如题所述
偶帮楼主找了些很全面的网站,由于超过字限,所以不能全部粘贴,楼主去看看吧
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/kunming.htm
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kunming
http://www.gokunming.com/en/
http://www.chinahighlights.com/kunming/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunming
http://www.travelchinayunnan.com/city/kunming/
http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/chinatours/kunming.htm
Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, with a history of more than 2400 years, owes its importance to the fact that it was the gateway to the celebrated Silk Road that facilitated trade with Tibet, Sichuan, Myanmar and India. Today the city is the political, economical and cultural center of Yunnan and the provincial center for transport, science and technology and consequently has become the most popular center for tourism in Southwest China.
Kunming enjoys a pleasant climate and does its best to live up to its title of 'the City of Eternal Spring'. Whenever you are planning to go, the temperature is always pleasant. With its convenient transport links in and out of the city, Kunming welcomes and sees off tens of thousands of tourists every day.
For first-time tourists Kunming city center is an attraction with its two squares and five interlaced roads - Jinma Biji Square, Dongfeng Square, Dongfeng Lu, Jinbi Lu, Zhengyi Lu, Renmin Lu and Qingnian Lu, among which Jinbi Square has the most eye-catching architecture. Qingnian Lu, Zhengyi Lu, and Renmin Lu are the main commercial areas in Kunming; the most popular pedestrian streets are Nanping Jie, Jingxing Huaniao Shichang, and Jinma Biji Fang
Kunming is the focal point of Yunnan minority culture. Some 26 ethnic minorities such as Yi, Bai, Miao, Dai, Hani and more inhabit the region. Each group has its own featured festivals such as the Torch festival of Yi people, the Golden Temple Fair and so on. The hugely successful 1999 International Horticultural Exposition enhanced Kunming's influence in the world resulting in a snowball effect upon tourism as more and more foreigners come to discover this enchanting part of China.
Its alluring highland scenery, bewitching karst landform, varied and exotic habitats and customs and places of historical interest can be found at major scenic spots such as Dianchi Lake, Stone Forest , the Village of Ethnic Culture, Grand View Pavilion, etc.
Kunming has more than one hundred star rated hotels and a variety of a thousand or so guest houses. These provide tourists a wide choice of somewhere to relax after whole day's tour.
Kunming is also renowned for many delicious local dishes; the most famous ones are Across Bridge Rice Noodle and Xuanwei Ham. You can enjoy them both at local famous restaurants or the night market. In the night markets you will find many pubs, bars and cafes that serve good quality meals.
Lastly, do not forget to buy some locally produced souvenirs for your friends or family when you visit Kunming, such as ivory or wood carvings, minority tie dyings. You will find a variety of stores to meet your specified requirements.
Tourism
Kunming serves not only as the provincial center of Yunnan but also as the destination for its snowballing tourism with so many places of interest spread all around the city.
Like Guilin, the capital of Guangxi Province, Kunming is also well known for its beautiful and peculiar, breathtaking and unique natural landscape. Among these dramatic sites, Yunnan Stone Forest , which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kunming city and requires only a three-hour drive, is known best by the tourists. These magnificent stone masterpieces, various strange and steep intricate formations, and countless labyrinthine vistas make Stone Forest (Shi Lin in Chinese) worthy of the fame as the 'First Wonder of the World'. And there goes a local saying: 'It is a waste of time without being in the Stone Forest while visiting Kunming'.
Dianchi Lake, the largest lake of Kunming, enchants people with its cyan water and peaceful environment. It is a favorite with those who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life.
A visit to the Golden Temple is strongly recommended. It is the largest copper temple in China. Here you can see something of the origins of Taoism as the temple is located on Fengming Hill, the home of the Taoist Taihe Palace (Hall of Supreme Harmony).
The famous Buddhist Qiongzhu Temple (Bamboo Temple) with its most outstanding artistic features and surrounding bamboo forest should be included in your itinerary.
The famous '99 International Horticultural Exposition enhanced Kunming's reputation world-wide. In the Expo Garden, you can appreciate the perfect harmony of man and nature.
The spectacular view across Dianchi Lake from the vantage point of West Hills is another enjoyable experience for visitors to Kunming.
