. With the title of City of Eternal Spring, Kunming is a destination suitable for travelling throughout the whole year. However, the best time to visit Kunming is from March to October. One can find a lot of Yunnan ethnic celebrations during these times in addition to many fruits and blossoms within this period of time. Because of this, visiting within this time will take you the most enjoyment and delight.

How to Get there?

By Bus

You can take bus No.31 in the railway station to Guandu Ancient Town, or taking bus No.165, 169, 174, 185, 908, Kunming C74, and K15 to there.

Cycling

Cycling to Guandu Old Town is easy: simply get on Qingnian Lu, ride south until Guangfu Lu and head east until reaching the intersection with 043 County Road/Baoguan Lu, following the brown bilingual signs.

By Taxi

 A taxi to or from the city center will run around 40 yuan and is not advised during rush hour.

Travel tips

(1)Nearby: Kunming Luosiwan International Trade City;
(2)Hotels: Hotels available in the Old Town; or you can get back to Kunming downtown the same day;
(3)Food: Eateries and restaurants to suite all wallets there; local delicacies (snacks) are Guandu Baba (pancakes) and Er’kuai rice cakes etc;
(4)Folk Customs: You can choose to experience Guandu Temple Fair held during the Spring Festival; to see how traditional Er’kuai is made in workshops; to see Huadeng Opera and intangible cultural heritage facts etc.
(5)Climate: There is stronger sunlight during the daytime in Kunming, tourists have better take along sunscreen and sunglasses. Also people should drink more water and eat more fruit to prevent dehydration. Kunming has a saying of “Wearing the same in the four seasons” which means that Kunming has the two extremes that the seasonal variation of four seasons are change little or unable to distinguish the four seasons are the wearing characteristics of Kunming. So you can see different season clothing in the street;

The news was updated on August 6, 2019. 

Workers of China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group (CREC-5) use ice blocks to cool off at the China-Laos railway Ban Konlouang Tunnel construction site in the Namor District of Oudomxay Province, Laos, Aug. 1, 2019. Rainy season in the Namor District of Oudomxay Province, some 400 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane, is relatively cool in late July, while at the Ban Konlouang Tunnel construction site, located inside mountains there, Chinese workers are sweating. The 9,020-meter Ban Konlouang Tunnel is the second longest tunnel along the China-Laos railway in northern Laos, which is constructed by China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group. 

Rainy season in the Namor District of Oudomxay Province, some 400 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane, is relatively cool in late July, while at the Ban Konlouang Tunnel construction site, located inside mountains there, Chinese workers are sweating.

The 9,020-meter Ban Konlouang Tunnel is the second longest tunnel along the China-Laos railway in northern Laos, which is constructed by China Railway No. 5 Engineering Group (CREC-5).

With harsh geological conditions of faults, underground rivers, water inrush and mud, the tunnel construction site is known as the “Geological Museum”.

The construction has been listed as a key bottleneck of the railway project.

At the construction site, heat waves erupt from the depth of the tunnel, hitting incomers of the tunnel. In the steamer-like tunnel, even standing still, people can feel sweat dropping down.

When the reporter went into the under-construction tunnel in late July, Wang Hong and his Chinese colleagues were kneeling on an ice pile made up of dozens of large ice blocks.

“The happiest thing in this stuffy tunnel is to take a 10-minute rest on the ice pile,” Wang Hong said, smearing the sweat off his face. “Without the ice, I really don’t know how to continue with the job.”

According to Wang Hong, the average temperature in the tunnel exceeds 45 degrees centigrade.

In order to keep cool inside the tunnel and create a better construction environment for the workers, the CREC-5 project management has purchased an ice machine, only for providing some five tons of ice every six hours to cool down the construction sites.

“Look, so much water can be squeezed from my clothes,” the man, in his 40s, said with a light smile, adding that working in the tunnel for 10 minutes will turn the clothes into a “raincoat”, and working at this environment is prone to serious rheumatism.

Wang Hong, who has been participating in tunnel construction since 1999, has worked in more than 20 tunnels. He said the Ban Konlouang Tunnel of China-Laos railway is the hottest tunnel he has ever worked on and also the tunnel with the most difficulties.

Even so, Wang Hong and his team workers have set a record along the China-Laos railway for the monthly excavation length–186 meters.

After a 10-minute rest, Wang Hong and the workers drank their full kettles of water and then left the ice heap for the tunnel, while another group of Chinese tunnel workers have came.

In the evening, back to the dormitory with Wang Hong and his fellow workers, the reporter found the first thing they did in the dormitory was turning on electric blankets. Although it is relatively cool during rainy season in the year, the temperature at night in Oudomxay can also be around 25 degrees centigrade.

