A History of horse breeding
When wars in its northern territories denied
the 12th century Song Dynasty of it usual horse breeding grounds,
it was to Yunnan that the Emperor looked. Animals prized for
their size and endurance had been bred in the province for
centuries, and soon the Kingdom of Dali was trading 1,500
horses a year to the Song.
In all the Kingdom the Dali flourished for
three centuries from 937AD until it fell to the hordes of
Kublai Khan in 1253. The powerful Nanzhou kingdom that had
conquered much of Burma, Laos and Thailand, as well as attacking
Sichuan in Southern China, preceded it for two centuries.
At the heart of this region are the Bai
people - one of Yunnan's largest ethnic minorities - who have
prospered on this fertile land and fish the abundantly stocked
Erhai Lake - part of the Mekong system - where 40 different
varieties of fish grow fat.
The Bai are also great horse traders and
every April for over a thousand years they have held a huge
fair on the plain outside of Dali that attracts people from
the mountain tribes and many areas of China for five days
of festivities, games and horse-racing. Stall and booths spring
up across the plain with every type of livestock and foodstuff
on offer. Most popular are the traditional herbal medicines
brought down to the plains by the Tibetans and hilltribes,
but this is a more recent development, and what interests
many who attend are the sales of fine Bai horses.
What to See in Dali
Dali Museum
Contains archeological exhibits relating
to the history of the Dai and Bai people.
The Three Pagodas
Among the oldest architectural structures
in SW China, the tallest was built in the 9th century and
is some 70 meters in height - while the others are about 42
meters each. The nearby temple reflects typical traditional
Yunnanese architecture.
Cangshan Mountain
Soaring 4,120 metres into the sky, with numerous
streams cascade down its richly forested slopes, this snowy
peak, also known as Diancang, creates a spectacular backdrop
to the city, and is home to many rare plants and animals.
The Butterfly Spring
Swarms of brightly-coloured butterflies are
attracted to this four-metre deep pool - located at the base
of Yunlong Peak on Cangshan Mountain - when the ancient tree
that shades it blossoms in the fourth lunar month.
Lake Erhai
The lake, 40 km long and 10 km wide, is best
known for it trained fishing cormorants. Rings fixed around
the birds necks prevent them from swallowing their catch.
|