In addition to these sites, there are other attractions such as Daguan Park , Black Dragon Pool , and Yuantong Temple . These are all well worth a visit if you have the time available
The Dianchi Lake Scenic Area is located in the southwest part of Kunming City. Dianchi Lake is, beyond question, the center of the resort. There are numerous attractions along the lake captivating tourists. Among these are the Yunnan Ethnic Villages, Daguan Park, Baiyukou Park, Haigeng Bank, Kwan-yin Hill, Xishan Forest Park, temples and pagodas. Towns, big or small near the lake provide visitors with an opportunity to experience customs of the local people.
Dianchi Lake
Dianchi Lake is about 300 square kilometers (74,132 acres). It is the largest freshwater lake in Yunnan Province and the sixth largest one in China. With picturesque scenery and its location on the Yungui Plateau, the lake has a reputation as 'A Pearl on the Plateau'. Unfortunately, the lake has been badly polluted. Although efforts have been made to save the lake, they have been largely unsuccessful.
The lake is crescent-shaped, about 39 kilometers (24 miles) in length and 13 kilometers (8 miles) in width at its widest. Its natural banks are formed by mountains on all four sides. More than twenty rivers nurture the lake which has a shoreline of 163.2 kilometers (101 miles). Four surrounding hills contribute to the picturesque landscape, making visitors intoxicated and linger around. You may appreciate the beauty of the lake and hills from a boat, and explore this cradle of Yunnan culture.
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
The village acts as a good shortcut to understand the social customs of the ethnic groups in Yunnan. It has a natural sun-bathing area where you can escape from the heat of summer. Twenty-five ethnic nationalities have their respective villages and conduct many activities to present their unique folkways and beautiful clothes. Also you can enjoy the water screen movie and an elephant performance, have a taste of the local dishes and buy pretty handicrafts.
Daguan Park
Daguan Park is vibrant with rock gardens, pavilions, bridges and murmuring water. It is famous for the longest couplets in China on the Daguan Pavilion. The Daguan Pavilion was built in the year 1828. It commands a lovely view. The couplet written in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), contains 180 characters brimming with literary grace. During festival evenings, gatherings take place here.
Baiyukou Park
Baiyukou Park is on the west bank of Dianchi Lake. Here a small hill looks like a white fish opening its mouth to Dianchi Lake. Near the Irregular shore line, beautiful gardens are hidden among green trees. In spring, the cherry trees are in blossom, adding luster to this serene place. Overlooking Dianchi Lake, you can see white sails of boats on the glistening lake and gulls skimming over the waves.
Haigeng Bank
Haigeng Bank is about four kilometers (2.5 miles) long while ranging in width from forty meters (131 feet) to three hundred meters (984 feet). The bank, like a floating jade belt, is in fact a watershed of the Dianchi Lake. Slender willow twigs sweep the lake in the gentle breeze. In the south is a wonderful natural swimming pool which is always crammed with people in midsummer.
Kwan-yin Hill
Kwan-yin Hill is bordered by the vast lake and has an altitude of 2,040 meters (6,693 feet). Lofty peaks on this hill seem to thrust themselves straight towards the sky. A Kwan-yin Temple built here in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was once a popular resort of Buddhism. Remaining are a seven-tier brick pagoda, houses, and a gate to the Kwan-yin Temple.
Daguan, which means 'the grand view', is the most befitting name for the park and the pavilion which are on the terminus of Daguan Road in the southwest of Kunming city, Daguan Park and Daguan Pavilion.
Daguan Park locates on the shore of Dianchi Lake and faces the Western Hills which are on the other side of Dianchi Lake. In 1682, a monk named Qianyin built a small temple here to give Buddhist lessons; eight years later, in 1690, the satrap of Yunnan Province Wang Jiwen was attracted by the beautiful natural views here and began to construct a whole park including many halls, pavilions, bonsais, rockeries, trees and porches. Daguan Park became an attraction from then on and the most famous spot among them is the Daguan Pavilion.
