The breakaway province of Yunnan

Yunnan was the seat of the pastoral Dian Kingdom, founded in the 3rd century ce, but the province remained isolated from the rest of China for centuries afterward, resisting Han influences and maintaining its local traditions. Even today, the province is home to a third of China’s ethnic minorities. The capital city of Kunming is blessed with clement weather and in ancient times was dubbed the City of Eternal Spring. It was already a thriving cosmopolitan centre by the 13th century. Within the different tribal communities are rich and unique food cultures, reflecting the distinctive characteristics of each ethnic group. The Zhuang in Yunnan form the largest group among China’s ethnic minorities, and are particularly skilful at preparing festive dishes using ingredients such as hare, rabbit, frogs and other wild meats.