Many ethnic minorities live in Dali. They wear traditional, colorful clothing and participate in customs different from the Han majority.
 Two of the Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple | Dali is in Yunnan Province in the southwest of China. This colorful city is surrounded by mountains with innumerable opportunities for hiking. A bike ride around beautiful Erhai Lake is a relaxing way to enjoy the beauty of this ancient city. Dali's Old Town is easy to navigate and wander through. The town is as colorful as the traditional dress of some of the local minority women wearing their bright headdresses and smocks. When I travel, I am most interested in the people. Dali smiles are some of the brightest in the world. And why not be happy? The town is quaint, the mountains majestic and the food exquisite. In addition to the beautiful fresh vegetables at the local markets, my camera lens is drawn to the people selling their produce. I can't help but smile too. |
I titled this photograph "Vow of Silence" The Three Pagodas of Dali are over 1,000 years old. There is a reflecting pool in the foreground that captures their beauty. These towers are set on the grounds of a peaceful garden with a temple in the back. Chongsheng Temple is up the hill from the pagodas. Upon first glance, the temple is no different from the many other Buddhist temples I have visited. On one of my visits, however, the monks were gathering, praying, lighting incense and interacting with the domestic tourists. They were happy to converse with the few foreigners (only our group), a deviation from their usual solitude. I captured a photo of one monk in golden robes, talking on the phone. I titled the photo "Vow of Silence".
The majority of the people in Dali are Bai ethnic minority. The Bai community is famous for its artistic creativity. One only need to visit the women who do batik to understand the artistry. Batik is one of the famous handicrafts of the Bai people.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that in Yunnan, "the mountains are high and the emperor is far." Indeed we feel almost like we are in another country. The bright and colorful old city of Dali seems a sharp contrast to the seemingly black and white political center of China, Beijing, thousands of miles away, literally and figuratively.
Contact Chow Fun Tours to visit Dali and other Yunnan gems. A traditional trip to Beijing and Xian, coupled with Dali and other Yunnan cities and villages, is sure to give you a feel for the diversity of what westerners believe is a homogenous society.
The majority of the people in Dali are Bai ethnic minority. The Bai community is famous for its artistic creativity. One only need to visit the women who do batik to understand the artistry. Batik is one of the famous handicrafts of the Bai people.
There is an ancient Chinese proverb that in Yunnan, "the mountains are high and the emperor is far." Indeed we feel almost like we are in another country. The bright and colorful old city of Dali seems a sharp contrast to the seemingly black and white political center of China, Beijing, thousands of miles away, literally and figuratively.
Contact Chow Fun Tours to visit Dali and other Yunnan gems. A traditional trip to Beijing and Xian, coupled with Dali and other Yunnan cities and villages, is sure to give you a feel for the diversity of what westerners believe is a homogenous society.
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