Like many other Chinese ancient buildings, Daguan Pavilion also had been in disarray, destroyed and restored several times because of the dynastic changes and the civil wars. The present-day square, three-storied pavilion was established in 1883. At the entrance there is the longest antithetical couplet which was written by a famous Qing Dynasty scholar named Sun Ranweng (also called Sun Ran); this couplet of 180 characters is one of the most valued cultural treasures in Yunnan Province. The first part of the couplet describes the beautiful and magnificent natural views before your sight, tell people to enjoy and treasure. The second part reviews the 2000 years' history of Yunnan,awakens to that no matter how successful or frustrated you are, all will be in nothingness in the end.
Other sceneries like Santan Yingyue, Louwailou and Lu Garden, also beautiful places, deserve a visit. Santan Yingyue is a pool with three stone towers which divides the pool into three parts. Therefore when there is a moon in the sky there are three moons in the water; Louwailou is a stone pavilion built like a ship. Standing on it you can see Santan Yingyue on the right and the ocean of grass on the left, Dianchi Lake in front and levee behind; in the south of Daguan Park is the Lu Garden which was a private villa in 1937, with water lilies, roses, weeping willows and oleanders everywhere. Lu Garden looks like a little peaceful fairyland which is hiding in the corner of Daguan Park.
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/kunming.htm
http://wikitravel.org/en/Kunming
http://www.gokunming.com/en/
http://www.chinahighlights.com/kunming/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kunming
http://www.travelchinayunnan.com/city/kunming/
http://www.chinatoday.com.cn/English/chinatours/kunming.htm
Kunming, capital of Yunnan Province, with a history of more than 2400 years, owes its importance to the fact that it was the gateway to the celebrated Silk Road that facilitated trade with Tibet, Sichuan, Myanmar and India. Today the city is the political, economical and cultural center of Yunnan and the provincial center for transport, science and technology and consequently has become the most popular center for tourism in Southwest China.
Kunming enjoys a pleasant climate and does its best to live up to its title of 'the City of Eternal Spring'. Whenever you are planning to go, the temperature is always pleasant. With its convenient transport links in and out of the city, Kunming welcomes and sees off tens of thousands of tourists every day.
For first-time tourists Kunming city center is an attraction with its two squares and five interlaced roads - Jinma Biji Square, Dongfeng Square, Dongfeng Lu, Jinbi Lu, Zhengyi Lu, Renmin Lu and Qingnian Lu, among which Jinbi Square has the most eye-catching architecture. Qingnian Lu, Zhengyi Lu, and Renmin Lu are the main commercial areas in Kunming; the most popular pedestrian streets are Nanping Jie, Jingxing Huaniao Shichang, and Jinma Biji Fang
Kunming is the focal point of Yunnan minority culture. Some 26 ethnic minorities such as Yi, Bai, Miao, Dai, Hani and more inhabit the region. Each group has its own featured festivals such as the Torch festival of Yi people, the Golden Temple Fair and so on. The hugely successful 1999 International Horticultural Exposition enhanced Kunming's influence in the world resulting in a snowball effect upon tourism as more and more foreigners come to discover this enchanting part of China.
Its alluring highland scenery, bewitching karst landform, varied and exotic habitats and customs and places of historical interest can be found at major scenic spots such as Dianchi Lake, Stone Forest , the Village of Ethnic Culture, Grand View Pavilion, etc.
Kunming has more than one hundred star rated hotels and a variety of a thousand or so guest houses. These provide tourists a wide choice of somewhere to relax after whole day's tour.
Kunming is also renowned for many delicious local dishes; the most famous ones are Across Bridge Rice Noodle and Xuanwei Ham. You can enjoy them both at local famous restaurants or the night market. In the night markets you will find many pubs, bars and cafes that serve good quality meals.
Lastly, do not forget to buy some locally produced souvenirs for your friends or family when you visit Kunming, such as ivory or wood carvings, minority tie dyings. You will find a variety of stores to meet your specified requirements.
Tourism
Kunming serves not only as the provincial center of Yunnan but also as the destination for its snowballing tourism with so many places of interest spread all around the city.
Like Guilin, the capital of Guangxi Province, Kunming is also well known for its beautiful and peculiar, breathtaking and unique natural landscape. Among these dramatic sites, Yunnan Stone Forest , which is about 120 kilometers (75 miles) from Kunming city and requires only a three-hour drive, is known best by the tourists. These magnificent stone masterpieces, various strange and steep intricate formations, and countless labyrinthine vistas make Stone Forest (Shi Lin in Chinese) worthy of the fame as the 'First Wonder of the World'. And there goes a local saying: 'It is a waste of time without being in the Stone Forest while visiting Kunming'.
