栏目
FOCUS | 焦点
National geological parks in Yunnan
云南国家地质公园
In Hemu Village of Tengchong County in western Yunnan, nearly all the roads, walls and stone steps are built with lava rocks from three nearby dormant volcanoes perched in the Volcano National Park. Peering down from the rim of one of these quiet volcanoes, we saw the wok-like crater blanketed with vegetation of unknown species.
The Laojun mountain range in Lijiang is home to the Lisu people who have been dwelling for generations in solitude amid its cliffs which is known as ‘Danxia’ landform with its unique reddish topographical features, and vast expanse of forests. The Danxia geological spectacle of the Thousand Turtle Hill resembles the patterns on the shells of a ‘Thousand Turtles’, all crawling eastwards where the sun rises.
The Naro worm fossil that was rediscovered with an accidental hammer strike by paleontologist Hou Xianguang three decades ago has unfolded the ancient sea-world of more than 530 million years ago in Maotian Mountain of Chengjiang County. The dexterous Mother Nature has crafted countless amazing geological wonders, and her breathtaking masterpieces in Yunnan continue to astound visitors.
腾冲和睦村，村中几乎所有道路、房屋墙壁、石阶都用火山石铺成。离和睦村不远的火山地质国家公园内，三座休眠火山静静矗立着，登临其中一火山口下望，整座火山犹如一口铁锅，“锅底”长满了各种不知名的植物。
黎明老君山，世代生活于此的傈僳族，隐没在丹霞峭壁之间，繁衍于茫茫林海之中。在丹霞地质奇观千龟山上，成千上百只“石龟”爬行的方向，都是太阳升起的东方。
30 多年前，地质古生物学家侯先光在澄江帽天山不经意敲下的一锤，敲出了“纳罗虫”化石，也敲出了距今5.3 亿年前海洋动物世界的面貌。大自然的鬼斧神工，造就了一个个地质奇观，令人称奇。而云南地质的神奇与巧夺天工，一直以来都令人惊羡。
EVENTS | 动态
2016中国昆明泛亚石博览会
2016 China Kunming Pan-Asia Stone Expo was held in Kunming International Convention & Exhibition Center. Besides exhibitors from Chinese mainland, Hongkong SAR and Taiwan, participants from 23 countries and regions also attended the expo where the king agate weighing 19kg and the Nanmu (phoebe,machilus) root carving worth 9.99 million yuan became the focuses of attention.
The Chili Festival was held in Songcheng Resort of Lijiang. Chilimunching challengers gatheredand competed, while sitting in large vats full of chilies. A tourist from Sichuan won the top prize of a 24k gold chili that is worth RMB 10,000, after devouring over 40 infamously hot Xiaomila chilies (Capsicum frutescence) in two minutes.
Large crowd formed at Tiger Leaping Gorge towitness the jaw-dropping "super flash flood", ultimately resulted from the influence of the global El Nino. Spectators took satisfying snapshots as the mountain torrent rushed along the valley, right under their nose, and negotiated its way through sinisterly rocky riverbed with thunderous and misty shattered waves which rained back to the timber boardwalk. The Tiger Leaping Gorge is located 105 km away from the government seat of Shangri-La City, Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture.
NATURE | 自然
Western black crested gibbons:Forest elves
林中精灵 西黑冠长臂猿
I once had an old-fashioned flashlight with aniron shell, and it accompanied me from the 1970s to 1990s, and even till the end of the millennium. The flashlight took two C-batteries,which had the trademark design of a swinging gibbon. Even today, the battery logo is fresh in my memory.
As one of the four genera of apes, western black crested gibbons and humans have a lot in common. They can imitate some human behaviors, such as walking upright both on the ground and inthe trees, or sitting cross-legged on tree limbs.