It can not said to be cold, but why do the Chinese tunnel workers turn on the electric blanket?

It turns out that in the rainy season, continuous precipitation not only brings coolness but also dampness. Workers need to prepare electric blankets and spend an hour or so every day to dry up their sheets and quilts.

According to Wang Hong’s team worker, Qiu Liping, they are working in the daytime in the tunnel, so they have to prepare electric blankets, instead of dry up the sheets and quilts in the sun.

Qiu Liping said that when waking up in the morning, he can see small drops of water on the quilt because of the recent heavy rains.

“Although the conditions are difficult, joining the Belt and Road construction makes me feel proud. Not only have I enriched my knowledge, but also improved my professional skills,” said Qiu.

Being the first overseas route connecting with the railway system in China using Chinese technology and equipment, China-Laos railway is a major project in infrastructure inter-connectivity between China and neighboring countries, and a major project in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative.

Ground-breaking ceremony of the railway was held in December 2015, and the construction of the whole route officially started a year later, while the railway is expected to open to traffic in December 2021.

The China-Laos railway has a length of over 414 km with bridges of 62 km, tunnels of 198 km under construction, linking Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and capital Vientiane. Operating speed on the route is designed at 160 km per hour.

The news was updated on August 5, 2019.

Though not as famous as the Green Lake Park, Nanping Street or other tourist attractions in Kunming, capital city of southwest China’s Yunnan province, the Xunjin Street is bustling with tourists recently.

The name “Xunjin” literally means “watching out the nearby Panlong River to prevent flood”. The history of Xunjin Street can date back to the Qing dynasty (1644–1912).

Located in the downtown area of Kunming, it is a typical old Chinese street. Nowadays, the street has become a model in preserving local customs while brimming with vitality after the implementation of a series of transformation projects. 

Renovated old factory buildings, creative wall paintings, fancy bookstores… every corner of Xunjin Street will make you know more about Kunming’s history and experience the city’s past and present.

As Kunming is a city blending the Eastern and Western cultures, walking in the Xunjin Street, you can see French buildings, as well as traditional Chinese pagoda, such as the Dongsi Pagoda. You can also have a glimpse into the daily lives of local residents.

Tips: Visitors in Kunming can take bus No. 59, 63, 90, 91, 98, 109, 118, 129, 161 and K12 to Xunjin Street. 

Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/ethnics_0805/17415.html

The news was updated on August 5, 2019.

With the summer holiday in full swing across China, many cities have seen surge of tourists. In Kunming, capital city of southwest China’s Yunnan province, there is also no exception, especially as visiting flower markets in the city become trendy.

Yunnan is of low latitudes and high altitudes, with an elevation drop of 6,633.4 meters from the Meili Snow Mountain in the northwest to the Honghe River Valley in the southeast. The province covers almost every type of climate that can be found in China and abounds in flower germplasm resources. Therefore, flowers grow well in all seasons here.

In Kunming, visiting flower markets is part of life for local citizens. To see and experience the local real life, many tourists choose to visit the famous Kunming Dounan Flower Market.

“There are so many kinds of fresh flowers for us to choose. And their prices are reasonable.”The Dounan market covers a very huge area and sells 1,600-plus species of flowers each day, giving tourists pleasant surprises and becoming a must-see for them. Now, the market ranks first in Asia in terms of total online and offline transaction volume and turnover.

In 2018, the Dounan flower market achieved a transaction volume of 6.73 billion flowers, with a turnover of 5.59 billion yuan. It recorded an auction volume of 1.79 billion flowers, which were worth 2.6 billion yuan.

Yunnan province, as a whole, has also made great achievement in developing flower industry. In 2018, in more than 80 large and medium-sized cities across China, seven out of ten fresh cut flowers are from Yunnan. Besides, the province has cumulatively developed 580 flower varieties, accounting for more than 60 percent of the national total of new flower varieties.

Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/travel_0805/17414.html

The news was updated on July 29, 2019. 

Photo taken on July 28, 2019 shows the closed Luang Prabang Mekong River Super Major Bridge in the north of the Luang Prabang Ancient Town, a world heritage, some 220 km north of the Lao capital Vientiane. With the concrete beam of the last span over Mekong River put in place, the main section of Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River railway bridge has been completed on Sunday, seven months ahead of schedule. The closure of the Luang Prabang Mekong River Super Major Bridge, one of the two cross-Mekong bridges along the China-Laos Railway, indicated that the railway project construction has made major progress in the 2019 civil engineering schedule. 

