<![CDATA[GoKunming]]> http://www.gokunming.com/ <![CDATA[Kunming residents rally against chemical plant]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2974/kunming_residents_rally_against_chemical_plant voice their concerns regarding the environmental impact of a proposed factory. The police presence at the gathering was heavy but there were no reports of major clashes or violence.

At issue is the construction of a plant scheduled to be built in conjunction with an enormous Anning (安宁) petrochemical complex. Opposition to the facility centers around the production of paraxylene (PX), a known carcinogen used in the manufacture of polyester fabric and plastic bottles.

The hundreds who turned up to protest the factory are largely concerned with how the plant, if built, would affect air and water quality in Yunnan province's capital city. GoKunming spoke to several people who attended the rally, which began in earnest around 10am.

They reported the event was largely calm with occasional outbursts of pushing and shoving. People carried signs with slogans denouncing the PX plant and many wore protective guaze facemasks emblazoned with the 'No PX' logo.

Walls of police officers cordoned off groups of people from one another and by noon had asked all foreigners to leave. Arrests have been reported in online forums, but those claims remain unverified. At 4pm Kunming vice-mayor He Bo (何波) arrived and began to speak with members of the crowd.

Following the rally the government issued an editorial to Kunming media outlets. The statement alternately described the rally in terms of being "non-productive" while also having contributing to a "frank dialogue". The press release read in part: [quote]The deep concern and enthusiasm of the masses to protect the environment is entirely consistent with the ideas and goals of the party and the government.[/quote]

A small online survey linked from the editorial shows the majority of respondents are specifically concerned over the proposed plant's pollution levels and generally worried by existing regulatory standards. This is the second rally this month protesting the paraxylene facility. Opposition organization has been largely organic and spread through word of mouth as well as via social networking websites such as Weibo.

Kunming's mayor Li Wenrong (李文荣), who previously expressed a willingness for dialogue on the refinery issue, opened his own Weibo account after the rally. He has so far written only one message, which says he is willing to listen to the people's concerns and suggestions about development in the Spring City.

Image: Sander van de Moortel]]> Fri, 17 May 2013 13:10:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2974/kunming_residents_rally_against_chemical_plant <![CDATA[Searching for green space in the Spring City: Xihua Park]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2973/searching_for_green_space_in_the_spring_city_xihua_park bigger parks in Kunming and some with more enthralling histories. Yet the city's more well-known public gardens often lack the one thing people in a teeming metropolis covet most: green space. In the Spring City, sleepy Xihua Park (西华园) fills that void.

On a recent sunny and surprisingly hot day we abandoned the office in favor of the park's shady green confines. The northeast gate to Xihua sits in the shadows of the elevated South Second Ring Road. We left the blaring horns and thick air of the road behind as we entered the park.



Amusements



From this entrance the park appears uninspiring as the path spills out right into the ill-conceived and badly maintained Xihua Spring Amusement Park (西华温水游乐园). Punctuating the scene was a child, bawling uncontrollably, riding a crazily-spinning carousel.

Thankfully the amusement section of the park — which includes the usual array of bumper cars, carousels and other automated, stomach-churning rides — was relatively small. We walked away from this area and its creepy life-sized fruit monsters and entered Xihua proper.



The park and its environs



The grounds nearby are set out around a series of ponds, which are home to lotus and gnarled trees bending out over the water. Cobblestone paths skirt the water's edge, shaded by eucalyptus and fichus trees. These little lanes were occasionally occupied by older people doing their daily exercise routines — some walking backwards while others slapping their shoulders in time to each step.

Where the trees ended, the path opened up onto wider, paved walkways encircling the park's meadow (大草坪). When compared to other parks in Kunming, the lawn was a revelation. Xihua has no little wrought iron fences to keep people off the grass and no signs warning patrons to stay out of green areas.



The lawn



The lawn was trimmed short. Clusters of trees provided shade for those seeking it and wide-open areas were bathed in sunlight. Small groups of people sat picnicking on blankets smoothed out on the grass. Here and there camping tents were set up, one incongruously assembled in the middle of a walking path.

Although several families were out enjoying the sun, while we were there the lawn was never crowded. The loudest noises came from people playing instruments in small groups. Near the southernmost end of the knoll we approached a woman putting on a virtuoso performance on her zhongruan (中阮) — a four-stringed lute. She kindly allowed us to take her picture, the string of mellow notes emanating from her zhongruan never wavering.



The grass ends at a gorgeously kempt pond teaming with enormous carp. At one end of the water sits a series of pavilions overgrown with exploding purple bougainvillea flowers. The far end of the pond narrowed and meandered through huge boulders and what appeared to be a garden.

