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China's Yunnan Province
While China’s northeastern parts such as Beijing and Shandong may represent the historical heart of the People’s Republic, it’s in the west where we find a unique cultural diversity that is so attractive to travelers.
Nowhere else in the country might one uncover the splendor of China’s varied minority population than ’south of the clouds,’ Yunnan. Situated on the southwestern corner of four other provinces, Yunnan also shares borders with three countries (not quite including Thailand and India), its proximity resulting in the highest concentration of ethnic groups in all of China.
However, with the northern Naxi city of Lijiang having become China’s hottest holiday destination for tour groups, nearby Dali a laidback retreat for younger backpackers, and Zhongdian a jumping off point for Tibet, south Yunnan remains a relatively unspoiled region.
From the concrete jungle of the provincial capital city of Kunming into the rain forests of Xishuangbanna, this writer bypassed the more popular route towards Laos and Vietnam for the less-explored areas around the Burma perimeter. My timing was perfect, as I arrived in the village of Menghun just before its Sunday market.
A quiet community accented with stilted wooden homes and a hilltop monastery overlooking the surrounding rice fields, the day’s drizzly weather served to enhance the village’s reticence. But through the gray I caught glimpses of color that revealed thselves to be the region’s multiple ethnic minorities.By mid-morning, Menghun’s relatively small marketplace, abounding with freshly slaughtered pig heads, brilliant fruits and vegetables, plugs of tobacco and a rainbowof textiles, became a veritable kaleidoscope of culture unlike any I have every witnessed. I was first met by the silky glory of Xishuangbanna’s majority population, the Dai, a 2000 year-old culture that fuses Hinayana Buddhism with elements of Thai. The Dai dress attractively in shimmering attire, but it is the younger Dai girls in their formfitting pastel sarongs who catch one’s eye before teasingly runing away like nymphs.
Further illuminating the otherwise dark day were the Akha people, known as the Hani. Like a resplendent yet elusive jungle bird, the Akha appear from the deep lush hills only on market day, whence they adorn themselves in heavy layers of black brilliantly highlighted with intricately embroidered patterns. Descendants of the nomadic Qiang from Tibet, each Hani subgroup wear a different colored headdress to signify their tribe, not unlike the plumage of a proud bird, and lavishly accessorize in silver-studded bracelets and leggings, patchwork satchels and antiqued coins stretching out their earlobes. Tumpline baskets around their heads and teeth stained red with betel nut are commonplace.
Especially weary of outsiders, they timidly skirted all my advancements, however friendly persistence coupled with a sincere interest in their lifestyle soon granted me access to a tight knit Akha clan. They spoke very little Mandarin, and of course no English, so we relied simply on gestures and smiles in an attempt to learn about each other.
By noon the market had cleared along with the rain, the streets now lined with vivid knots of indigenous folk awaiting tractors to take them back to their respective outlying villages.
My continued journey through Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture would take me deeper into the surrounding tropical jungles, including a 50km trek from Bulongshan to Damenglong. But those are stories for another time. For now I will reminisce over that small yet colorful town of Menghun, for nowhere else have I ever witnessed such a definitive representation of China’s beautifully proud ethnic minorities.
Tom Carter, a freelance writer and photographer from San Francisco, has lived in China the past two and a half years. He is currently backpacking through all 32 Chinese provinces.
Transportation
1) From Kunming’s main bus station on Beijing Lu, express leeper busses to Jinghong, capital of Xinshuangbanna, daily at 6:30pm (150yuan, 15 hours).
2) Shuttles from Jinghong to Menghun leave the No.2 Bus Station every 20 minutes between 7am and 6pm (15yuan, 2 hours).
Accommodation
In Mengun there are several small boardinghouses, luguan, located on the main street near the bus stop (20 yuan each). A backpacker’s favorite is Baita Fandian (White Tower Hotel, 10 yua for a bed) on the outskirts of town and overlooking a lily pond teaming with fish and frogs. Directions are complicated so it’s best to ask locals to point you there
Regional cuisine
Rice is the staple diet of the Dai people, who were the first in the history of the world to cultivate rice as a food. Sticky rice baked in fragrant bamboo is a specialty. Xishuangbanna locals also enjoy nibbling on grilled pigtail from street vendors, and perpetually chewing on betel nut (binglang) mixed with lime, which gives off a light narcotic effect while staining the mouth red.
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About the Author
TOM CARTER is the author of CHINA: Portrait of a People, a definitive 600-page book of photography due out winter 2007 from Hong Kong publisher Blacksmith Books.
Getting To Know Your Pug
Getting to know your dog starts by getting to know its breed, and that includes getting a better idea about its appearance, personality, and health requirements. Here's what you need to know about the Pugs:
The wrinkly face of the Pug is simply undeniable. This smaller dog was at one time the companion of Chinese Emperors during the Shang Dynasty. However, at that time, the Pug was called "Foo" or "Lo-Chiang-Sze." Today, you can find Foo figurines, which have the same bulging eyes as that of the Pug. Soon, this breed became highly popular in Tibet, being a prized pet of monks. From there, the breed wove its way into Japan, followed by Europe.
Then by the late 16th century and early 17th century, the Pug was imported from the Dutch East Indies Trading Company. In fact, when William III and Mary II ascended the throne in 1688 after leaving the Netherlands, the Pug actually was chosen as the House of Orange's official breed. Eventually, various European countries were flooded with the Pug and by the time they reached Spain, Goya began painting them.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, popularity levels continued to rise. Interestingly, Josephine, Napoleon Bonaparte future wife, used her pet Pug as a means of sending covert messages to her family while she was being held in the Les Carmes Prison. Over the years, the Pug's popularity kept growing throughout Europe, eventually making its way to the United States. Currently, the Pug is still just as popular as it was, even more so. This dog is cuddly with a massive personality. Because of its size and positive traits, the Pug makes an excellent family pet.
Physical Appearance
Early Pugs in the 18th century were a longer and leaner version of today's breed. What we see now is a more compact body with a deep chest and defined muscles. The Pug's head is round and the eyes large and dark. However, the Pug's face wrinkles are what make it so distinct and adorable. The tail of the Pug is also cut, being tightly curled that falls back over the hip. In fact, for show purposes, a double curl of the tail is deemed perfection. The coat is short and glossy with a number of color options to include:
Silver
Black
Fawn
Apricot
Temperament and Personality
If you are looking for a sociable dog, the Pug is ideal. However, you need to keep in mind that this breed can also be stubborn. The breed is great with children and other animals. Playful, clever, and overall charming are just a few descriptive words to describe the Pug. The only slight personality flaw is that this breed can be jealous when ignored.
Health
Pugs are generally healthy dogs but with a short muzzle and not having any skeletal brow ridges, some issues can arise specific to breathing. The short muzzle can also make extreme hot or cold temperatures difficult to handle. Therefore, the Pug needs to be kept indoors with moderate temperature settings. In addition, because of the protruding eyes of the Pug, scratching of the cornea is another possible problem. It is also important to keep this dog breed on a healthy and monitored diet, as well as a good exercise plan in that obesity can occur.
Other potential health risks associated with the Pug includes inflammation of the brain, which is known as Granulomatous Meningoencephalitis. Experts now believe this disease to be inherited although it is not 100 percent certain. Unfortunately, if a Pug were determined to have this problem, it would die naturally or need to be humanely euthanized. Keep in mind that with good care, this adorable breed can live anywhere from 12 to 15 years.
About the Author
Daniel Stevens is the renowned dog trainer and author of SitStayFetch, a leading dog training guide having sold over 21,000 copies. See
http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/dogbreeds/pug.php
for more on dog breeds.
