China's most ethnically diverse region. I got teary eyes :(

~~🍵~~
I’ve pulled a brake on the intellectual quest, and headed west to one of China’s most beautiful, hilly places - Yunnan.
Being too much in the headspace could make me think I could learn it all through the written world, but I need to get on the ground and see more of this country.
Join me on a (somewhat meditative) journey to explore China’s gorgeous landscape, interesting people & unique culture.
❤️Why don't you come say helloOOO
Instagram: /
X/Twitter: / siminglan
Subs count: 41.1k
Tags: Yunnan, China travel, Chinese ethnic minority, Kunming, Honghe county, chinese ethnic music
#Yunnan

[@SingkitDude]

Love your contents... As an overseas Chinese, this overwhelms me with so much pride. The diversity of our heritage is just so vast, even with modernity we still embraces traditions.

[@leon3672]

There will be no embracing traditions in the future tho, if everyone below the age of 40 flee to the cities. Massive depopulation makes keeping all aspects of local culture alive very difficult. Not to mention the general shift in entertainment in recent years towards television, Tiktok...

[@leon3672]

I am not blaming china though, its happening all over the world since Industrialization

[@Zephyriia]

haha i was about to react to your first comment by saying how its happening everywhere too, but then I saw ur second comment lol. Funny how we are so prone to reacting so quickly on the internet lmao@@leon3672

[@TeterPiago123]

@@leon3672 your point is reeally good, it's pretty sad that with this trend concentrated more in areas with more than people (just easter china generally) even the cultural traditions of the majority group is being lost :(

[@TeterPiago123]

@@leon3672 modern life and media just strip us of the real world and traditions

[@nivzfrabx3718]

Siming, you don't know how much this videos means to a lot of people like me who are't from China but are fascinated by it's culture and history. Thank you!

[@normajidyabdulmajid4064]

I have got Chinese heritage in my blood, yet I'm a Malaysian who lives far away, me nevertheless, Iove your VDs very much. Thanks for the lovely & informative & also the inspiring postings. All the best for your future undertakings, for more adventurous living... 👍🫰✌️😎

[@mikewong6815]

This video is so good on so many levels. Siming, you've done a superb job of story-telling 👍 This small community of people live close to nature what nature gives to them, they simply accept. Without having to consider. We who live in large urban centres have made lives which are complicated by a variety of things. Personally, as a young kid I moved from the same sort of farming setting to live in a bustling town but have made frequent trips back to the old country. Amazingly the similaries are striking in terms of how they relate to what surrounds them. Keep it up, Siming.

[@jzeng2022]

Few people introduce the ethnic minorities living in the mountains of China to foreign countries. Even the Chinese people living in China know very little about these ethnic minorities. They live in a difficult environment, but they are always so hardworking and happy. ,thank you for your sharing!

[@leahlee8291]

And have been supported so much by the central and local governments in poverty reduction schemes.

[@ChaseYu]

⁠@@leahlee8291true, the poverty alleviation is the means to solve the problems. also, there’s a TV program called «No Poverty Land» which filmed by a Hong Kong local television station, 3 reasons so far.

[@yapchatlam4433]

Good to see there are places on earth not influenced by western culture or Christianity.

[@samghising2170]

You know you are such an intelligent girl. I love your commentary, specially the part , where you said, the old chinese proverb of " better to travel 10000 miles than to read 10000 books!

[@lmk-id2nr]

是读万卷书不如行万里路，不是不读书，是自己去亲身体会，不要一味在书上找答案。

[@PracticaProphetica]

9:03 - Four kilos of tangerines for ten yuan - That's about $2 Canadian, or 23 cents a pound. We haven't seen a price like that on oranges for about 40 years!

[@leahlee8291]

That’s why Chinese people could live a happy life with a seemingly low income.

[@Mingo101-tiktok]

So cheap Chinese products are very competative. Made in USA are hard to compete with made in USA.

[@jamescolyn5960]

This travelogue format is at least as fascinating as your episodes featuring intellectual analysis. The spectacular scenery, along with the perspectives on the daily lives of the locals, provides a wonderful look into the real heart of China.