No bridge led to this place but a sign next to a locked gate identified the area as the Xihua Orchid Garden (西华兰花园). When we where there this section of the park was unfortunately closed to visitors.

We reached the southern end of the park and began the slow circuit back to where we originally entered. We passed the newly-painted main gate where the path opens onto Chuanfang Lu (船房路). Further on we stopped to stare up at the largest banana tree we have ever seen.



Xihua was constructed in 1987 and near its center sits a small courtyard house that clearly had not been painted or refurbished since the park's creation. It was a strange sight in an area so devoted to natural beauty. A placard nailed to the crumbling concrete of the structure explained the house was built in the Bai style. Homes of this sort are comprised of three connected buildings forming a U shape, which is then fronted by a walled gate.

The grounds of Xihua Park are covered by exquisitely arranged plants and a stunning variety of evergreen, deciduous and tropical trees. There are four tea houses and numerous places both on and off the lawn at which to sit. A quick walk around the park could take as little as 20 minutes, but the grounds are obviously designed for much longer periods of leisure.



Getting there



Xihua Park is open from 7am until 8pm everyday and there is no entry fee. People driving to the park should use the Xihua Lu (西华路) entrance as it has an adjacent parking lot. The nearest bus station to this entrance is, not surprisingly, the Xihua Lu stop (西华路站), which is serviced by bus numbers 183 and 184. If taking a bus to the northern gate, get off bus number 51 bus at the Xihua Yuan/Second Ring Road South (西华园/二环南路) stop.]]> Thu, 16 May 2013 17:20:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2973/searching_for_green_space_in_the_spring_city_xihua_park <![CDATA[Expo aims to strengthen China's regional ties]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2971/expo_aims_to_strengthen_chinas_regional_ties Bridgehead Strategy, which primarily aims to turn Yunnan into a hub for transnational trade. Could this position Kunming as a major player in Beijing's foreign policy strategy?

The expo is an upgrade and an extension of the annual Kunming Fair, which has expanded in scope and scale for the past five years. Yunnan Vice-Governor Gao Shuxun (高树勋) has said the goal of this year's expo is to: [quote]...promote all-around China-South Asia cooperation and development and shared opening-up, pragmatic cooperation, mutual benefit and harmonious development.[/quote]

Participant countries have their own objectives. Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce of Nepal stated "participation in the expo will [...] ultimately help us reduce the ballooning trade deficit between the two countries."

The Bangladeshi Minister of Commerce has voiced similar trade interests. Chinese export value exceeds imports from Bangladesh by a factor of twenty-to-one. He hopes to reduce this gap and gain investment in the form of employment for the up to "55 million semi-skilled people whom China can employ in its relocated industries." Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries similarly welcome Chinese investment, but clearly not at the risk of becoming geopolitical satellites of Beijing.



There is also the elephant in the room, as India accounts for 80 percent of China's exports to South Asia. Perhaps more important than China's relationship with ASEAN member countries will be the political and economic exchange between India and the PRC.

The two most populous nations in the world appear to be strengthening bilateral ties through a series of soft power initiatives. Further economic cooperation could be the next step towards closer regional integration.

Chinese media outlets already discuss the risk of encirclement posed by the United States Asia Pivot. A stronger relationship with India could provide a sense of political security for China and economic opportunities for India.

Challenges to shared interests such as this include a massive US$40 billion trade deficit favoring China, as well as two ongoing border disputes in the Kashmir and Aruchnal Pradesh regions. Even if these conflicts were resolved, there is the matter of a 65-year long civil war in northern Myanmar, which obstructs the redevelopment of the Stilwell Road and restricts overland Sino-Indian trade.

While the expo will not smooth over all of the obstacles to sustained ties between the two Asian giants, it seems designed to bring them closer together. As a result, Kunming appears poised to play host to events with far-reaching consequences concerning Asian relations. The China-South Asia Expo will be held June 6-10 at the Kunming International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Image: Zhubajie]]> Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2971/expo_aims_to_strengthen_chinas_regional_ties <![CDATA[Interview: Mr Chelonian]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2968/interview_mr_chelonian Mr Chelonian — aka Mr Turtle — aka Mr Sea Turtle (海龟先生) — have been on the Chinese music scene for almost a decade. They've moved around a bit, forming in Guangxi in 2004, then moving to Chengdu in 2007, before finally settling in Beijing. The trio have become fixtures on China's ever-growing music festival scene.

The band is made up of Li Hongqi (李红旗) on lead guitar and vocals, Han Jiang (蒋晗) on bass and Zhang Haoliang (张浩亮) on drums. Although they claim their only musical influence is Michael Jackson, their music incorporates doses of reggae, ska, punk and indie rock. They will be performing at Camel Bar Saturday, May 18.