上世纪70 年代至90 年代，甚至到2000 年，我曾用过一种会生锈的铁皮手电筒，里面通常要装两节2号电池，电池的商标我至今还记忆犹新。商标上，一只长臂猿轻舒长臂，飘逸灵秀、身手不凡。
VILLAGES | 村寨
Lushi: An old town on Tea Horse Road
鲁史时光 茶马驿站
Located in Fengqing County of Lincang City near the Lancang-Mekong River, the old town of Lushi was a key stop on the ancient Tea Horse Road. This trail was a part of the Southern Silk Road of the Tang (618-907) and Song ( 9 6 0 -1 2 7 9 ) dynasties. As the elderly often say, Lushi would not have existed without the trade route. The novelist HuXingneng describes the town as a time capsule, where time seems to have come to a halt and the old days linger on.
Some 700 years have passed since the bygone days of the old town, and now we can no longer hear the hustle and bustle of the horse caravans. However, the ancient buildings and senior residents in town still remind us of the glorious past of Lushi.
凤庆鲁史古镇位于澜沧江北岸，唐宋时是南方丝绸之路的一条支线，清朝、民国时为茶马古道。鲁史的老人说，有了驿道便有了鲁史。小说家胡性能这样形容：鲁史是一座时光雕刻的古镇，时间在这里凝滞停留了，鲁史保留了一个世界，一个用时光构筑的世界。
700 多年过去了，当时人声鼎沸的茶马驿站不再热闹，但还有仍在古镇里生活的老人，仍在古镇里存留的老建筑。我们不禁惊叹：鲁史还在。
INHERITORS | 传承者
Wen Chenhua: A dedicated armor producer
温陈华：千锤百炼出铠甲
Hundreds of chisels in different shapes lie in the corners of the Kunming Hantong Armor Production Workshop. The tools were all made by craftsman Wen Chenhua, and they are used to make armor parts. A complete set of armor, made in the style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), stands as tall as a soldier. Each suit of armor consists of over 1,000 chained armor-parts or over 6,000 hauberk pieces that are clustered manually. The gross weight is 36 kilograms. A heavy Chinese armor set has the functionof protection, and it also implies the gallantry, loyalty and responsibility of the owner.
在昆明“汉通”铠甲制作工作室，数百个形状各异的錾子静静地躺在角落，这些用于制作铠甲组件的工具，皆出自手艺人温陈华之手。一整套复原了宋代工艺的等身铠甲从头到脚，使用1000多片扎甲或6000 多片锁子甲手工连缀，重量可达36 公斤。一副沉甸甸的中国铠甲，除了保护功能，更寄寓着主人的勇敢、忠诚和担当。
HISTORICAL RELICS | 博物
Yunnan blue and white porcelain
蓝釉堆贴八仙人物纽带座罐
For thousands of years through history in Yunnan, artisans have worked in dragon-like kilns to produce countless exquisiteblue-and-white porcelain objects. These traditions are found amongst the province’s undulating hills and mountains, nearby its wandering streams and rivers and even in its thick woods and forest.
Yunnan has a long history of pottery making. Beginning in the Neolithic Age,Yunnan aborigines began to make and use pottery. Noticeably, during the Bronze Age, pottery was still widely used in Yunnan instead of porcelain, which were contemporarily popular in other areas of China. This situation continued through the Han(202-8 BC), Tang (618—907), Song (960—1279) and Yuan (1271—1368) dynasties. During the Yuan Dynasty, with the governmental implementation of Confucian culture, the production of porcelain spread into the hands of Yunnan artisans. Thus, the success of making blue and white porcelain achieved a historic point.
千年以来，在云南绵延起伏的山坡旁、蜿蜒曲折的沟渠河流边、树叶茂密的森林里，筑起了一垄垄长龙一样的窑口，在这里烧制出了一件件精美绝伦的瓷器。
ART | 艺术
Nanjian dish-serving dance: Service with swing
南涧跳菜 跳着上菜
During the Dali March Fair Festival in 1991, Yang Liping, the famous Chinese dancer, watched the Nanjian dish-serving dance performed at an outdoor stage for the first time. “It is vigorous and wild, humorous and free,” she described. This official debut of the Nanjian dishserving dance immediately earned a reputation that took it from a simple folk banquet to a glorious stage performance.
