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Kunming is known fondly to its two million inhabitants
as the City of Eternal Spring. It is just north of the
Tropic of Cancer and sits on a plateau 2000 meters above
sea-level. To get a feel of the city, it's necessary
to travel by bus, bicycle or on foot. Walking is a
pleasure in this city. Wide footpaths under tall, shady
trees are well planned for pedestrians, while the
twisting backlanes present a more traditional aspect of
life in a modern city. The combination of hilltribe
dresses, Mao suits and western fashions worn by the
locals give the city a special feel, as if it has
one foot in the past and the
other in the future. This feeling is
reinforced by the daily activities people are engaged in
-- from selling coal from a horse-drawn cart to offering
computer tuition on the street.
By 7 a.m. each morning, Green Lake Park, along with
many other areas around the city, is full of people
performing tai chi, the ancient and graceful martial art
which promotes mental and physical health. As the day
progresses, children paddle boats on the lake, old men
and women play mahjong and young couples sit dreamy-eyed
on beaches by the water.
In various corners of the park, groups of people with
weather-beaten faces, play
Chinese musical instruments and sing folk songs and
dance, just celebrating the joy of life. Outside, the
park, vendors sell fresh pineapple and soft drinks,
while masseurs offer to ease aches and pains for a small
fee.
There are also several other
favorite hangouts in this pleasant city, such as
the zoo, which has a wide variety of animals, and "The
Square", an area of fountains, flowerbeds and benches in
the heart of town, where there is always something
happening, whether it be kite-flying, or a
schoolchildren's parade.
Night life is picking up as the people grow more
affluent and there are several popular bars and karaoke
bars are mushrooming. Many of the hotels have
discotheques and guests can enjoy good food while
watching traditional songs and dances performed by Sani
girls.
There are several other attractions that lie within
easy reach of the city, such as the National Minorities
Park at Haigeng, on the banks of Lake Dianchi 15 km
southeast of the city. the lake, also called the Kunming
Lake, is protected by Jinma Mountain to the east and
Biji Mountain to the west. A series of pathways connects
the traditional villages of the Dai Bai, Wa, Yi and
other ethnic tribes of Yunnan. The villages are
populated by tribespeople who enact traditional dances
for visitors.
To the west and north from town lie Western Hills and
the Bamboo Temple respectively. The route up Western
Hills passes two wonderful temples, Huating and Taihua.
It would be easy to spend hours just exploring the
temple grounds, but the goal of most who go up the hill
is the Dragon Gate.
A tunnel along the cliff leads to a fantastic view
over Lake Dianchi and Kunming. The Bamboo Temple, on the
other hand, is a fine example of an ancient temple with
a quiet, respectful atmosphere, Rooms near the entrance
are crowded with lifelike statues and the air is thick
with incense.
Probably, the most interesting day trip is to the
Stone Forest, a wonderland of natural rockscapes
weathered into all manner of shapes and sizes. The Stone
Forest was formed during the Paleozoic Era. There are
stone peaks, pillars, shoots, stalactites, stalagmites,
corroded land surface, underground rivers and caves.
Located 80 kilometers from the Stone Forest is the
A'lu Cave which is also worth a visit. Here, there are
rivers, stalactites, stalagmites, stone flowers, stone
pillars and stone falls -- all in the cave.
The Qiongzhu Temple, located on the Yu'an Mountain in
the northwest of Kunming, was the first temple through
which the Chan sect of Buddhism was spread. the Heilong
(Black Dragon Pool) is a scenic spot located on the
Wulao Mountain in the northwestern suburbs of Kunming.
The pool contains very clear water. legend has it that
there used to be 10 dragons here. As they often caused
havoc to the villagers, Lu Dongbin, a Taoist master,
caught nine of them and locked them in the Zhedong
Tower. He ordered the 10th, a small black dragon, to
contribute to the welfare of the local people . In
honour of its contribution, the villagers decided to
name the pool Heilong. |