GoKunming chatted with the band between shows to see how life has changed since their Nanning days nine years ago.



GoKunming: There's a bit of confusion regarding the band's name. Can you clear that up?

Li Hongqi: Well, we like animals, especially turtles. So we are called Sea Turtles!
Han Jiang: We've also been called Mr Chelonian. Mr Turtle may sound a little better.
Li: Well, Mr Turtle it is, then.

GK: When you aren't on stage who do you listen to?

Li: Michael Jackson

GK: That's it?

Li: Pretty much.

GK: In the West, major music labels are struggling to make money. Is it the same here? How can a band in China make a profit these days?

Li: A band's survival depends mainly on the admission they charge for performances. Ticket sales account for a large proportion of our income and music festivals make the most. As for the physical music market, there is hope. Record collections are still irreplaceable.

GK: CDs seem to be dying, how do you guys get your music?

Han: Nowadays it's very easy to download music online — websites like Xiami.com allow you to listen to music directly from the internet without buying anything. You can find most bands on Xiami or Baidu Music.

youku

GK: Beijing is pretty much the default city for bands to move to. Is that because most of the music industry is located there?

Li: China is becoming more and more centralized and Beijing is the cultural center. There are just more opportunities there.

GK: How is life in Beijing and how do you find the music industry? Is it difficult to make your way in such a competitive environment?

Li: We've adapted now. We are grateful for our lives in Beijing. Although we are fairly comfortable, there is a lot of competition. It has forced us to grow. Since we graduated from university, none of us have had a real job. It's been a struggle. But now, after eight years, we feel like we've changed into a professional band.

GK: It has been a long time since you played a gig in the Spring City. Are you looking forward to it?

Li: It seems like we last played in Kunming a year ago. We're looking forward to making new friends this time around.

GK: Over the years you've been based in different cities, previously Chengdu and now Beijing. Do you miss life in southwest China?

Han: Han Jiang and I are both from Guangxi, and Liang Zhanghao is Sichuanese. Of course we miss it — mostly our families and friends.



GK: How many shows are you doing on your current tour?

Han: This tour is one and a half months and we're playing 26 shows.

GK: How do you keep from getting exhausted during a tour?

Li: When we have time we try to catch naps and keep up on our sleep that way. We try to keep the alcoholism to a minimum and avoid serious hangovers. All of that helps us save energy.

GK: What are your plans for the future? New albums or videos?

Li: Life in Beijing is pretty hectic and now we're travelling. We have songs for a new album — all the lyrics are finished and the music is written. We're trying out the songs while on tour but will have to wait to record until the tour is over.

Images: Mr Chelonian]]> Tue, 14 May 2013 13:00:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2968/interview_mr_chelonian <![CDATA[Crayfish invade Kunming]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2972/crayfish_invade_kunming migrate to Kunming. Although officials do not know how the animals arrived in the Spring City, they are fairly certain the crayfish were introduced illegally.

Crayfish — also called crawdads — have been found in the Panlong River (盘龙江) and Dianchi Lake (滇池). City officials are concerned a growing population could threaten biological diversity, farmland and the integrity of earthen dykes common to local agriculture.

The animals live in burrows up to a meter in depth and survive on a diet of plants, algae and insects. Officials worry these burrows will undermine rice paddies. The crayfish are not simply a threat to terraced farming embankments but can also destroy rice crops by eating freshly-planted seedlings.

Crawdads are thought to have been introduced to Yunnan in 2006 in Honghe Prefecture. Since then they have been discovered in Yuxi and now Kunming. Numbers have grown so rapidly in the 1,300 year-old terraces of Yuanyang that farmers report their dykes are collapsing.

Spring City residents living near the Panlong River have begun to fish for crawdads. A woman surnamed Wang told Yunnan Net reporters:[quote] The river has had crayfish for about two years. This year there are so many we can catch them with a string bag. It's easier than catching fish in a barrel.[/quote]

Officials encourage people not to eat crayfish they find in any Kunming rivers. The animals have been linked to outbreaks of rhabdomyolysis, a medical condition characterized by muscle deterioration and kidney failure. Boiling crawdads can eliminate the risk of this condition but does not remove heavy metals that may have built up in the animals' bodies.

Image: University of Maryland]]> Mon, 13 May 2013 14:30:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2972/crayfish_invade_kunming <![CDATA[Riboud and Barbey: 20th-century China through the looking-glass]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2966/riboud_and_barbey_20th_century_china_through_the_looking_glass Yunnan Provincial Museum that featured no archeological finds whatsoever, and instead displayed a pair of hiking boots worn during a 2010 dig in a glass case for our viewing pleasure. Luckily, the arrival April 10 of the Festival Croisements, an annual event devoted to celebrating intersections of French and Chinese culture, has roused the sleepy museum from its usual slumber.