[@johnhoward6393]

This is a much more interesting and fascinating intellectual quest, Siming Lan! The irrigation system of the terraced fields is brilliant! The people are so kind and generous. Your new approach is also brilliant. We all have so much to learn from each other! The nation state somtimes obscures the olden ways and peoples it was made from, the old ways of living and being. We have much to learn from the past, too. Thank you, Siming Lan!

[@TheTruth-88]

One word for china “magnificent”

[@chinaboss6683]

Brics. 😎

[@kl9518]

Amazing video. Pictures speaks louder than words. No need to defend China with the amazing culture and beauty. The villages are very clean and people are happy. A result of a great government. The heart warming song speaks for all Asian culture of great respect for our parents.

[@lv9657]

🎉🎉 As a 4th generation overseas Chinese, seeing China's today & looking forward of its future makes me happy＆ proud. How I wish my grandparents were still around to witness the development and progress in China. Thanks for the videos. Please produce more to show the world, especially overseas Chinese, how their motherland is progressing, to know more about the culture & history of China. The ways western politicians & mainstream media demonizing china are so disgusting but their actions exposed their hypocrisy, racism & ugliness. 身為第四代海外華人，看到今天和未來的中國讓我/海外華人感動，感到驕傲，如果我的祖先還在他們一定感到快樂／驕傲, 謝謝你的視頻讓大家看到了解中國的發展和歷史文化，我們所接觸到西方政客和媒體，他們的中國報道和偏見太可惡了, 也讓世界看到他們的雙重標準和種族主義。🎉🎉

[@Herr_Vorragender]

Lovely sentiment 😊 But what exactly do you mean when you say you feel proud? Maybe I'm getting you wrong. It could be that you have contributed to the general success of China. In that case, please by all means be proud and show it.

[@jeffchailoo1505]

Well said..👍

[@jeffchailoo1505]

I myself as a overseas Chinese...I do feel proud to see the development of China is getting very much better..and the living standards of their people are getting much better too.

[@jeffchailoo1505]

​@@Herr_Vorragender中国人为自己的国家感到骄傲关你外人屁事....

[@Herr_Vorragender]

@@jeffchailoo1505 No need to be rude. I am asking for a reason. Germans have no national pride. The words definition proves Germans to be right. But when so many people around the world claim to be proud to be a member of a nationality, then either I didn't understand something or "pride" is a superlative to simply emphasize a sentiment. Is it important? Yes. Because feeling proud about simply being a member of a nationality divides us whereas feeling love for a nation, culture or anything is uniting. National pride = us vs them. National love = even I as German can participate.

[@jeffreyrafferty4888]

Thanks! 😊 Awesome episode !

[@SimingLan]

Thank you, Jeffrey!😊

[@rayatpremo]

Thanks!

[@ThomasBarsegian-co3du]

I've learned so much about CHINA 🇨🇳, I've studied in western university (Dartmouth, Sanford, and MIT) biology physics, paleontology .3 PHD'S...! China has returned to the nation on Earth 🇨🇳 AGAIN 🇨🇳👍🇨🇳💪🇨🇳👏❤🇨🇳

[@kforrester3904]

Thank you for showing the western audience the love and diversity of China, we unfortunately have never or will never be shown all of this if not for people like you. Thank you for breaking the narrative!

[@fernandofernandito3055]

Beautiful culture of Yunnan mountains Hani people there colorful clothing, fresh whole food, singing, music, smoking peace pipes and drinking... thanks for Nature beauty of China!

[@Cheryl.C]

Reminds me of the nice C-drama... 'Meet Yourself' ❤ which was filmed in Yunnan 🥰

[@ericlo6370]

Full respect to Jianzhou!!!!!!!!!! And thank you for your in depth interaction with indigineous people ard the country!!! Yes, the love of people is the most touching thing , even more so than the breathtaking scenary!!

[@sfbsfb]

Such a heartwarming window into this community. It made me smile multiple times. Thank you for recording, editing, and sharing this.

[@mikebade5428]

Probably the best and most well-articulated "travel" video I have seen. Certainly intensified my desire to visit China. Thank you so much.

[@d.hammer8119]

I absolutely love this video!!! Well Done!!!! It's good to get acquainted with all Chinese people. There is a lot to learn from them.

