Yun Nan

(Part 1)

a) Small settlement was founded in this area as early as 109 B.C., trading silver, salt, lumber, gold and silk.

b) In the seventh Century, Bai (tribe) set up the kingdom of Nan Zhao, South of Da Li, dominating the trade route from China to India and Burma.

c) 10th Century it became the kingdom of Da Li.

d) Fell to the Mongols in 1274.

e) During the Ming Dynasty (15th century), south west was finally integrated into the Province of Yun Nan.

f) During the Ching Dynasty, the area suffered various campaigns, and was besieged by the Sultan (King) of Da Li. (1859 -1868)

g) In 1910, the French Indo-China railway line reached Kun Ming and the population gradually increased.

h) The town began to develop further after the people fled from the Japanese invasion in 1930.

Location: In the middle of Yun Nan highlands, about 1891 meters above sea-level, surrounded by mountains in the east, north and west, a lake called Dian Chi in the south-west.

Dian Chi Lake also known as Kun Ming Lake, covering a size of about 300 square kilometers, is located at the south-western part of the Kun Ming city, where the Tai Kun Park is situated at its north-east bank.

A famous three stories high pagoda with galleries located at the second and top floors, Tai Kun Lou, stands proudly at the northern tip of the lake, built in 1690, where the longest couplet in the world, with 180 words in total, hanging at the entrance of the pagoda, was written by the 18th century poet Sun Ran-weng , those on the right described the scenery, the other side about the history.

One can easily spend hours in the park to relax and watch the local life passes by. If one have time; do take a boat trip to witness the stunning surrounding.

The entrance

three storys pagoda - Tai Kun Lou

Sun Ran-weng

Local people in the park

It is located about 120 km south east of Kun Ming, once an ocean bed some 270 million years ago, it surfaced by the moving of subterranean plates, covered by massive gray limestone, which gradually eroded to form the rock with shapes resembling a pine forest.

Scattered around the area are ponds, pavilions ..etc, where one can spend hours walking to check all the sites. For a fee, one can utilize the tourist trolley bus, which stops at all the interested panoramic views such as Lotus Blossom Peak, Large Shi-lin, Sword Peak Pool, Small Shi-lin, Peak View Pavilion, Stone Screen ..etc.

Large Shi-lin

Trolley-bus

Scenery around the park

Do not miss the chance to have photo taken with the "Yee" tribe people in their traditional costume in Small Shi-lin by the pond, where the local tour guide will tell you an interesting love story regarding 'ah-si-ma  and ah-hey-goa'.

Famous pond in small Shi-lin

Lady in 'Yee' tribe costume

Most important of all, one will be ever so busy loading up their luggage with the local people’s distinctive handicraft artworks. And why not!

On the 23rd of February 2004, the UN listed the Stone Forest as one of the World Natural Heritage sites.

800,000 population of which 1/3 is Dai tribe, 1/3 Han and the rest are made up of 8 minority tribes.

The Dai tribe live in wooden houses, which are raised on stilts in the classic style with pigs and chickens living below.

Buddhist temples

house

1) To Kun Ming - Frequent international flight from Hong Kong, Bangkok, Singapore or Malaysia etc... Or Domestic Transit from Beijing, Guang Zhou, Shanghai etc.

2) To Dai Li, Li Jiang or Si Shung Ban Na - Frequent Domestic Flights from Kun Ming.

3) Or join a Tour from Hong Kong.

(Information for applying Visa, Accommodation, Transportation and Tours - see Business section - Additional Information)

We would like to thank Ms W. Fu, Ms. Wong, Ms. Chin, Ms. Tina, Mr. Sung etc.. for their information regarding places in Yun Nan.