From now until May 20, the museum is playing host to two first-rate photography exhibitions: China in Kodachrome, a collection of rare color photos of China in the 1970s and 80s by Bruno Barbey, and The Instinctive Moment, a retrospective of works by the legendary Marc Riboud. The two French photographers had uncommon access to China at its most reclusive, and the resultant works are essential viewing as testaments to bygone eras usually kept under wraps.



Much of Barbey's work on display dates from a trip he made in 1973 as part of the press corps covering French President Georges Pompidou's visit to China — the first time a Western head of state officially visited the PRC. These are important works, then, from a documentary standpoint, offering a rare glimpse into which of its many faces China would allow to be glimpsed at the time.

Barbey is fond of contrasting the ruddy vigor of propaganda posters with the banality of everyday life. It is here that his use of color seems most striking: surreal revolutionary reds loom over the rain-slicked blues and grays of a China turning towards capitalism.



Unable to read Chinese, he nonetheless produces some happy accidents of juxtaposition between towering slogans and ordinary people going about their business. "Sprint towards the new millennium!" command a propaganda poster's ecstatic horsemen while the taiji in the park below raise their arms en masse in a serene zombie parody of progress.

The Barbey exhibit feels like a side note, however, to the sprawling, exquisite mass of the Riboud retrospective — nearly two full halls of primarily black-and-white photographs spanning the length of his globe-trotting career. The majority are from 22 visits he made to China between 1957 and 2010.



They've been arranged in what seems a rather haphazard fashion by curator Jean Loh, jumping between continents, decades and subject matter from one frame to the next. Perhaps it's an attempt to force viewers to consider works from a formal rather than thematic perspective; perhaps Loh wishes to organically recreate in us as we turn each corner the thrill Riboud must have felt every time he lucked across his next "instinctive moment". The effect in an exhibit as rich in content as this one, however, is slightly disorienting.

Riboud's work begs us to consider the benefits and limitations of remaining a perpetual outsider to one's subjects. Said limitations unexpectedly rear their most ugly head in one caption to a portrait of a nearly naked Nepalese child, which reads, "The little savage coming out of the jungle for a face-off with a photographer for the first time in his life." There it is, in both English and Chinese so that there is no mistaking it — Riboud's own words undermining the very dignity his well-crafted photos always afford his subjects.



We forgive the photographer's gaffe, because his work so clearly transcends such a sentiment. This is in fact what is most impressive about Riboud. Despite the specter of that unfortunate caption, he always meets his subjects respectfully, head-on. As the outsider, he notices what may very well be lost to his subject and those around them — the classical, David-like tilt of the Nepalese child's hips, or, in the very first photograph he took in China, the dancer's grace with which a farmer folds into herself during a long train ride on a hard seat.

In a province that affords us so many opportunities to celebrate all sorts of colorful "others", who among us hasn't zoomed in for a picture of some woman in some headdress and not taken the effort to make that image more than a quick, appropriative act? Riboud, working in the humanist tradition of his mentors, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, never allows himself to take this sort of shortcut.



The results are nearly always stunning, and certainly immensely instructive for anyone trying to retrain their eyes to see as an outsider does. In 2005, Riboud photographed a line of blankets hanging out to dry in the Beijing sun. The caption names the patterns — cherry blossom, dragon, and peony, a beautiful litany for spring. How many times have we seen patterns such as those and simply walked past?

One college student we spoke with at the exhibition admitted that this was the first time he'd ever seen real images from the Cultural Revolution. Though both exhibitions show us China through the very subjective point of view of two foreigners during a period when reportage was closely monitored, they are nonetheless a lyrical documentation of a past that seems to grow less and less relevant in the face of new opportunities for previously unimaginable consumption.

Given that Chinese history seems ever more a palimpsest written over the vellum of collective memory, we can only hope that Kunming will continue to host exhibits that make available whatever not-so-dirty historical laundry there is to air.

Photographers' images: Used by permission of Yunnan Provincial Museum
Other images: Becky Davis]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 13:10:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2966/riboud_and_barbey_20th_century_china_through_the_looking_glass <![CDATA[Yuxi-Mengzi: China's newest railway]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2970/yuxi_mengzi_chinas_newest_railway
It is an impressive feat of engineering that features no fewer than 35 tunnels and 61 bridges. Together those account for more than 50 percent of the line's 141-kilometer length. At ten kilometers, the Xiushan Tunnel (秀山隧道) is the longest ever built in Yunnan. Its construction posed unique challenges to geologists and engineers as the tracks traverse several fault lines and caves.



Pre-opening reconnaissance



Having followed this project for some time, we set out just before the line was scheduled to go into operation. We wanted to scope out station locations and get a view of the railroad from a distance.