Dianchi Lake, the largest lake of Kunming, enchants people with its cyan water and peaceful environment. It is a favorite with those who want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city life.
A visit to the Golden Temple is strongly recommended. It is the largest copper temple in China. Here you can see something of the origins of Taoism as the temple is located on Fengming Hill, the home of the Taoist Taihe Palace (Hall of Supreme Harmony).
The famous Buddhist Qiongzhu Temple (Bamboo Temple) with its most outstanding artistic features and surrounding bamboo forest should be included in your itinerary.
The famous '99 International Horticultural Exposition enhanced Kunming's reputation world-wide. In the Expo Garden, you can appreciate the perfect harmony of man and nature.
The spectacular view across Dianchi Lake from the vantage point of West Hills is another enjoyable experience for visitors to Kunming.
In addition to these sites, there are other attractions such as Daguan Park , Black Dragon Pool , and Yuantong Temple . These are all well worth a visit if you have the time available
The Dianchi Lake Scenic Area is located in the southwest part of Kunming City. Dianchi Lake is, beyond question, the center of the resort. There are numerous attractions along the lake captivating tourists. Among these are the Yunnan Ethnic Villages, Daguan Park, Baiyukou Park, Haigeng Bank, Kwan-yin Hill, Xishan Forest Park, temples and pagodas. Towns, big or small near the lake provide visitors with an opportunity to experience customs of the local people.
Dianchi Lake
Dianchi Lake is about 300 square kilometers (74,132 acres). It is the largest freshwater lake in Yunnan Province and the sixth largest one in China. With picturesque scenery and its location on the Yungui Plateau, the lake has a reputation as 'A Pearl on the Plateau'. Unfortunately, the lake has been badly polluted. Although efforts have been made to save the lake, they have been largely unsuccessful.
The lake is crescent-shaped, about 39 kilometers (24 miles) in length and 13 kilometers (8 miles) in width at its widest. Its natural banks are formed by mountains on all four sides. More than twenty rivers nurture the lake which has a shoreline of 163.2 kilometers (101 miles). Four surrounding hills contribute to the picturesque landscape, making visitors intoxicated and linger around. You may appreciate the beauty of the lake and hills from a boat, and explore this cradle of Yunnan culture.
Yunnan Ethnic Villages
The village acts as a good shortcut to understand the social customs of the ethnic groups in Yunnan. It has a natural sun-bathing area where you can escape from the heat of summer. Twenty-five ethnic nationalities have their respective villages and conduct many activities to present their unique folkways and beautiful clothes. Also you can enjoy the water screen movie and an elephant performance, have a taste of the local dishes and buy pretty handicrafts.
Daguan Park
Daguan Park is vibrant with rock gardens, pavilions, bridges and murmuring water. It is famous for the longest couplets in China on the Daguan Pavilion. The Daguan Pavilion was built in the year 1828. It commands a lovely view. The couplet written in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), contains 180 characters brimming with literary grace. During festival evenings, gatherings take place here.
Baiyukou Park
Baiyukou Park is on the west bank of Dianchi Lake. Here a small hill looks like a white fish opening its mouth to Dianchi Lake. Near the Irregular shore line, beautiful gardens are hidden among green trees. In spring, the cherry trees are in blossom, adding luster to this serene place. Overlooking Dianchi Lake, you can see white sails of boats on the glistening lake and gulls skimming over the waves.
Haigeng Bank
Haigeng Bank is about four kilometers (2.5 miles) long while ranging in width from forty meters (131 feet) to three hundred meters (984 feet). The bank, like a floating jade belt, is in fact a watershed of the Dianchi Lake. Slender willow twigs sweep the lake in the gentle breeze. In the south is a wonderful natural swimming pool which is always crammed with people in midsummer.
Kwan-yin Hill
Kwan-yin Hill is bordered by the vast lake and has an altitude of 2,040 meters (6,693 feet). Lofty peaks on this hill seem to thrust themselves straight towards the sky. A Kwan-yin Temple built here in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was once a popular resort of Buddhism. Remaining are a seven-tier brick pagoda, houses, and a gate to the Kwan-yin Temple.
