Why Yunnan?
There
are many reasons why Lonely Planet contends that
“If you have time for but one province in
China, Yunnan should be it." The
abundance of ethnic minorities like Tibetan and Thai is undoubtedly a
major reason for such high praise. This diversity is seen in the
processions of red robed monks chanting at monasteries as well as in
outdoor markets where local farmers gather to sell fresh produce whose
vibrant hues can only be matched by their brightly colored traditional
garb.
Besides
from its cultural diversity, Yunnan’s position at the heart of Asia with
convenient access to 5 Southeast Asian nations is undoubtedly another
reason for its acclaim. One also cannot ignore Yunnan’s clean air and
diversity of climates that perfectly fits the Chinese ideal of
有山有水（yǒushān
yǒushuǐ,
rich in mountains and water）. Yet, these are just a few of the reasons for Yunnan becoming the
#1 destination for Chinese travelers over the past decade. The truth is
that for each person Yunnan might have a different allure. It truly has
something for everyone.
The People of Yunnan
The main thing that sets Yunnan apart from all other provinces in China
is its diverse population. Within Yunnan are 25 ethnic minorities which
is nearly half the total in all of China. In the northwest of the
province are Deqin and Shangri-La, home to a group of Tibetans called
Khampas who have kept their traditions with their story-telling chants
and circle dances in public squares as well as in their traditional garb
of brightly dyed yak wool coats and cowboy hats. Lijiang is the
ancestral homeland of the Naxi people who are famous for their animistic
Dongba religion as well as for having one of the last living cultures of
traditional music in China that has led people to call them a “living
fossil” of ancient China. Another example of the Naxi’s ancient culture
is their pictograph script (also called Dongba) that is used for
religious practices and is believed to have originated independently of
both the Tibetan and Chinese written languages.
Between
Lijiang and Kunming is Dali, home of the Bai people whose thousand year
old traditions still remain an integral part of their life. Most of the
Bai are farmers due to the incredibly fertile valleys below the Cang
Shan mountain range. Unlike in most other societies, it is the Bai
women that do the vast majority of the physical labor involved in
planting and harvesting crops. While rice and potatoes are grown by
many Bai, it is tea that has been the focus of Bai agriculture for at
least the 1500 years that Dali was a major center on the Tea Horse Road
(also known as the Southern Silk Road). At the center of the valley is
Er Hai lake from whose waters Bai fisherman still catch fish with the
help of their flocks of trained birds. After the fish are caught they
are typically placed alive in a cast-iron wok and smothered in a spicy
chili sauce with some of the local produce harvested from the
surrounding fields. Nothing is fresher.
In the
southern region of the province bordering Myanmar and Laos is the
Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Region. The Thai people that live in
Xishuangbanna grow rice and pineapples and even raise the last
population of elephants left in China. They are also known for their
annual Water Splashing Festival where dancing girls in bright colored
traditional clothing and, of course, water splashing cleanses people of
all of the demons and sorrow from the previous year.
Kunming,
in the center of the province, has significant populations of all of
these ethic groups it is predominantly populated by Han, the majority
ethnic group in China. The Han are what most Western people think of as
“Chinese” – they are about 90% of the population of China but are
culturally and linguistically distinct from the other ethnic groups in
Yunnan. Due to this fact, Kunming is a Mandarin speaking city – the
southernmost in all of China and therefore the only Mandarin speaking
city which avoids the harsh winters that other more northern cities have
to endure.
The Sites of Yunnan
Besides from having an unparalleled diversity of cultures, Yunnan also
has many historical and beautiful sites that would be of interest to any
foreign visitor to China. To experience Tibetan culture you can go up
to the northern region of Shangri-La in Tibet’s historical region of
Kham. The centerpiece of Shangri-La is Ganden Sumtseling Gompal, a 300
year old Tibetan monastery that is still home to over 600 practicing
monks. The setting on top of a hill with snow capped Himalayan peaks in
the background make a trip to Ganden monastery a must for any traveler
to Yunnan. You don’t need to go all the way to the Tibetan Autonomous
Region to get a taste of Tibetan culture and architecture. Yunnan has
it all.
Further
south, in a valley below the massive Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is the
old town of Lijiang, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and perhaps Yunnan’s
most famous attraction. On the other side of the mountain is Tiger
Leaping Gorge, an impossibly beautiful canyon where the Yangtze River
surges between two massive peaks with the ferocity of its namesake
feline.