We tried our best to keep up with the tracks as they climbed out of ugly industrial suburbs surrounding Yuxi (玉溪) and then passed over factory-scarred hills into the fertile Tonghai (通海) plain. From there they sloped gently down into the subtropical Qujiang (曲江) valley, rose back over more hills to Jianshui (建水) before finally arriving in Mengzi (蒙自).

We followed the railroad as much as possible. It routinely disappeared into tunnels, only to reappear crossing valleys on dramatic viaducts. Everywhere along the line the rails were either elevated on raised beds and viaducts or hidden away in tunnels so as to maintain maximum straightness and minimum grading.



Grand opening



Opening day — announced as May 1 — came three days early, and we missed it. That was probably just as well, as the first day saw crowds exceeding seat capacity by 30 percent. The following day several extra cars were added to the train to handle demand. Media reports were full of ebullient stories of the train's maiden voyage. Passengers praised this "new, convenient, safe, and fast mode of transportation."

Officials claimed the railway would "enhance connectivity, tourism, and economic development in southern Yunnan." News reports also contained one critical piece of information that surprised us. They described passengers boarding Mengzi-bound trains in Kunming. Kunming? Did the Yuxi-Mengzi Railroad not begin, as its name implies, in Yuxi?

In China railroad lines are commonly divided into distinctly-named segments — in fact, this is done with expressway and river names as well. The Yuxi-Mengzi moniker refers only to the latest section of the railroad. The new train service, which does indeed begin in Kunming, also utilizes an older track — the 1993 Kunming-Yuxi Branch Line (昆玉线).

This is a good thing. Being able to board the new train directly at Kunming's main train station is infinitely more convenient as it bypasses an hour and a half bus ride through Kunming's sprawl.



Riding the iron road



The train waiting at Kunming station looked like any other. In fact, nothing was new about the train itself — the cars were clearly old and the train's destination placards were hastily improvised with temporary stickers. Yet there was a palpable sense of excitement in the air.

Every passenger we spoke to was riding this train for the first time and many came prepared with cameras. At each station, crowds of curious onlookers crammed to snap photos and as we zoomed through rural territory, farmers in their fields stopped to stare, clearly not yet accustomed to the train's presence in their backyards.

It was a long train with 16 cars and every one was hard-seat only. But with a travel time of only four hours, this was not an issue. There was no dining car, but attendants sold snacks from rolling carts. Our train was not as crowded as the one opening day, but it was filled nearly to capacity by the time we reached Mengzi.



The journey began on familiar ground, following the old Kunming-Chengdu Railroad west out of the Spring City. In Anning (安宁), we turned south onto the Kunming-Yuxi Branch Line, marking the first resumption of passenger service on this track in more than a decade. Our train traveled slowly as it made its way through Anning's industrial suburbs and past a huge, under-construction logistics hub.

The train alternated back and forth between the old tracks and newly-constructed parallel ones. After winding around the back side of the Western Hills (西山), we hit Dianchi Lake (滇池) at the town of Haikou (海口) and then followed the lake shore south to the city of Kunyang (昆阳). From there the train wound down through a series of slow switchbacks and tunnels before reaching the Yuxi plain. Along this stretch we could see yet another railroad being built parallel to ours.

The train attendants could not answer our questions, but we are fairly certain what we were seeing was construction of the Kunming-Laos Railroad. We passed through the strange 1990s-era Yuxi station and then faced our only delay of the day when we stopped for 20 minutes at Yuxi South Station to wait for the train from Mengzi to pass.



From there on it was all new track and new stations. The train picked up speed until is was cruising at roughly 100 kilometers-per-hour. The railroad is not part of China's high-speed railroad network, and was never intended to be. However, it seemed plenty fast as we whizzed along the smooth tracks, cutting across valleys and through mountains, seemingly oblivious to the surrounding topography.

This train route will never be known for having the best scenery in Yunnan, but it is pleasant enough, passing as it does through red-tilled earth terraces, flooded paddies, and the occasional vineyard. The last stretch, between Jianshui and Mengzi, crossing a narrow corridor in the mountains which it shares with an expressway, a national highway, and a branch line of the 1910 Yunnan-Vietnam Railroad (滇越米轨铁路).

We arrived a few minutes behind schedule at what we thought was Mengzi. In fact, no passenger trains will reach Mengzi for at least another few years. For now, the terminal station is Mengzi North in the town of Yuguopu (雨过铺), 14 kilometers north of Mengzi proper. Fortunately, a long line of empty buses await the arrival of each train and take travellers the rest of the way for two yuan.



