Programme: Dali Cultural Experience and Learning Camp
Partner Institution: Yunnan University
Period: March 2 - 9 , 2023
I am very glad to have had this opportunity to travel to Dali with all the students of Yunnan University. I had a wonderful time.
On the first day, we arrived in Kunming and visited Yunnan University. It felt different from universities in Hong Kong, with more greenery and small courtyards showcasing fresh natural scenery. We also visited the March Street market, giving us a glimpse into local market life.
Transitioning from Kunming, we found ourselves traveling to the historic city of Dali. The Dali Museum illustrated the changes and development of Dali from ancient times to the present day, displaying many unearthed cultural relics. The ancient city's buildings were distinctive and beautiful. I feel that the overall planning pattern of Dali Ancient City still follows ancient planning, but the streets were redesigned later. There are four gates in the southeast and northwest, and nearby, Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake can be overlooked. The degree of commercialization is quite high, but this means that the market is fully competitive, allowing tourists to enjoy better convenience and service experience.
We also went to the Blue Continuation Workshop to experience a complete tie-dye process. The staff introduced us to some design concepts of Bai architecture and a variety of tie-dyeing techniques of different difficulties. The teachers guided us through the tie-dye steps, and it was like opening our own works like a blind box. This traditional intangible cultural heritage process is not simple and tests the patience of the producer, making it a very worthwhile thing to learn and a rare experience.
Another significant memory was our visit to the Xizhou Ancient Town, a quiet and exquisite millennium town. We visited different art exhibitions, appreciated the charm and inheritance of Jiama culture, and a variety of ancient Bai buildings. We understood the reasons and wisdom of the Bai people when building houses and took a photo with the large swathes of local original ecology waving in the wind.
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