Tunbao. Stone alleys, ancient ways
Obscure fortified villages where Ming Dynasty folklore still thrives. In the mid-14th century, Mongols were gradually losing their influence over Eurasia. Weakened by natural disasters, rebellions and internal strife, the Yuan Dynasty that ruled over China was soon to fall. In 1368, the Mongol emperor …
Sui. Quiet village, rare script
To catch a glimpse of Sui life, I hitchhiked from Congjiang via Rongjiang to a small village called Bameng. Out of hundreds of villages I have visited in China, this was definitely one of the most tranquil ones. Swipe down slowly. Sui (or Shui) is …
Osmica, or wine needs bush
A wine tavern but without neither a restaurant concession nor a licence to sell alcohol? Don’t worry, osmice are absolutely legal. In fact, their existance owes to a “legal need.” Namely, the winemakers’ need to sell surplus wine. You will find them in the region …
Guitar clangs, Beggar’s Chicken
Beggar’s Chicken 叫化鸡 is a simple yet brilliant concept: a whole chicken is covered in clay and baked, resulting in utterly succulent and fragrant meat. Today, clay is often replaced with dough or oven bags. We prepared it with friends beside a small stream that …
Donglianhua 东莲花
An old Muslim settlement in central Yunnan. Here are some photographs from Donglianhua 东莲花, an ancient village near Weishan. It is inhabited by people of the Islam-adhering Hui minority (回族). The name of the village literally translates as “East Lotus Flower”. Historians generally assume that …