Connecting southern Yunnan and beyond



The Yuxi-Mengzi Railroad and its Kunming extension have the potential to revolutionize transportation in Honghe Prefecture. With the exception of the old narrow gauge line, it is the first railroad to extend into southern Yunnan. It is also a harbinger of big changes to come, just one of several railroad projects currently under construction or in planning phase.

In the next stage, it will be extended to Hekou (河口) on the Vietnam border. This segment has an estimated completion date of 2016. However, if it is any indication, the Yuxi-Mengzi section opened one year behind schedule, and the rails to Hekou must overcome far more challenging geography. New tracks laid in Vietnam will replace the old narrow gauge line there and thus the first of Kunming's three trunk line railroads to Southeast Asia, known collectively as the Trans-Asian Railway (泛亚铁路), will be complete.

The other two trunk lines are the Kunming-Laos-Thailand Line — which we could see under construction near Yuxi — and the Kunming-Ruili-Myanmar Line, which is also already under construction. Provincial railway plans do not stop there. Additional railroads linking remote and isolated regions of Yunnan are also in the works. This includes lines to Shangri-La (香格里拉), Tengchong (腾冲), Lincang (临沧), Yuanyang (元阳) and Wenshan (文山), not to mention high-speed lines to Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou and Shanghai.



But while those railroads are still at least several more years off in the future, Honghe Prefecture will begin to see the impact of the Yuxi-Menzi Railroad immediately. Just days after opening, the Honghe Bus Company had already reported significant drops in passenger volume. Forty-seven daily buses connect Kunming with Mengzi, and the train had eaten into morning bus ridership by a reported 30-60 percent.

It's not difficult to understand why. The bus requires schlepping out to the East Bus Station and then spending up to six hours on the road. The journey costs 104 yuan and includes an old section of highway which is often jarring and congested. The train, by comparison, departs from downtown Kunming, takes only four hours, and costs just 49.5 yuan.

It is not just rail passengers who stand to benefit. As the capital and transportation hub of Honghe Prefecture, Mengzi has good bus connections to all the counties falling under its auspices.



Since the train arrives early in the afternoon, passengers from Kunming bound for counties such as Gejiu (个旧), Shiping (石屏), Honghe (红河), Yuanyang, Lüchun (绿春), Jinping (金平), Pingbian (屏边), and Hekou now have the option to take the train for the first part of their journey.

They can then switch to a bus and arrive at their destination the same day. This will save both money and time when compared to taking long, often overnight, buses from Kunming straight to their destination.



Birth of one railroad, death of another



If you try to find the new railroad on any published map, you won't — it is just too new. What you may notice, instead, is the Yunnan-Vietnam Narrow Gauge Railroad (滇越米轨铁路), which connects some of the same places, as it has for more than a century.

Designed and financed by the French and built by Chinese laborers between 1904 and 1910, this masterpiece of engineering was the first railroad in Yunnan. Until this year it was the only railway to serve Honghe Prefecture. As such, it has been a major backbone of the region's economy as well as a crucial link to the outside world, for decades.

Its twisting and turning path through canyons and over mountains meant trains could never move very quickly. One of the last passengers to ride these rails before service was cancelled in 2003 recounted how the journey from Kunming to Hekou, despite being full of historical charm, was an arduous 30 hours.



When passenger service was discontinued, the official reason given was concerns over landslides. The actual reason was most likely that buses were simply much faster. Freight trains, however, have continued to ply the old tracks and tourists, railroad enthusiasts, and history buffs have begun exploring and photographing the old line.

But all that could change soon now that the new railroad promises to displace much of the old line's freight traffic. A recent article in the Yunnan Daily laments the passing of the age of the narrow gauge railroad in Yunnan.

Although this railroad was once a symbol of China's humiliation at the hands of foreign imperialists, it later became a source of national pride when it was used in the war against Japan. It was crucial in the development of the Gejiu mining industry as well.

While riding the new train, we made the acquaintance of Wang Jinde (王晋德), a pensioner who used to work on the narrow gauge railway. He told us, somewhat bittersweetly, that freight service on the line is already being phased out and will probably cease completely in about two years.



Practical information



Currently there is only one train in each direction per day between Kunming and Mengzi. From Kunming, the K9652 departs at 8:42am and arrives in Mengzi at 12:37pm. It stops at four stations along the way: Yuxi, Yuxi South, Tonghai, and Jianshui. Heading in the opposite direction, the K9654 departs Mengzi at 9:03am and arrives in Kunming at 1:01pm. The cost of a full journey ticket is 49.5 yuan for a hard seat — the only option available.

In the near future, there will be two or three trains per day along the route, at least one them being a slow train. Ten additional stations are slated to be opened in the future. They include Anning, Haikou, Kunyang, Dianjuba (甸苴坝), Shihuacun (柿花村), Qujiang, Lihaozhai (李浩寨), Jianshui North, Yanzidong (燕子洞), and Jijie (鸡街).

