Every day of the week you can find a market in the towns around Erhai Lake in northwestern Yunnan Province. On Tuesday it’s in Shuanglang, on Wednesday, Shaba, on Friday in Yousuo, and in Jiangwei on Saturday. Xizhou and Zhoucheng have daily markets. On Monday morning head to Sha Ping, a 45-minutebus ride north of Dali Old City. The market last from about 10am to 2pm and you’ll see plenty of ethnic Bai people there buying and selling a wide variety of produce, meat, and dry goods.

Here’s an idea of some of the things you’ll find for sale a Sha Ping market:

A majority of Bai ethnic people buying and selling at Sha ping market.

Many people use these basket backpacks for shopping

buying oranges

Chili peppers for sale

ground chili peppers

We didn’t just walk around snapping photos. Here Juno is buying a mini pineapple.

These are used for sorting grains

Charcoal for sale

Tie die is one of the specialty products here.

Baskets for sale.

Shopping for brooms.

A tobacco sale going down

Tobacco

Haven’t figured out what this is yet. We tried to ask but had some minor communication issues.

The meat department

Pork for sale

Another unknown. Any ideas? Let me know in the comments section.

A woman selling loose leaf tea.

Lotus root

Snails

All photos by Stephen Bugno