Lijiang(702 views)

Release date:2009-08-25 10:51:43

Lijiang is a charming old town that is now more than 800 years old. Once a sleepy backwater town, it took a hard blow in 1996 when it was struck by an earthquake measuring seven on the Richter scale.

But out of the ruins, the once-impoverished old town was given new life. Great care was taken during the reconstruction, and the traditional style of the architecture was recreated or restored to its former beauty. A year later, Lijiang’s fortunes made a quick turnaround when it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, and was granted financial aid from the central government as well as UNESCO’s World Heritage Fund.

What happened next was an unprecedented tourism boom in this little town nestled among mountains in China’s southwestern Yunnan province. Its popularity was further boosted by its proximity to other tourist attractions such as the Tiger Leaping Gorge and the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Millions of visitors have since pounded the cobblestone labyrinthine streets, thronging the old buildings made of wood, stone, and mud.

Popularity has had its downside. Now, almost all the buildings within the old town have been converted into restaurants, cafés, shops and guesthouses – some more charming than others. During the tourism peak seasons, the town square can get rather crowded with hordes of tourists mobbing the performers who are dressed in their traditional Naxi costumes.

The population in Lijiang is predominantly made up of Naxi people, one of China's 55 ethnic minority groups, and Lijiang is famed for being home to the Naxi's ancient Dongba culture. These days, most of them no longer live in their traditional houses in the old town, preferring to rent them out to proprietors of retail and food outlets.

And while Lijiang has been lauded as a successful model in combining history, culture, and commerce, at times, it does feel more like a theme park than a living museum – everything is manufactured for amusement and entertainment. At night the neon lights are turned on, and the frenzied buzz of the day takes on a multi-colored hue.

It is our local friends who saved us from our slight disappointment at the overwhelming commercialism. Charming, laid back, good-natured and candid, they shared tips about hiking in Tiger Leaping Gorge (many Naxi youths work as tour guides in the region and have a very good knowledge of the key sites, as well as history and culture of the region), and told amusing anecdotes.

We had only just met them, but they made us feel right at home with their warmth and humor. Our camaraderie was aided by plenty of food and drink, but also song and dance. By the time we left the beautiful, elegant wooden building – now a cozy bar with an excellent live band, it was dark and quiet. The stillness lends a mystery to the town’s beauty that is absent in the day. Our friends, worried that we would not find our way around the narrow cobblestone paths, escorted us all the way to the door of our guesthouse.

As beautiful as the town of Lijiang is, it’s the kindness of our friends that have made the deeper impression.

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