Daguan, which means 'the grand view', is the most befitting name for the park and the pavilion which are on the terminus of Daguan Road in the southwest of Kunming city, Daguan Park and Daguan Pavilion.
Daguan Park locates on the shore of Dianchi Lake and faces the Western Hills which are on the other side of Dianchi Lake. In 1682, a monk named Qianyin built a small temple here to give Buddhist lessons; eight years later, in 1690, the satrap of Yunnan Province Wang Jiwen was attracted by the beautiful natural views here and began to construct a whole park including many halls, pavilions, bonsais, rockeries, trees and porches. Daguan Park became an attraction from then on and the most famous spot among them is the Daguan Pavilion.
Like many other Chinese ancient buildings, Daguan Pavilion also had been in disarray, destroyed and restored several times because of the dynastic changes and the civil wars. The present-day square, three-storied pavilion was established in 1883. At the entrance there is the longest antithetical couplet which was written by a famous Qing Dynasty scholar named Sun Ranweng (also called Sun Ran); this couplet of 180 characters is one of the most valued cultural treasures in Yunnan Province. The first part of the couplet describes the beautiful and magnificent natural views before your sight, tell people to enjoy and treasure. The second part reviews the 2000 years' history of Yunnan,awakens to that no matter how successful or frustrated you are, all will be in nothingness in the end.
Other sceneries like Santan Yingyue, Louwailou and Lu Garden, also beautiful places, deserve a visit. Santan Yingyue is a pool with three stone towers which divides the pool into three parts. Therefore when there is a moon in the sky there are three moons in the water; Louwailou is a stone pavilion built like a ship. Standing on it you can see Santan Yingyue on the right and the ocean of grass on the left, Dianchi Lake in front and levee behind; in the south of Daguan Park is the Lu Garden which was a private villa in 1937, with water lilies, roses, weeping willows and oleanders everywhere. Lu Garden looks like a little peaceful fairyland which is hiding in the corner of Daguan Park.
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第1个回答 2008-04-23
Kunming (Chinese: 昆明; pinyin: Kūnmíng; Wade-Giles: K'un-ming; IPA: [kʊn'mɪŋ]; UN/LOCODE: CNKMG) is a prefecture-level city and capital of Yunnan province, in southwestern China. Because of its year-round temperate climate, Kunming is often called the "Spring City" or "City of Eternal Spring" (Chinese: 春城; pinyin: Chūnchéng).
Kunming is the political, economic, communications and cultural center of the province, and is the seat of the Yunnan provincial government. It was important during World War II as a Chinese military center, American air base, and transport terminus for the Burma Road. Located in the middle of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Kunming is located at an altitude of 1,900 m above sea level and at a latitude north of the tropic of cancer. It covers an area of 21,501 km² and its urban area covers 6,200 km². Kunming has an estimated population of 5,740,000 including 3,055,000 in the urban area and is located at the northern edge of the large Lake Dian, surrounded by temples and lake-and-limestone hill landscapes.
Kunming consists of an old walled city, a modern commercial suburb, and a residential and university section. The city has an astronomical observatory, and its institutions of higher learning include Yunnan University and a medical college. On the outskirts is a famed bronze temple, dating from the Ming dynasty. Kunming was formerly called Yunnanfu (literally meaning "Yunnan Capital") until the 1920s the latest.
It is the leading transportation hub (air, road, rail) in SW China, with rail connections to Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. Situated in a fertile plain 640 km southwest of Chongqing, Kunming is an important trading center between the far west and central and south China. It is one of China's largest producers of copper. Copper is smelted with nearby hydroelectric power. Coal is mined, and the city has a few iron and steel complexes. Other manufactures include phosphorus, chemicals, machinery, textiles, paper, and cement. Although it was often the seat of kings in ancient times, Kunming's modern prosperity dates only from 1910, when the railroad from Hanoi was built. The city continues to develop rapidly during the modernization efforts of China. Kunming's streets have widened while office buildings and housing projects develop at a fast pace. Kunming has been designated a Special Tourism Center and as such has proliferating high-rises and luxury hotels.