With the concrete beam of the last span over Mekong River put in place, the main section of Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River railway bridge has been completed on Sunday, seven months ahead of schedule.

The closure of the Luang Prabang Mekong River Super Major Bridge, one of the two cross-Mekong bridges along the China-Laos Railway, indicated that the railway project construction has made major progress in the 2019 civil engineering schedule.

The 1,458.9-meter bridge lies in the north of the Luang Prabang Ancient Town, a world heritage in Laos, some 220 km north of the capital Vientiane, with five main piers including 34 spans planted in Mekong River.

According to the Laos-China Railway (LCRC), which is in charge of the construction and the operation of the railway, the Luang Prabang cross-Mekong River bridge is a challenging task among over 160 bridges of the railway, involving the most complicated bridge building techniques.

With engineering quality borne in mind, the Chinese engineering teams have overcome the difficulties brought by the Mekong River with its turbulent current, rapidly rising water level in rainy seasons and non-overburden riverbed. The teams have also overcome the technical difficulties in building trestle bridge for pier construction.

According to the China Railway No. 8 Engineering Group (CREC-8), which is in charge of the construction of the two cross-Mekong River bridges of the railway, construction of the Ban Ladhan Mekong River Super Major Bridge is also advancing smoothly, and will be completed by the end of 2019, as scheduled.

As the first overseas route connecting China’s railway system using Chinese technology and equipment, the China-Laos Railway is a major project in infrastructure inter-connectivity between China and neighboring countries, and a major project in implementing the Belt and Road Initiative.

Ground-breaking ceremony of the railway was held in December 2015, and the construction of the route officially started a year later, while the railway is expected to be operational in December 2021.

The 414-km China-Laos railway links the Mohan-Boten border gate in northern Laos and Vientiane. Operating speed on the route is designed at 160 km per hour.

Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/latestnews_0729/17348.html

The news was updated on July 25, 2019. 

Every afternoon, crowds of young Western customers would get together at À Table, a French bakery and café not far from the Cuihu Park in central Kunming. Croissant, French sandwich and baguette are among the best sellers of this restaurant.

Getting up around 7 a.m. each day, Vincent, the owner of À Table, only prepares 20 baguettes each day, in order to make sure that every loaf that comes onto customers’ tables is as hot and fresh as it can be. “What I want to present is an authentic flavor which can be compared with any baked bread of France a century ago,” Vincent said. 

As a traditional and meticulous Frenchman, Vincent always keeps an eye on those details. “He felt in love with this old house when he saw it for the first time,” said Haiya, Vincent’s Chinese wife. “These brick flooring tiles and wooden walls combine perfectly with our desserts and coffee.”

“I enjoy my life in Yunnan very much,” said Vincent. And he is definitely not the only person that feels this way. In fact, quite a few French come to settle down on this land not merely because of its congenial climate, but the special historical and cultural tie between Yunnan and their homeland.

Yunnan, as a province near the French-controlled Indochina, used to be a popular destination for French adventurers back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many French readers thus have read about how fascinating Yunnan was via their reports and diaries.

A number of cultural similarities that Yunnan shares with France, such as the cultures of coffee and mushroom eating, are another factor which keeps enchanting the French nationals, just like Vincent.

It’s worth mentioning that the family of Vincent has a restaurant in France and what’s behind it is a forest rich in mushrooms. “Kunming is very similar to my hometown in this regard, and you can find various types of mushrooms within only half an hour’s drive,” he told us. “Bolete and Ganbajun are two of my favorite mushrooms in Yunnan.”

Other Yunnan-based French enjoy the province as much as Vincent does. While some of them run restaurants and hostels around tourist hubs or commercial districts, others prefer to live a “hermit” life in remote and mountainous areas where they can grow grapes, raspberries and a lot more farm products. “Those Raspberries topped on my cakes are all from their gardens,” Vincent told us.

À Table, meaning “the meal is ready” in French, now has become a major gathering place for the French community in Kunming, and anything in relation to Yunnan and France seems to be able to evoke customers’ interest here. Li Kunwu, for example, is a name frequently mentioned. As a Kunming-born comic writer, he is well-known for his work “Une vie chinoise” (translated as “A Chinese Life”) which is familiar to French comic readers. 

Now, Vincent can’t wait to brand his French family cooking among local Kunming citizens. “French Cooking is not always fancy and costly. A meal of about 15 Euros would also allow you to enjoy an unforgettable dining experience,” said Vincent. “I hope that food exchange could bring Yunnan and France closer than ever.”

Source from Yunnan Gateway