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Published: July 27th 2008
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14/7/08
5 hrs to Dali(@2000m) then I switch bus to Weishan(@1800m), which was only 1.5 hrs away.
an old market town in the old day for the tea and horse troop. Weishan actually was the biggest market town for trading in those day in this area. 2 big groups of horse troop trademen, mostly Moslem people, went down to Banna and southeast Asia for tea and other tropical products, another group went northward to Sichuan and Tibet, brought back merchandise and changing hand in Weishan then shipped to different direction. Nowadays Weishan still got an old city gate(north) and a pagoda left in the old quarter, the street preserved quite well and now it was similar to the walking street in Dali, only without tourist and less commercial. Or...was it all Chinese tourist that I saw in town? No idea. Anyways...there are couple of good looking bars and drinking saloon, together there also old style tearoom, the Chinese version chess and card-game hall. Fair amount of shops, including handicraft and antique. The Weishan town was built centering the north city gate, the town is tidy and clean, people are nice and friendly, a pleasure place to stay, by night
fall, people would gathered in a small park just outside the city gate, tree shade almost covered the whole park, there was many tea and snacks stands there and locals sit and chat, playing cards or games, or simply do nothing, but with small pot of tea and sunflower seed, you could see many small table under the shade that seat round with people, even kids learn to played like adult, what a scene. Transportation system in Weishan was great, buses leave rather on time, minibus run between township frequently, no non-sense round and round looking for more passager. there also horse-cart taxi with 3 rows of seat service between villages. The sound of the bell and the metal horseshoe hit the ground was a refresh from the engine noise.
The main sight of Weishan probably the Weibaoshan with it temple, an important Daoish site, but I am fancy about those disney type decorated in Chinese version, better stuck with my market hunt!
Note
Kunming to Dali 125 yuans
Dali south station to Weishan 13 yuans
15/7/08
Market in Dacang was far most better than the one in Weishan. I mean in minority scene. Although you could
only seen Yi in costume. "dongshan luoluo, and xishan luoluo", the local told me. Said they separated by east side of the mountain and the west side of the mountain. The west side dress rather plain and simple, black turban wrapped on head, long sleve blue shirt open from the right(but I saw one old woman with embroidery in front), front apron on waist and long trousers in dark colour. But the one across the valley from the east are totally different. My first impression was the metallic Miao in Malipo. The Dongshan Yi are so colourful, together with their embroidery pattern on their costume, they also consumed fabric with multi colour figures or shiny print, all in sharp bright tone. Long sleeve knee length tunic style shirt with an up turn collar , which laid with line of silver studs, and a tight vest style clothes open from the right, front apron on waist and tail of sach on the back, some still carried a woolly back cushion embroidered with round figures similar with the Naxi, only their cushion was round in shape. and they wore long trousers and some still got embroidered cotton shoes. But the most outstanding
of their outfit was head dress, tower like hair style and wrapped with head scarf decorated with embroidery flower and sach, some even with real flowers pinned on top, and a small amber stone on the forehead. But those in Weishan area decorated with bigger stone. But there was another style of head dress could be seen, hair wrapped inside black turban, and a plate of embroidered came down from forehead like the tongue of the baseball-cap. Other hilltribe like the Bai and Lisu were dressed like the Han and couldn't be identified. " in the west mountain area you might able to see some Miao, their hat like a big big plate", an old me said together with his arm made a big circle movement above his head.
Market in Weishan also big, but only so few dressed hilltribe could be seen. Here together with the normal market merchandise, herbal medicine, tribal costume and tea, you could find antiques trader too.
Note
Minibus Weishan to Dacang 5 yuans
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