Kunming is the political, economic, communications and cultural center of the province, and is the seat of the Yunnan provincial government. It was important during World War II as a Chinese military center, American air base, and transport terminus for the Burma Road. Located in the middle of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, Kunming is located at an altitude of 1,900 m above sea level and at a latitude north of the tropic of cancer. It covers an area of 21,501 km² and its urban area covers 6,200 km². Kunming has an estimated population of 5,740,000 including 3,055,000 in the urban area and is located at the northern edge of the large Lake Dian, surrounded by temples and lake-and-limestone hill landscapes.
Kunming consists of an old walled city, a modern commercial suburb, and a residential and university section. The city has an astronomical observatory, and its institutions of higher learning include Yunnan University and a medical college. On the outskirts is a famed bronze temple, dating from the Ming dynasty. Kunming was formerly called Yunnanfu (literally meaning "Yunnan Capital") until the 1920s the latest.
It is the leading transportation hub (air, road, rail) in SW China, with rail connections to Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand. Situated in a fertile plain 640 km southwest of Chongqing, Kunming is an important trading center between the far west and central and south China. It is one of China's largest producers of copper. Copper is smelted with nearby hydroelectric power. Coal is mined, and the city has a few iron and steel complexes. Other manufactures include phosphorus, chemicals, machinery, textiles, paper, and cement. Although it was often the seat of kings in ancient times, Kunming's modern prosperity dates only from 1910, when the railroad from Hanoi was built. The city continues to develop rapidly during the modernization efforts of China. Kunming's streets have widened while office buildings and housing projects develop at a fast pace. Kunming has been designated a Special Tourism Center and as such has proliferating high-rises and luxury hotels.
参考资料:
第2个回答 2008-04-23
Kunming is the capital of southwest China's Yunnan province, a primarily agricultural province of 45 million. Kunming has a population of five million and is located in one of the world's most geographically, ethnically, biologically and linguistically diverse regions. Situated at 1,900 meters (6,233ft) above sea level and 25° north of the Equator it has a rather unique and pleasant climate for a Chinese city.
As the provincial capital, Kunming's variety of people, languages, customs and food is a reflection of the variety found in Yunnan province itself. Roughly the size of California, Yunnan borders Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar (Burma), Guangxi and Tibet autonomous regions and Guizhou and Sichuan provinces. Yunnan is also less than 150 km from northeast India and northern Thailand.
Kunming weather is typically mild, except for two months of hot days usually around April and May and two months of cold nights and chilly days typically spanning from late December to early February. Otherwise, high temperatures average around 21°C (69°F) and lows are typically around 10°C (50°F). Weather in Kunming is influenced heavily by Indian monsoons as well as weather patterns in Tibet to the northwest.
Because of its high altitude Kunming weather is typically characterized by intense sunlight during the daytime and a slight chill at night. When the rest of China is hot, Kunming is one of the country's coolest cities. When the northern half of the country is frozen and covered with snow, flowers are blooming. Hence, Kunming's nickname in Chinese is 'Spring City'.
Kunming sits upon the Yunnan Plateau, which rises toward the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau heading northwest and yields to lower altitude tropical jungle heading southward toward Southeast Asia. The city is surrounded by mountains and is just northeast of Dianchi Lake, the largest lake in the province and the sixth-largest freshwater lake in China.
Kunming is rapidly becoming one of China's more internationalized cities. It has sister city relationships with Denver, Colorado in the United States and Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in Australia. Within five years it will have road and rail connections to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in addition to rail links to Hanoi, Vientiane, Phnom Penh. After the Stilwell Road is renovated, Kunming will be the only Chinese city connected to India by road. It will also be the main Chinese city of the China-ASEAN Asia Free Trade Area which will be launched in 2010 and will be the world's largest FTA with over 1.8 billion people.
History
Kunming's Chinese history exceeds two millennia. In 279 BC general Zhuang Qiao of the Chu kingdom set up camp near Dianchi Lake. During the Han Dynasty a city named Kunzhou was established to the southeast of present-day Kunming. Later on during the Mongol-ruled Yuan Dynasty, the area was given the name Kunming County. During the early 19th Century Kunming constructed a city wall – the hallmark of any true Chinese city at the time.