In the more distant future, the railroad will be extended to Hekou. Passengers will once again be able to continuously travel by train from Kunming to Hanoi, Vietnam, just as they could in the old days of the narrow gauge railway, albeit much more quickly.

Images: Matthew Hartzell]]> Thu, 09 May 2013 16:35:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2970/yuxi_mengzi_chinas_newest_railway <![CDATA[Kunming ranks fifth nationally in expat poll]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2969/kunming_ranks_fifth_nationally_in_expat_poll canvass of expats ranked Kunming squarely in the middle of a top-ten list headed by Shanghai.

The survey included only cities considered prefectural-level or larger and excluded the non-mainland metropolises of Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei. Kunming was ranked above Qingdao, Xiamen, Tianjin, Hangzhou and Nanjing as determined by respondents ranking such criteria as environment, job opportunities, schools and administrative policies.

Results of the opinion poll were compiled from expat-only responses gathered last year. According to a People's Daily article the poll:
[quote]... was conducted during September-December 2012. A total of 175,400 expats, including Nobel Laureates [sic], recipients of the Chinese Government Friendship Award and foreigners working in China [who] participated in the survey through both paper and online voting.[/quote]



Beating out Kunming were Suzhou, Shenzhen, Beijing and Shanghai. Natural environment, a category where Kunming perhaps has a competitive advantage over its eastern brethren, did not carry enough weight to move the Spring City higher in voters' eyes. The top three cities all lost points when it came to environmental concerns.

Kunming was singled out for perceived deficiencies in both education and healthcare. Surprisingly, traffic in Yunnan's capital was not mentioned, possibly reflecting the severity of gridlock in other municipalities.

Despite shortcomings such as being labeled a backwater by many expats and Chinese, Yunnan's viability as an alternative to the densely populated east is growing. A recent Businessweek article chronicled the growing trend (requires proxy) of middle-class Chinese fed up with big city life. Many are pulling up roots and moving to Kunming, Dali and Lijiang, which they see as offering simpler and healthier living conditions.

Top image: Yereth Jansen
Bottom image: People's Daily]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 12:15:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2969/kunming_ranks_fifth_nationally_in_expat_poll <![CDATA[Li Ping fundraiser]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2965/li_ping_fundraiser Salvador's Coffee House announced one of their employees, Li Ping, was suffering from renal failure. Her prognosis is daunting — a lifetime of treatment and hospital visits.

In addition to taking up a tremendous amount of Li Ping's emotional and physical energy, the healthcare she requires simply to stay alive is also extremely expensive. Li Ping, who is just 18 years-old, will need to get dialysis twice a week for the rest of her life. Each hospital visit requires an entire day's time. This includes a trip to and from her family's farm — which takes several hours both ways — as well as the time spent receiving treatment.

Over the past half year, through the generosity of Kunming residents and businesses, as well as dozens of international donors, 165,000 yuan (US$26,700) has been raised for Li Ping. In terms of treatment, this assures her medical care costs, which include perpetual reservations of a Lincang hospital bed, are guaranteed to be paid for the next four years.



Fundraising events



Kunming's art community has come together to organize another fundraiser. The goal this time is to raise 200,000 yuan (US$32,500) to assure Li Ping's medical bills will be covered for the next decade. Although this most recent fundraiser is not expecting to raise all of the money in one go, organizers are hoping to kick-start the process. Those who would like to donate but are unable to attend can make contributions online.

Live music will begin around 3pm on May 12 at Slice of Heaven. Performances are scheduled in the following order: French Mafia, a horn and strings salute to the Beatles, Russian gypsy music by Solid Plan, Kunming Jazz Trio, YanKaDi African Drummers accompanied by fire dancers, Lao Han, and finally John Nevada Lundemo and friends. Entry to Slice of Heaven is free and the restaurant will donate 20 percent of all sales to Li Ping.

In addition to Slice of Heaven's generous contribution, money will be raised through a raffle. Individual tickets for the lottery cost 20 yuan and there is no purchase limit. Each ticket allows the holder a chance to win one of dozens of prizes. These include food and drink vouchers for several local restaurants, free Chinese lessons and two grand prizes – a pair of gold earrings and a porcelain tea set, both of which are valued at 2,000 yuan. In total more than 10,000 yuan in prizes have been donated. The raffle will begin around 8:30pm.

The festivities will also include an ongoing project by art collective Foca Loca. Members will begin making a piece of art at the beginning of the day. Once it is completed, it will be auctioned off to the highest bidder with the proceeds donated to Li Ping. Augmenting Slice of Heaven's usual menu, hand-made sausages will be for sale fresh off the grill. Five yuan from the sale of each sausage will be put toward the cause.