Dali’s old
town, sandwiched between the Cang Shan mountains and Er Hai lake is
every bit a match for Lijiang’s natural beauty and cultural history. A
few minutes’ drive from the old town’s cobblestone streets and ancient
city wall are the 1200 year old Three Pagodas, considered to be some of
the most unique and classical examples of Buddhist architecture in all
of China.
In Yunnan,
one can also make the trek down to Xishuangbanna to get a little taste
of Southeast Asia and its Theravada Buddhist culture. The town of
Damenlong’s 800 year old Manfeilong pagoda is perhaps the most famous
historical sight in Xishuangbanna. It’s Southeast Asian design is a
sharp contrast from the more traditionally Chinese and Mahayana Buddhist
style of Dali’s Three Pagodas. The cluster of 9 pointy white stupas
have led to Manfeilong being given the nickname “White Bamboo Shoot
Pagoda.”
Each of
these regions of Yunnan has its own distinct flavor and awe-inspiring
sites to visit. Quite simply, Yunnan has something for you no matter
what you are interested in.
Yunnan’s Climate
While the convenient access to other regions is one of Yunnan’s greatest
selling points, the truth is that within its own borders you can
experience almost all of the climates the world has to offer. The
southern region of Xishuangbanna is a tropical paradise with pineapple
palms and exotic species of passion flowers endemic to the region. On
the other end of the province are the northwest regions of Deqin and
Shagri-La where wild orchids bloom in the foothills of snow-capped
Himalayan peaks that tower above you. In between are breathtaking
limestone peaks rising above rice patties, terraced tea fields
blanketing mountain slopes and even China’s only major coffee
plantations.
Not
surprisingly, this variety of climates makes Yunnan’s biodiversity one
of the world’s most impressive. The province has over 15,000 species of
plants, a sixth of them found nowhere else in the world. Amazingly, the
diversity of fauna is perhaps even more impressive. Yunnan is home to
50% of China’s birds and mammals despite it being only 4% of the
country’s total area.
Yunnan’s
capital of Kunming enjoys a fantastic climate in its own right. Its
nickname of “City of Eternal Spring” comes from its temperate climate
that rarely goes below 50°
F (10°
C)
in the winter or above 75°
F (24° C) in the summer. One of the consequences of the
city’s astounding weather is that exotic plants and flowers can be seen
all over, especially in beautiful Green Lake Park at the city center.
The air quality in Kunming is also excellent, ranking as the best of any
major city in China. This comfortable environment gives Kunming a
relaxed feeling that is quite different from the frenzied pace of most
other cities in the country. Every day people exercise in public
squares or play Chinese chess and drink tea in parks with their friends
and family. Quite simply, Kunming is the most livable city in China.
Nearby Countries and Provinces
Another benefit of volunteering in Yunnan is its easy access to the
other provinces of Southwestern China and even the neighboring countries
of Southeast Asia. To the north of Yunnan is Sichuan province where you
can go see giant pandas, visit beautiful nature reserves like Jiuzhaigou
or simply experience the capital city of Chengdu’s relaxed outdoor tea
houses. Guizhou and Guangxi in Yunnan’s east are amazing in their own
right. You can visit Guangxi’s famous city of Guilin, stop by the
border of Vietnam at breathtaking Detian falls or even head to the beach
in the tropical port city of Beihai. All of these places are just a
short flight away from Kunming.
Perhaps the
most amazing thing about Yunnan is how easy it is to access the
Southeast Asian nations of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia
which are all clustered under Yunnan’s southern border. In Myanmar you
can visit
Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most sacred sites for Buddhists in all of
Southeast Asia. To the east is Laos, where the UNESCO honored ancient
city of Luang Prabang is located and further south is Cambodia with its
own UNESCO site of Angkor Wat and its ancient ruins. Vietnam and
Thailand offer both world heritage sites and modern cities that
represent the economic rise that has taken place in these two countries
over the last few decades.
Visas and
direct flights to all of these countries are all readily available in
Kunming. You can volunteer with us during the week and go on excursions
to Southeast Asia on the weekend. No other place in the country can
offer such an amazing opportunity.
Click here for more
information on international traveling opportunities from Kunming.
There is no
shortage of reasons for why Yunnan is the best place to volunteer
helping Children and experience China. Pictures can’t do justice to the
beauty that abounds. You need to come here and see it for yourself.