From 1910 to 1913 the French built the Indochina Rail Line to Kunming, connecting it to Hanoi and even as far as Haiphong on the Gulf of Tonkin. The line was extended to Kunming to tap the vast copper resources in the area. The line still operates today.
In the past, Kunming was considered to be a backward and isolated city. Government officials that fell into disfavor with their superiors were often posted there as punishment. In 1928 Kunming was elevated to municipality status by the Kuomintang-ruled Republic of China. Shortly afterward, the city was about to experience what was arguably its most formative period to date.
During China's war of resistance against Japan during World War II, a large number of refugees from elsewhere in China, particularly the country's north, fled to Kunming. From 1937 to 1938 approximately 60,000 refugees poured into Kunming, which only had a population of around 150,000 beforehand.
Many of these refugees were intellectuals fleeing persecution under Japanese rule as well as Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang government – which had already been pushed back to Chongqing but did not control Yunnan, with which it had an alliance but did not rule.
Kunming was on the receiving end of a brain drain that resulted in the establishment of Southwest Associated University, which was located on the grounds of present-day Yunnan Normal University. The legacy of this intellectual immigration is apparent today – Kunming is still one of southwest China's educational and research centers.
During World War II, Kunming was the terminus of military supply routes originating in Burma and later India. American forces were stationed in the city, most notably the Flying Tigers. The design of Kunming's current airport was influenced heavily by the American troops posted in the city during this time.
After the Communist victory of 1949 and the reintegration of Yunnan into Beijing's sphere of control, Kunming quieted down for the most part and rode the political ebbs and flows experienced by the rest of the country.
Attractions
Today Kunming is a major tourist city in China. It often serves as a mere stopover for travelers on their way to more idyllic or exotic locales in Yunnan such as Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian (recently designated as 'Shangri-la' by Beijing), Deqin or Xishuangbanna, but the city has much to see in its own right.
One of the biggest draws for tourists coming to Kunming (other than the great weather and clean air) is the city's ethnic diversity. Yunnan is home to over two dozen of China's official 55 ethnic minorities. Tibetans, Hui, Bai, Dai, Yi, Naxi and other groups contribute to a cultural melting pot that differentiates Kunming from the majority of other major Chinese cities. Each of these ethnic groups brings with it a unique set of traditions including food, dress, art, music and mythology.
Kunming and the area surrounding the city also have many sights worth seeing. The Stone Forest is perhaps the most popular destination on the outskirts of the city. The Stone Forest, with its limestone columns reaching as high as 40 meters (131 feet) is one of the more unique geographical phenomena in China.
Within the city, Cuihu Park (Green Lake Park) is located in the city's center. The park was once part of Dianchi Lake, but is now filled with small islands covered with bamboo, palms and willows. It is perhaps the best place in Kunming to peoplewatch. Every afternoon around 2:30, people congregate in different sections of the park to play music, sing traditional songs, dance or just enjoy walking around and experiencing the wide variety of free entertainment available. Music lasts until nighttime.
Other attractions in the city include the Bamboo Temple, Kunming Zoo, Kunming Botanical Gardens and the World Horticultural Expo Gardens.
As the provincial capital, Kunming's variety of people, languages, customs and food is a reflection of the variety found in Yunnan province itself. Roughly the size of California, Yunnan borders Vietnam, Laos and Myanmar (Burma), Guangxi and Tibet autonomous regions and Guizhou and Sichuan provinces. Yunnan is also less than 150 km from northeast India and northern Thailand.
Kunming weather is typically mild, except for two months of hot days usually around April and May and two months of cold nights and chilly days typically spanning from late December to early February. Otherwise, high temperatures average around 21°C (69°F) and lows are typically around 10°C (50°F). Weather in Kunming is influenced heavily by Indian monsoons as well as weather patterns in Tibet to the northwest.
Because of its high altitude Kunming weather is typically characterized by intense sunlight during the daytime and a slight chill at night. When the rest of China is hot, Kunming is one of the country's coolest cities. When the northern half of the country is frozen and covered with snow, flowers are blooming. Hence, Kunming's nickname in Chinese is 'Spring City'.
