Lijiang part 1

	ACHR Asian Heritage Project Exploring Lijiang, China November 11.-15 2007	Lijiang mission report by André Alexander with input from Maurice Leonhardt Participants: Maurice Leonhardt (ACHR), Larencuo (translator), Somporn Boonyabancha (support), André Alexander (heritage coordinator).

	I General Description The city of Lijiang is an important historic trade center in north-western Yunnan province of China. Lijiang municipality covers an area of 20,006 square kilometers and has a opulation of 1.12 million (source: UNESCO). The town dates back over 800 years, and was founded and still is dominated by the Naxi nationality, who have their own distinct pictorial script and blend of religion called Dongba, which is related to Tibetan Buddhism. The Naxi, together with some smaller minority groups, constitute about 57% of the total population. Lijiang was an important stage on the tea route to Tibet, where Tibetan and Chinese traders would come to buy and sell tea (made in Yunnan for Tibet), salt (harvested in Tibet exported to China), meat and furs and leather (all from Tibet) and Chinese-made goods such as porcelain. The town also had a tradition of producing leather goods, of papermaking and other crafts. In 1986, very early on, it was designated an important cultural and historic cities by the authorities, and so, unlike the majority of China's historic towns and cities, its historic center has survived the economic boom of the 1990s remarkably well. It also survived an earthquake (scale 6.9) in 1996. In 1997 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The UNESCO's evaluation committee at the time stated that: The Old Town of Lijiang, which is perfectly adapted to the uneven topography of this key commercial and strategic site, has retained a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity. Its architecture is noteworthy for the blending of elements from several cultures that have come together over many centuries. Lijiang also possesses an ancient water- supply system of great complexity and ingenuity that still functions effectively today.	1. Introduction General Description Physical Description Some Obsevastions II Our Assessment People's Participation How the poor are affected The Impact of Tourism Finance & Heritage The Image of the City The Conservationists III Ideas and Suggestions Flip through our site or download our presentation in PDF format HERE Lijiang on the trade route to Tibet Tea as a tradition in Lijiang Pure, clean ... water ... lots of aquatic life. A rarity in our world today ...
	The Committee decided to inscribe this site on the basis of cultural criteria (ii), (iv) and (v). Lijiang is an exceptional ancient town set in a dramatic landscape which represents the harmonious fusion of different cultural traditions to produce an urban landscape of outstanding quality. Since then, Lijiang has become one of China's most important tourism destinations, mainly for local tourists who flock here from all over China. There have been 3 million visitors here in the last year, and the number seems to be still growing. 2004 annual "ticket" income was 200 million yuan ($24 million) (Beijing Review).
	As a result, great changes have taken place, and the entire inner city district is dominated by shops, restaurants and guest houses.
	1. Introduction General Description You are HERE Physical Description Some Obsevastions II Our Assessment People's Participation How the poor are affected The Impact of Tourism Finance & Heritage The Image of the City The Conservationists III Ideas and Suggestions
	Next: Physical description and Some Observaions "Scenically, old Lijiang is a place of great beauty. The historic grain of the old town has been kept, so that there are two- to three-storey traditional houses with tiled roofs lining winding alleyways interspersed by canals, rivers and bridges " ...... but what do the original residents say .......