Hi, i've been living in Beijing for the past 5 months and have recently left to return to England for a few months before again going back to the south of China. I plan to travel around the south for a month before perhaps settling in Kunming to continue studying mandarin and do some more teaching work. I found Beijing to be an amazing city, with a lot going on, the music scene especially seemed to be developing really quickly, so there was always something to do. I also found life there to be pretty intense, frustrating, crowded and polluted obviously, coming from the English countryside it was a concrete jungle. So i'd like to move somewhere more peaceful for a while but i'm also pretty anxious about whether i'd find Kunming a little dull after Beijing. I'd like to hear from people who live there if possible, cheers

Matt

In a country that continues to suffer the aftermath of the "cultural" revolution it's hard to to talk about a rich cultural life in any city, Beijing or Kunming, Chongqing or Shanghai. But before anyone takes offense, it's necessary to point out that on a PER CAPITA basis, China is still a developing naiton with very important social priorities like health care, education and fighting the every widening gap between rich and poor. That doesn't leave much in the way of resources for the development of traditional outlets for culture: concerts, galleries, etc. The new wealthy class hasn't quite developed the level of partronage that supports such endeavors either.

So, compared with London, New York, Paris or even San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago, most of China is devoid of "culture" in the western sense. However, in Kunming you will find some elements of living that are invaluable: reasonably clean air, a slower, simpler pace of life, a much more heterogenous mix of ethnicities than almost anywere else in China. In addition, Yunnan province is a wonderful place to travel, the countryside is spectacular and people are hard working, kind and generous. That, I think adds up to more than a few concerts or night clubs or gallery shows (though there are a few of those here, too).

Yes, Yunnan also Shangrila, too, but the real paradise is in the overall quality of life one can enjoy everyday right here in Kunming!

Kunming is one of the most relaxing and comfortable cities I have ever lived in. I too enjoy living in an area that offers me a wide variety of choice. Kunming doesn't necessarily offer everything you may desire now, BUT the intense internal peace and rejuvenated mind you will get from simply walking the streets will make you forget your worries. I sincerely hope you decide to reside there for some time. You will find that you may even gain back some years that Beijing took away from your life.

I've been living in Bj for about four rockin' years, one mostly made of couch surfing and bunker guesthouse shuffling, two spent living in the hutongs of Houhai, then shaping up my little family, while not neglecting this destroy nightlife thing, till it started to get boring as all the good spots where nuked one after the other to make place for big ass towers, supermalls and what not. I moved to that nearby artists' village called Songzhuang which rocked for the first year I've been there till, after a nude day event including boxing, to which I participated, and some unnecessary political provocation turned bad and gave local authorities an excuse to scare the sheepish artists and just nuked all the fun.

That led my French pal -Seb- and I (a franco canuck) to hit the road for a bicyling trip that would -at least- drag us to Vietnam, just a few months ago. Well, we stopped our trip in Kunming, as we found the place to be unsually graced with a greater number of interesting folks per capita than Bj. Bar and musak scenes, altho small, more rock and roll. How to say? Let say that this small comunity that we found revolving around that laowai street, speakeasy'n company to have more charm and personality than what we know of beijing. The town itself has actual hills and curves, nearby moutains, green stuff all year round, cheap accomodation, good yet cheap food, delicious girls and boys, cheap Jinro and much less traffic than Beijing. Hm. Air is clean, crisp, almost fragrant. Never truly cold, never scorching. To boot, the place is nearby southeast Asia, India, etc., offering a much more diverse catalog of cheap traveling options. Anyway, all that led us and a couple of pals back in Beijing to envisage a very soon move to that lovely town. For my part, I leave Beijing on bicycle or foot (not decided yet) somwhere between Friday or Monday, and should be in Kunming in a couple of months. Well, perhaps a tad later if I do that by foot. Few months later, about two tons of material possessions, one woman and her four kids should be joining me.