When the music and raffle end around 9pm the party will move to Moondog. A live hip-hop show by Sam and Mike will begin at 10pm and Moondog will donate 10 percent of its nightly sales. Once again, entry is free.

Two previous fundraisers managed to collect 21,000 yuan (US$3,400). Let's see if we can surpass that total this weekend.

Salvador's and Li Ping would like to thank everyone who has already made a donation or contributed their time and efforts toward the fundraiser. Special thanks to Sean Weatherall for organizing everything so professionally.]]> Tue, 07 May 2013 13:30:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2965/li_ping_fundraiser <![CDATA[Yunnan's Party Secretary lays out vision for the future]]> http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2964/yunnans_party_secretary_lays_out_vision_for_the_future interview with Qin Guangrong (秦光荣), who has been Yunnan Party Secretary since 2011. The conversation, perhaps unsurprisingly, focused on the province's continuing struggles to manage its water resources. It also touched on the future of Dianchi Lake, Yunnan's slow but steady infrastructure upgrades as well as trade with neighboring countries.

The following is a short recap of comments and observations made by Qin during the 25-minute interview. It is a rare opportunity to hear an official at the highest levels discuss some of the pressing issues facing the province and its 46 million inhabitants.



Regarding ongoing efforts to remediate Dianchi Lake and alleviate the effects of Yunnan's four-year drought

Qin quoted several statistics highlighting the amount of money that has been spent to clean up the lake. This includes spending an estimated 17 billion yuan (US$2.75 billion) on water infrastructure projects over the next decade.

In addition to discussing plans to build thousands of water strorage cisterns in rural areas, Qin commented on seldom-discussed strategies to clean up Yunnan's largest lake. Qin said the goal was to return Dianchi to its original condition. Beginning in the 1980s, serious pollution ruined lake water for even industrial use. Provincial and national authorities have spent billions of yuan and the better part of a decade trying to restore it.

Qin outlined a general strategy for rehabilitating the lake. The first step, he said, is to ensure that no one is currently drinking water from the lake. The second is to continue clean-up efforts on the dozens of rivers and streams emptying into the lake, many of which are still fouled by raw sewage. Qin mentioned the new sewage treatment plants being built around the lake but also outlined a huge water diversion strategy.



According to Qin, due to both the drought and current redirection practices designed to keep dirty water from entering Dianchi, the lake has become stagnant. To get water moving both into and out of the lake, Qin said water from the Jinsha River (金沙江) will be diverted from an area near Benzilan (奔子栏) northwest of Deqin (德钦).

Water will be rerouted 1,000 kilometers southeast to central Yunnan, eventually joining up with the Niulan River (牛栏江). Qin described a plan expected to replenish many of the reservoirs most vital to Kunming and its surrounding cities. The diverted water is also expected, over time, to flush stagnant water out of Dianchi. The water diversion project has yet to receive national approval but Qin said he expects permission to be granted and funds procured by October 1 of this year.

Qin was quick to say that although planners hope to return Dianchi's water to potable status by 2020 he would not be surprised if efforts took ten to thirteen years.

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Regarding the objectives of Yunnan's "Bridgehead Strategy"

The ultimate goal is to spur economic development for residents of the province, according to Qin. Almost as important is transforming Yunnan in general, and Kunming specifically, into one of the largest trade hubs in China.

Qin explained that Kunming will one day rank behind only Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou in terms of imports and exports. He also said he sees the province once again becoming a net energy exporter, sending electricity from hydroelectric dams to other Chinese cities as well as Southeast Asia. Referencing the Sino-Burmese oil and gas pipeline, Qin said he envisions Yunnan soon exporting large amounts of refined oil to Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.



Addressing the challenges facing Kunming



Qin also spoke about the Spring City and what he sees as the most pressing concerns facing the city. Many of his comments centered around quality of life issues.

Kunming's ever-worsening traffic problems was the first issue the Secretary addressed. Qin went on to say chengshibing (城市病) — a Chinese watchword encompassing social problems such as overcrowding, water and air pollution and housing inadequacies — must be dealt with in the near term, although he offered no concrete plans.

Finally, Qin ranked "beautifying the city" as equally important to raising people out of poverty. Limiting urban sprawl and once again making Dianchi Lake a tourist destination were two ways he suggested for fashioning Kunming into a more comfortable place to live.

Top image: Xinhua
Jinsha image: China.org
Other images: Yereth Jansen]]> Mon, 06 May 2013 16:30:00 +0800 http://www.gokunming.com/en/blog/item/2964/yunnans_party_secretary_lays_out_vision_for_the_future