[@kevinkuok9131]

16:58 Don't ever lose your heritage. It is part of the broader national cultural tapestry. Wow, the terraced landscape,😊 with two hens in the foreground, is so beautiful!

[@SimingLan]

it is, isn't it?😊

[@gordkao]

I found myself teary eyed watching you sharing your life experiences

[@alistairsavoury1074]

Thank you for another sensitive insight to rural China. Breathtaking!

[@allenhuling598]

Understanding a bit about the political and financial strains that China is currently experiencing it is always good to remind people of China's rich heritage, and this was beautifully done! Important for each of us, regardless of our heritage, to remind ourselves often of where we came from! Thanks for this, Siming!

[@victorkol1]

Finally, you are in Yunnan- really wanted you to visit and vlog. Thank you!

[@echozhao3124]

it's so touched. I am also crying when hearing the hani song as a daughter and as a mother of 3 kids.

[@fredfrond6148]

Katherine’s journey east and your channel are the two best channels in understanding China.

[@Mahawww]

Though I do enjoy learning about the politics of China it was a very nice change of pace to see a video about the daily lives of regular people there! You seemed to also have had a good time with it so I would love see more videos like this in the future!

[@targetfootball7807]

The reason I know so much about China is.., 😅 I've had very close relationships with people who moved to USA from China, very well-off Chinese who have always lived in China, Chinese who are comfortable but not well-off, and also very poor Chinese people with very little. Their opinions about China are very different, and it's a complicated subject because things are changing so fast in China. Being white and from USA, I was often the butt of many a Chinese street vendor joke I didn't understand. Often times people would approach me and try to start conversations. But I mostly agree with the way your Grandfather explained China through his experience. To know what China was before the revolution, and to see how far it has progressed since is an amazing rise. As with many other countries, China had to free itself from the USA to lift its people up. Gain its sovereignty. Even if progress seemed slow sometimes.

[@sustainablerenewableintegr8311]

China before the revolution was a brutal place to live in, at least from what I've learned from the Century of Humiliation and the Warlords Era that followed. China's comeback journey from the brink of hell is amazing in itself. Hopefully, modern China won't repeat the disastrous mistakes of the Qing Dynasty that brought about the Century of Humiliation. They've done well to realize the dangers of neoliberal economic policies early on and put into motion corrective actions to pivot away from over-relying on the real estate sector. No doubt such actions are quite painful to their economy now but TBH those pains are better than ending up fatally trapped like the UK (Sorry, Brits. Your govt really screwed all of you by doubling down on the failed policies that led to the current disastrous situation). Anyway, I hope China can resist the world of pain that has begun to pile up on them by the global banksters (via the Western government's unilateral punitive actions) for refusing to heed the latter's "advice" on bailing out the real estate sector. China's central govt has exciting surprises for those rural folks soon, as part of the corrective actions I mentioned earlier. I wish my govt has that kind of wisdom... Sigh...

[@targetfootball7807]

@@sustainablerenewableintegr8311 Not only was progress slow in the early days after the revolution, but many policies set things in reverse and were harmful from time to time. They were trying to figure things out. What a great idea! A government that tries to figure things out! Really they needed to open up to the West because they needed foreign money to buy foreign resources. And the real estate thing was always going to be tricky. But then China doesn't have a huge slum problem anymore either. Most people that lived in the old crumbling parts of the cities didn't want to see their neighborhoods torn down because at least they knew how to survive there. Though they got a brand new apartment, they had to start all over with their businesses. But the big key to all of this is the government doesn't have to hold debt as a sacred thing. Government debt can simply be cancelled. Or it can be written down to what can be paid. China has always kept banking under public control. China doesn't have to borrow from wealthy bond holders to build infrastructure. The government doesn't have to pay interest. And too big to fail doesn't need to be a thing there. But it's tricky still, no matter what. Plus, China seems to have taken an anti corruption stance lately, which other governments never talk about at all. Corruption is protected by law in the USA.! Corporations are people and money is free speech in the U.S.! It's basically the difference between a real government and the fake ones of the west. But nothing's easy about trying to provide for a billion and a half people I suppose.

[@BailelaVida]

Excellent discussion here..!

