A brief introduction to the Bamboo Houses of Yunnan China.

By Erik Illies The bamboo houses of the Yunnan Province China have been a vernacular tradition for over 1000 years(Chinavista, 2010). They represent a response by indigenous peoples over many generations to their surrounding environment. Generation to generation, the practice of lashing bamboo elements together and layering chutes to create floors, walls, and roofs is handed down (Yanxin, 2010, p. 147). Perpetuating this tradition is part of and over all cultural preservation of the Dai village. The houses, built in Dai villages, are typically located in low lying valleys near rivers that produce an abundance of bamboo forests. Specifically, these houses are predominantly located in the Yunnan Province of China. The Yunnan Province is located in the southwestern most region of China and covers an area of approximately 394,000 square miles (Wikipedia, 2012). It's geographical coordinates are 24 degrees 30 minutes North/101 degrees 30 minutes (Wikipedia, 2012). This area of China seems to be characterized by numerous mountain ranges and valleys in between. Overall the province has its highest elevations toward the north and its lowest elevations toward that south. The majority of the 45,966,239 population of the Yunnan lives in the eastern portion of the province (Wikipedia, 2012). It could be assumed that the population tends to shift to this portion of the province due to its bordering location with neighboring states and rich diversity of culture/ resources/ and environment. The climate of Yunnan consists primarily of mild temperatures that are regulated in part by the many south facing mountain ranges allowing plenty of natural sun exposure.