It takes more than 20 years to complete this process. In Yang’s words, the Nanjian dish-serving dance, as a primitive dance, indicates a respect for nature, life and labor.
“The dish-serving dance is not the name of a dish but a Yi tradition performed to honor guests at banquets.” A benzhi said while showing us the basic gestures of the dance. He held a full tray on the tips of his thumb, fore fingerand little finger, which acted like a tripod holding a camera. According to Abenzhi, as dancers change steps to the music while serving dishes, the traysin their hands seem to be as light as feathers. “Dancing while serving” helps build a more vivacious atmosphere during banquets.
1991年的大理三月街民族节文艺汇演上，中国著名舞蹈艺术家杨丽萍和其他大理人民一样，在露天广场上看到了舞台上的南涧跳菜——“刚劲粗犷、幽默洒脱”。随着南涧跳菜的第一次正式亮相，它从民间宴席上豁然跳脱出来，逐渐走上了灯光绚丽的舞台。20 多年来，“跳菜”经过了一场从“民间表演到民间艺术”的淬炼。杨丽萍评价南涧跳菜是一种“原生态歌舞, 是一种对自然、生命、生活、生产劳动的尊重”。“跳菜”不是一种菜，也不是一个菜名，它是一种在宴席上迎宾的习俗，是一种彝族人待客的礼节。
SOUVENIRS | 云南礼物
Yangbi walnut carvings
漾濞核桃雕刻
Located in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, Yangbi is reputated as ‘Land of Walnut’ of China.
Since ancient times, walnuts have been considered auspicious. Emperor Qian Long of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was a big fan of crafts made of walnut shell. Legend has it that walnuts, when present at home, could bring peace, happiness, wealth and good luck, while also expelling evil and misfortune. Yangbi walnut crafts are handmade from the shells of local walnuts.These walnuts have the qualities of hard shell, corrosion-resistant, natural inner texture patterns with non-frilly simplicity. The carving process consists of 26 steps, including slicing, meat removing, drying, shaping, polishing,gluing, fine sculpting, among others – all meant to retain the original outer shape and patterns of walnut. Walnuts are used to make over 40 different types of products, including vases, ash trays, desk lamps, napkin boxes and coffee tables. Customized products of different types and specifications are also available. The Yangbi walnut craft is known for its elegant simplicity, natural hollow patterns and exquisite carvings.
漾濞，中国著名的核桃之乡，位于云南大理白族自治州境内。
CITY LIFE | 城事
Yoga slows the pace of life
瑜伽慢生活
In May 2016, the Sino-India Yoga Conference was held in Kunming with the theme “Enjoy nature; enjoy Yoga in the Spring City”. The event focused on inner peace and advocated a natural and healthy way of life. Muqi Miya, a yoga star who comes from Chuxiong in Yunnan, drew much attention.
China and India are geographically close to each other, sharing a border along China's western region. Yoga, as an essential part of traditional Indian culture, upholds the notion of “unity of heaven and man” and it's also a fitting activity for Kunming, known as a ‘Spring City’.
On June 13, 2015, the China-India Yoga College opened, jointly sponsored by Yunnan Minzu University and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Now, the China-India Yoga College has become an important example of cross-cultural communication between the two countries.
Playing instrumental roles in this endeavor are two yoga specialists. Subbulakshmi Velusamy and Yatendra Dutt Amoli were nominated for teaching at the newly established college after a nationwide recruitment in India. As they incarnate the wisdom of the oriental art in their daily activities in the Spring City. The adagio-movements of yoga and the leisurely-paced life of Kunming are synchronized perfectly.
5月，2016 中国( 昆明)•印度瑜伽大会在昆明滇池畔举行, 这次中印瑜伽大会以“与世界友好相处，春天的城市，春天的瑜伽”为主题，呼吁人们关注自己的内心，倡导健康自然的生活理念。从云南楚雄走出去的瑜伽明星母其弥雅也再度引起人们的关注。
昆明与印度地缘相近，瑜伽作为印度传统文化的精髓，崇尚“天人合一”，这与素有“春城”美誉的昆明有着完美的契合度。
