Southwestern China Features

Southwestern China Features

• The Zhuang & the Miao
  

  The Zhuang are China's largest minority population, totaling more than 16 million. Most Zhuang are in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (where... read more

• Naxi
  

  Primarily living in the area around Lijiang and neighboring Sichuan, the Naxi culture is unique, even when compared with other minority groups... read more

• Bai
  

  The Bai, also known as the Minjia, are one of the more prominent minorities in Yunnan, although they are also found in Guizhou and Hunan provinces... read more

• Dai
  

  Related to Thais and speakers of languages belonging to the Tai-Kadai family, the Dai seem much more Southeast Asian than Chinese. In China... read more

• Yi
  

  Descendants of the Qiang people of northwestern China, the Yi (aka Sani) are scattered across southwestern China in Yunnan, Sichuan, and Guizhou... read more

• The Roots of Rhythm
  

  Legend has it Baisha fine music developed as a result of Kublai Khan's gratitude for Naxi assistance during his conquest of Yunnan during the... read more

• Beauty Is in the Ear of the Beholder
  

  Naxi orchestras have their own standards for what makes for a quality Naxi musical experience, the key factor being age. In the eyes of the Naxi... read more

• Top Reasons to Go to Southwestern China
  

  Lose Yourself in Lijiang: Treasured by the Chinese and home to a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the winding cobblestone lanes of Lijiang beckon... read more

• Dali & the Nanzhao Kingdom
  

  The idyllic scenery belies Dali's importance as the center of power for the Nanzhao Kingdom. The easily defensible area around Erhai Lake was... read more

• Festivals of Guizhou
  

  Since the province is comprised of various ethnic groups—including the Dong, Hui, Yao, Zhuang, and Miao peoples—Guizhuo is a gallery... read more

• Ethnic Minorities of the Southwest
  

  Yunnan is like no other place in China with 26 of the counties, 56 ethnic minorities living within its borders. Many of the groups in this region... read more

• Yunnan Cuisine
  

  Dian cuisine is the term for Han Chinese cuisine found in Yunnan, especially around Kunming. Dian-style dishes are similar to Sichuan dishes... read more

• Kunmings Flying Tigers
  

  Despite being in the hinterland of Southwest China, Kunming played a crucial role in World War II by preventing Japanese forces from taking control... read more

• Naxi Music of Lijiang
  

  The Naxi culture is rich in artistic elements—the Naxi pictographs, architecture, Dongba shamans, and, not least of all, the music. It... read more