In March, Yunnan’s diverse habitats attract a wide variety of bird species. Here is a list of some notable birds you might encounter:
bird watching in Yingjiang
By following these tips and visiting the recommended locations, birdwatchers can have a rewarding and enjoyable experience exploring Yunnan’s rich avian diversity in March.
In February, Yunnan offers a rich variety of bird species due to its diverse habitats and mild climate. Some of the notable birds you might encounter include:
By following these tips and visiting the recommended locations, birdwatchers can have a rewarding and enjoyable experience exploring Yunnan’s rich avian diversity in February.
In January, Yunnan is a winter haven for many bird species. Some notable birds to watch include:
Gaoli Gongshan Mountain and Baihualing Birding TourYellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus)
By following these tips and visiting the recommended locations, birdwatchers can have a rewarding and enjoyable experience exploring Yunnan’s rich avian diversity in January.
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
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.
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
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 August 2, 2019.
The First Tropical Fruit Festival of Xishuangbanna was held in Jinghong city, southern Yunnan province, between July 26 and 28.
Xishuangbanna, as one of a few places locating in the tropical area around China, is particularly abundant in fruits.
The festival invited fruit growers from 8 different townships, 4 independent farms and a number of agricultural cooperatives to attend and bring their fresh and sweet tropical fruits to tourists.
Besides, various types of events and activities were carried out during the festival to show the special fruit culture of Xishuangbanna, including parade, fruit feast, games and cooking demonstrations.
The fruit festival is one of many activities that Xishuangbannna has organized or plans to organize this summer. Others include one food festival and a real-life escape room game.
The news was upadted on July 30, 2019.
The 2019 Weishan International Torch Festival took place in west Yunnan’s in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous Prefecture from July 26 to 28, with its climax on Saturday evening bringing spectators immense festivity.
Featuring a night spectacle created by 1,100 drones and 8 merry-making events, this year’s 3-day festival was jointly held by the Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) and the Yunnan Society for Yi Ethnic Studies.
And it was undertaken by the OCT Yunnan Expo Tourism Group and the Weishan Society for Yi Ethnic Studies.
The 8 merry-making events involved a stunning stage show, a carnival night, a Weishan snack show, a firework show, artistic performances and the Nanzhao cultural exhibition.
Among them, the stunning multi-dimensional night show, which was jointly staged on July 27 by over 200 artists from Shenzhen, Kunming and Weishan, amazed the audience a lot. Designs depicting the ethnic totem images were also popular during the festival.
The OCT Yunnan Expo Tourism Group and Weishan County signed an agreement in 2017, aiming to better conserve local ethnic culture, bring together culture and tourism, embrace the all-for-one tourism, and develop Weishan into a destination of fame.
This year’s torch festival served as a good example for fusing culture into tourism, and similar events by the OCT were concurrently held in other Yunnan scenic areas such as the Jiaozi Mountain in Kunming, the Laojun Mountain in Lijiang, the World Dinosaur Valley in Chuxiong, and the Hani Terraced Paddy Fields in Honghe.
The OCT is a corporation based in south China’s Shenzhen City. In July 2018, the company signed 60 plus culture-tourism projects with the prefectural and county-level governments in Yunnan, totaling a contract value of more than 100 billion yuan.
Source from http://english.yunnan.cn/html/2019/latestnews_0730/17364.html
Yunnan Travel Guide introduces useful travel information of Yunnan including travel guide, tour itinerary, trip, travel tips, attractions, top things to do, tours, transportation, weather, climate, food, restaurants, accommodation, festivals, nightlife, activities, education, shopping, photos and maps.
What Kind of Birds to Watch in Yunnan in March: Birds List In March, Yunnan’s diverse habitats attract a wide variety of bird species. Here is a list of...
What Kind of Birds to Watch in Yunnan in February: Birds List In February, Yunnan offers a rich variety of bird species due to its diverse habitats and mild...
In January, Yunnan is a winter haven for many bird species. Some notable birds to watch include: Black-necked Crane (Grus nigricollis) Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus) Himalayan Bluetail (Tarsiger rufilatus)...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
The news was updated on August 2, 2019. The First Tropical Fruit Festival of Xishuangbanna was held in Jinghong city, southern Yunnan province, between July 26 and 28. Xishuangbanna,...
The news was upadted on July 30, 2019. The 2019 Weishan International Torch Festival took place in west Yunnan’s in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous Prefecture from July 26...
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