[@tecklim1725]

❤​@@sustainablerenewableintegr8311

[@Praetorian157A]

Right or wrong, the revolution totally broke the back of the “mandarins” and the inherent corruption which shackled the People. When the centre is weak, corruption abounds.

[@quintinbowman7993]

Gotta admit I thoroughly enjoy your video, its refreshing gaining a different perspective and seeing the world through someone else's eyes.

[@shesh2265]

I love this channel so much. I also got teary eyes watching.

[@saleenapoudel9743]

It's so good to see these new contents. A fellow admirer from Nepal ❤🇳🇵 Also somehow I as well got teary eyed with her and had a different sense of connection with these people.😅😭

[@yuyuan7204]

I remember that the railway between China and Nepal will be completed soon. Be sure to come and play. Many people from Tibet go to Sichuan to work and then go back to build their hometown, maybe you can do the same.

[@saleenapoudel9743]

@@yuyuan7204 Yeah I really don't know how Nepal China borders and travels work but traveling to China is a dream of mine. I really look forward to it.

[@SimingLan]

❤️😊

[@user-du8ef2id9m]

U r one of the most beautiful You Tuber l had come across. Your English is flawless n most importantly very clear. Many thanks for your beautiful videos. ❤❤❤❤❤👍👍👍👍👍 From Malaysia with love.

[@nancykuhk]

Siming, thanks so much for showing us such a beautiful side of China. Keep up your good work 。

[@yngvesognen1092]

Siming, you make the best content about China that I know of!

[@danielsmith8171]

Marvelous.... China benefits so much from your journalism. I would know nothing about China, but for your videos... thank you!

[@jimmycoding8257]

This video reminds my own home town Shanxi. It reminds me of how kind the people at home, and how pure is the everything there. Thank you! keep up making those good China videos, and show us those beautiful places in China.

[@clementsliu]

a good heart echoes with a good heart, that's why you can find the kindess of the people and moved by their kindess

[@kingofsquids]

Thank you for this amazing video Siming! As one of the Chinese diaspora, you are helping me reconnect with my culture

[@saxmaniac6321]

Yay! A new video 🎥🍿谢谢你啊Siming 🙏🏻🤩

[@johntoh6552]

Thanks for showing us the results of your "probing curiosity"! Perhaps next you could expend that curiosity on the ethnic Korean and Russian minorities in China?

[@tristans7153]

Glad to see you again 😊❤

[@SimingLan]

❤️😊

[@argenzheng2536]

Siming, I enjoyed many of your previous videos because they gave me nostalgia -- I shared your cultural and ideological struggles growing up. This one, though, is China's Peter Santenello in the making, a rite of passage if I may. Keep up the good work!

[@DDZZ2024]

Not only like your videos and music, but also your content…Look at China impartially with eyes without filters, I will always support you and wish you all the best ❤

[@SimingLan]

Thank you❤️

[@pslaw]

Awesome video! The drone shots were stunning! Aren't you happy that you came to the awakening moment when you finally found out what captured your heart? It did mine 😱 Having come across videos like this, I broke free from the outrageous lies told by the corporate media in the West. I look forward to being enlightened by more videos from you.

[@rabbitazteca23]

This is so spiritual! I felt this on my bones! Long live the diverse Chinese people and culture! Long live China!

[@cchung4725]

That was a beautiful experience. Love it. Please keep up the great work. 👏🥰

[@sarawakguy]

Thanks for sharing, I like your videos and your naratives.

[@johnlampe6785]

Interesting and beautiful.Thanks Siming. John Lampe,Perth,Western Australia.

[@BailelaVida]

Thank you kindly for yet another lovely and very interesting video. What a wonderful way to be introduced to the marvels of China. Love the personal touch and hope that you keep it coming. It's inspiring. Also, I sincerely hope you don't abandon the socio-political-philosophical aspects of your personality. Because they are fascinating (as well) Keep up the good work!

