Yunnan is China's most diverse province by nearly every metric - environmental, cultural, socioeconomic. To wit, its biodiversity: Southeast Asian rainforest? Tibetan plateau high-altitude semi-desert? Cloud forest? Glaciated peaks? Subtropical highland plains? Karst formations? Forests of hundred-foot-tall rhododendrons? Got 'em all.
Owing to its topographic and biological diversity, as well as its location on the far southwestern borders of the Chinese universe, Yunnan boasts an extraordinarily diverse mosaic of peoples and cultures. Fully half of China's 56 recognized minority groups are found within the province - an astonishing mix of people ranging from Tibetan to Thai, with a similarly astonishing proliferation of cultural norms and customs.
In the past decade, the rest of China has discovered that Yunnan is a pretty ideal place in which to live. A temperate climate, minimal pollution, and ample green space has resulted in a tourism boom and significant inmigration. Subsistence farmers now live side-by-side with wealthy 'back-to-the-land' migrants from eastern cities, who have moved to Yunnan to escape the bustle and smog. And while Yunnan is often less idyllic than depicted in tourist literature, it's still a pretty fantastic place to spend time learning about China's diversity.
CAIS programs in Yunnan are based in Kunming 昆明, the province's capital city. Known as the 'spring city' for its 四季如春 'four-seasons-as-spring' climate, Kunming is a laid-back, leafy place perfect for exploring. CAIS programs also venture to northwestern Yunnan, visiting Dali 大理, Weishan 巍山, Shaxi 沙溪, and Zhongdian 中甸 (also known as Gyalthang, Jiantang, or - most famously - Shangri-la 香格里拉) to gain an understanding of the region's diversity. CAIS has formed partnerships with organizations and schools in Kunming and Dali to operate programs in Yunnan - a region in which we're interested in offering additional/expanded programming in the future!
Owing to its topographic and biological diversity, as well as its location on the far southwestern borders of the Chinese universe, Yunnan boasts an extraordinarily diverse mosaic of peoples and cultures. Fully half of China's 56 recognized minority groups are found within the province - an astonishing mix of people ranging from Tibetan to Thai, with a similarly astonishing proliferation of cultural norms and customs.
In the past decade, the rest of China has discovered that Yunnan is a pretty ideal place in which to live. A temperate climate, minimal pollution, and ample green space has resulted in a tourism boom and significant inmigration. Subsistence farmers now live side-by-side with wealthy 'back-to-the-land' migrants from eastern cities, who have moved to Yunnan to escape the bustle and smog. And while Yunnan is often less idyllic than depicted in tourist literature, it's still a pretty fantastic place to spend time learning about China's diversity.
CAIS programs in Yunnan are based in Kunming 昆明, the province's capital city. Known as the 'spring city' for its 四季如春 'four-seasons-as-spring' climate, Kunming is a laid-back, leafy place perfect for exploring. CAIS programs also venture to northwestern Yunnan, visiting Dali 大理, Weishan 巍山, Shaxi 沙溪, and Zhongdian 中甸 (also known as Gyalthang, Jiantang, or - most famously - Shangri-la 香格里拉) to gain an understanding of the region's diversity. CAIS has formed partnerships with organizations and schools in Kunming and Dali to operate programs in Yunnan - a region in which we're interested in offering additional/expanded programming in the future!