Kunming sits upon the Yunnan Plateau, which rises toward the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau heading northwest and yields to lower altitude tropical jungle heading southward toward Southeast Asia. The city is surrounded by mountains and is just northeast of Dianchi Lake, the largest lake in the province and the sixth-largest freshwater lake in China.
Kunming is rapidly becoming one of China's more internationalized cities. It has sister city relationships with Denver, Colorado in the United States and Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in Australia. Within five years it will have road and rail connections to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore in addition to rail links to Hanoi, Vientiane, Phnom Penh. After the Stilwell Road is renovated, Kunming will be the only Chinese city connected to India by road. It will also be the main Chinese city of the China-ASEAN Asia Free Trade Area which will be launched in 2010 and will be the world's largest FTA with over 1.8 billion people.
History
Kunming's Chinese history exceeds two millennia. In 279 BC general Zhuang Qiao of the Chu kingdom set up camp near Dianchi Lake. During the Han Dynasty a city named Kunzhou was established to the southeast of present-day Kunming. Later on during the Mongol-ruled Yuan Dynasty, the area was given the name Kunming County. During the early 19th Century Kunming constructed a city wall – the hallmark of any true Chinese city at the time.
From 1910 to 1913 the French built the Indochina Rail Line to Kunming, connecting it to Hanoi and even as far as Haiphong on the Gulf of Tonkin. The line was extended to Kunming to tap the vast copper resources in the area. The line still operates today.
In the past, Kunming was considered to be a backward and isolated city. Government officials that fell into disfavor with their superiors were often posted there as punishment. In 1928 Kunming was elevated to municipality status by the Kuomintang-ruled Republic of China. Shortly afterward, the city was about to experience what was arguably its most formative period to date.
During China's war of resistance against Japan during World War II, a large number of refugees from elsewhere in China, particularly the country's north, fled to Kunming. From 1937 to 1938 approximately 60,000 refugees poured into Kunming, which only had a population of around 150,000 beforehand.
Many of these refugees were intellectuals fleeing persecution under Japanese rule as well as Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang government – which had already been pushed back to Chongqing but did not control Yunnan, with which it had an alliance but did not rule.
Kunming was on the receiving end of a brain drain that resulted in the establishment of Southwest Associated University, which was located on the grounds of present-day Yunnan Normal University. The legacy of this intellectual immigration is apparent today – Kunming is still one of southwest China's educational and research centers.
During World War II, Kunming was the terminus of military supply routes originating in Burma and later India. American forces were stationed in the city, most notably the Flying Tigers. The design of Kunming's current airport was influenced heavily by the American troops posted in the city during this time.
After the Communist victory of 1949 and the reintegration of Yunnan into Beijing's sphere of control, Kunming quieted down for the most part and rode the political ebbs and flows experienced by the rest of the country.
Attractions
Today Kunming is a major tourist city in China. It often serves as a mere stopover for travelers on their way to more idyllic or exotic locales in Yunnan such as Dali, Lijiang, Zhongdian (recently designated as 'Shangri-la' by Beijing), Deqin or Xishuangbanna, but the city has much to see in its own right.
One of the biggest draws for tourists coming to Kunming (other than the great weather and clean air) is the city's ethnic diversity. Yunnan is home to over two dozen of China's official 55 ethnic minorities. Tibetans, Hui, Bai, Dai, Yi, Naxi and other groups contribute to a cultural melting pot that differentiates Kunming from the majority of other major Chinese cities. Each of these ethnic groups brings with it a unique set of traditions including food, dress, art, music and mythology.
Kunming and the area surrounding the city also have many sights worth seeing. The Stone Forest is perhaps the most popular destination on the outskirts of the city. The Stone Forest, with its limestone columns reaching as high as 40 meters (131 feet) is one of the more unique geographical phenomena in China.
Within the city, Cuihu Park (Green Lake Park) is located in the city's center. The park was once part of Dianchi Lake, but is now filled with small islands covered with bamboo, palms and willows. It is perhaps the best place in Kunming to peoplewatch. Every afternoon around 2:30, people congregate in different sections of the park to play music, sing traditional songs, dance or just enjoy walking around and experiencing the wide variety of free entertainment available. Music lasts until nighttime.
Other attractions in the city include the Bamboo Temple, Kunming Zoo, Kunming Botanical Gardens and the World Horticultural Expo Gardens.