[@zetristan4525]

Beautiful video. Thanks for sharing your feelings more vulnerably. So brilliantly talented, yet so humble? What a pleasure to live inside such a mind. Why not be 💯% comfortable with yourself along a magical journey🌱 I'm really happy to see China thriving, the next leader of the world, and we do want the spirit of kindness to win. I still hope 95-year-old Zhu Rongji would share all his insights with you🌏

[@SimingLan]

Haha, thank you! slowly growing into that 💯🍵

[@zetristan4525]

​@@SimingLanSiming, can you address one major concern for the future, about mass electronic surveillance linked to social credit system? As this system becomes run by AI, will it pressure society into a mechanical way of being? eg Since I'm independent-thinking and for kindness, respect and inner wellbeing for every experiencer, over explicit gains, national clout and GDP-contribution, people in future would no longer want to meet with me, because the cameras would pick it up and lower their social credit score - as calculated by the Machine? The concern is that all major countries will, in time, become beholden to this system, to keep up with each other's ability to power-project (and, of course, the leaders may selfishly relish having such control over you and me). You've ignored my suggestions to talk with PM 朱镕基, but he has the wisdom and humane engineer's mind to grok this.🌦️🦋

[@zetristan4525]

@@SimingLan My (decent) reply was censored off!?

[@robinsmith9734]

Whew! What a Dream, your site dropped onto my Laptop at 4am, so many things you initially talked about, about reading, and studying, I did, but then that was about Lichang, Peter Guillart, in the 30s-40s, before Mao, and, a matriarchal society, many other books of the extreme diversity of dress, be it of color, materials, stones, metals, was leading me to leave New Zealand and follow that pathway. Then! The Chenoble disaster happened, and my ex-partner asked me to go to help in Samiland, North Norway. The slaughtering of thousands of Reindeer, from Sesium-3. Around the world again! In the 80's I began studying Mandarin with a Singapore-born Chinese, raised by Jesuit Priests. 3 months into my mother passed on and I never completed it. What a circle. Seeing your video, rang the BELL. Travel, and, BE HERE NOW. Much love to You, ROBIN...........

[@gauravtejpal8901]

The textiles are so beautiful! They resemble the traditional costumes of some of the people in Himachal Pradesh 😊 The song of the children to their mother was also very beautiful 😊 I hope the people will have more prosperity and self-dependence 🙏

[@mahbrum]

Siming, you will always be young if you travel so much with love in your heart.

[@toprelaxingnaturesounds]

Loved the video, you have ways with words, you should write a book if you haven't written one already. Your host's song made me emotional. Thank you.

[@mirror452]

You're amazing. And so is your country.

[@leoncioco3305]

Thanks for taking me on your tour n inter-action w/ the local peoples. 👍👍👍👏👏👏❤️

[@vsalasarcr]

Greetings, fantastic to discover the cultural wealth of the great vast China.

[@PaddyTobin]

So glad to see another of your wonderfully candid video essays. Thank you ❤

[@MustAfaalik]

"The Mountain is high & the Emperor is far away". What a Classic saying!!!

[@listohan]

Siming, you are such a deep thinker, you can't switch off. So much talent in one person. Thank you for showing us parts of China many Chinese know little of.

[@pearsonfrank]

Really enjoy your videos. That you showed emotion in the face of beauty of the nature of your nation is to your great credit.

[@Fai2012]

Yes, it does feel like love. When you're there with nature, you open your heart and let the feeling arise, no commentaries and no judgement, just pure experience. Thanks for the trip, thanks for the video.

[@cecilelavague]

This has been for me the best "travel log" in a long time, I appreciate your ways of experiencing and documenting...I'm so touched by the beauty of the culture, the people and nature through your eyes, thank you for sharing

[@quintdamm]

I lived in China and traveled to Yunnan, but didn't know about the Hani people and Honghe. Great video and thanks for the great insights! And yes, totally agree: people are so kind not because they're poor, but because they're simply warm-hearted and it's their culture. I believe it's also the collective culture that makes people be kind to each other and emphasize what you have in common even with a complete stranger.

[@jondong476]

Very well made video. Beautiful mountains, beautiful water, beautiful people

[@geoffdean3532]

Beautiful work, thank you Siming Lan.

[@darleightenmusic1713]

A beautiful video Siming, one of the best ones! :)

[@linyueqing8826]

I love all your videos; I am touched by your smile and proud of you as Cantonese. You are much better than those with PhD degrees and only teach people how to win and how to gain an advantage.

[@rider2731]

Dear Siming. I am visiting China for the fifth time. Today I am in Xiamen. What a beautiful city and people. But the reason I am writing you is not about Xiamen but is to tell you that you just made me cry. I don’t know why but I am crying with you. One place I have heard so much but not been to is Yunnan. Hopefully I will be able to visit Yunnan and Xinjiang next summer. Keep up the good work. Thank you.

[@SimingLan]

Hi, thank you for sharing this beautiful message :) So happy to hear you enjoyed Xiamen. Hope one day you visit Yunnan and don't forget to let me know what you see❤️

[@billhearing3355]

I have to give you a thumb up. I felt these folks are living in total harmony with nature. Thank you for your effort in making such a great video.

[@zkmk8485]

Wonderful, thank you! Keep doing what you’re doing ❤

[@hweiii]

thank you for sharing this beautiful place and people, greetings from an overseas chinese in aus :)

[@linus631]

Great video! Good job! Keep it up! ❤

[@YaoZuLu]

Really nice video. Thank you for posting

[@seansailBruce]

Love all your posts, pls do it weekly

[@user-fc7is6jo2e]

Very Interesting geography information! Thank you for making and sharing this.

[@yiminxiao3299]

such a beautiful place! Thank you.

[@9OClockRant]

You are very good in telling a story. Thank you.

[@kennedy6618]

Excellent video Siming. I enjoyed it very much! I have traveled to many villages in China and people there are very friendly. It's too bad I that can speak Chinese like you. Looking forward to see more videos from you.

[@davidtang5986]

Love your channel and everything that you do and discuss.👍👍👍❤️❤️❤️🙏🙏🙏

[@xiaoyunchen8337]

you are the best! so insightful and deeply touching!!! this should be made mandatory watching for students!

[@xingliii]

There's no words to express how happy I am to know you went to my mom's province 🥹 Yunnan is quite a popular travel destination to chinese tourists but is still a bit unknown to foreigners and I'm so thrilled you decided to put the spotlight on this magnificent province ❤

[@CheFollett]

adore your thoughts, amazing well done just joined will love seeing your Travels

[@georgephilis]

Such a beautiful documentary and awesome way of looking at China and the world.

[@vladinstein]

Great video, thank you so much! Jianzhou's performance was amazing as well.

[@nanci_sousa]

First time visiting your channel and felt emotional! Thank you for showing us this side of China to all those outsiders, including myself. The irrigation system blew my mind! Superb video! Great articulation, video editing, everything is perfect!

[@eraserbuddy213]

incredibly insightful channel that shines light upon topics too often shrouded by one-sidedness. greatly looking forward to your next videos.

[@kspangsege]

Wow, this is so beautiful

[@evergreennj8950]

@12:08 What a beautiful moving song - it moved me to tears....

[@chickenfrisbee]

another banger video Siming

[@SimingLan]

[@nobuhiroueda1438]

I love all the flavor which comes from this video, because of her respectful and exploring mindset to what you see things different from what you used to see. In a way, her trip to deep inside China must be her intellectual challenge toward unbiased truth of the world. Hope this author continues to produce more such quality documentaries as long as her health stay well.

[@yongshenghu6013]

So familar with everything in this video, I grew up in a similar town in Yunnan as well. Thanks for showing such beauty of my hometown to the world❤❤❤

[@SpiritPlaySouls]

Thank You! You remind me of an old friend, as well. Anyhow great vid love it, thx again

[@angelawanakore9892]

Thank you for sharing. China has always fascinated me. So vast and how could one get bored 🤔 with such diversity of food, songs, stories, architecture, and environmental infrastructure. And I agree with you...people are kind not because of poverty but because they are...KIND HOSPITABLE, Uniquely genuine

[@theo7049]

Such an overwhelmingly touching and beautiful video on a unique Chinese culture I'd probably never experience otherwise.. atleast not for a while that is-- thank you.

[@pwling888]

Love your video!

[@adogoba]

云南很漂亮，昆明称之为春城，一年四季都有鲜花，是全国最大的鲜花市场，我也希望去看看，谢谢思明妹子。

[@alimay1011]

This was so enjoyable and I like your philosophy on knowledge from travel. I understand how hard it could be to join in for a drink because the Hani people know how to drink. 😏

[@TheShai472]

Beautiful video thanks for sharing your adventures.