A glimpse of Shangri-la

MANILA, Philippines - Visiting China usually means going to Shanghai, Beijing, Xiamen…mega-cities that epitomize China’s amazing progress in the last few decades. China has taken giant strides, with 2008 Gross National Income (GNI expressed in PPP or purchasing power parity dollars to adjust for price level differences) of $7.98 trillion in 2008 (latest figures available from World Bank data), up from just $245 billion in 1980 and $2.94 trillion in 2000. The successful staging of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in August 2008 confirmed China’s position on the international stage, and its growing influence in all aspects of global affairs brings it to near – if not already achieved – superpower status.

But far from the glitz and glitter of the boomtowns of 21st century China, Yunnan province in southwest China offers travelers a glimpse of the old – some say the real – China. While its capital Kunming has its share of the trappings of western-style, concrete-and-steel prosperity, a large part of the province still practices traditional ethnic beliefs and ways of life.

Yunnan is China’s most racially diverse province, with 25 of the country’s 56 ethnic groups represented in the province’s population of 44.8 million. In fact, more than a third of the province’s people are minorities.

While the province has much to offer in terms of natural and cultural highlights, the jewel in Yunnan’s crown is undoubtedly the Old Town of Lijiang (there is a new town of concrete buildings on the other side of the hill). Lijiang is located on a plateau 2,400 meters above sea level, near the borders of Tibet, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Vietnam.

Many believe the Old Town of Lijiang – a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1997 – to be the actual Shangri-la that English author James Hilton wrote about in his 1933 novel “Lost Horizon” – despite claims to the contrary.

The search for the “original” Shangri-la began in the mid-1990s, with mention of a multi-ethnic area in southwest China. After much research by study groups, officials and scholars, the deputy governor of Yunnan announced in 1997 “the discovery of Shangri-la in Diqing,” an autonomous prefecture in the northern part of Yunnan. In 2001, Beijing approved the request of the Yunnan provincial government to change the name of Zhongdian county, seat of government of Diqing, to “Shangri-la County.” An official ceremony in May of the following year marked the change of name.

Zhongdian is further north from Lijiang, nearer the Tibetan border. However, an American mountaineer claimed to have found the “real” Shangri-la in a county in Sichuan province some 200 miles to the east. Wherever the “real” Shangri-la may be, three provinces – Yunnan, Sichuan and the Tibetan Autonomous Region – have agreed to develop a “China Shangri-la Ecological Tourist Zone” that covers 50 counties in the three provinces.

The Old Town of Lijiang was built over 800 years ago, in the late Song Dynasty. When Kublai Khan, the first emperor of the Yuan Dynasty, set his reign here, Lijiang became the political and cultural center of the area, playing an important role in the robust trade among China, Tibet, India and other Asian countries. It was the confluence of the tea horse road between Yunnan and Tibet, and to this day one can get beautiful bells here, like the ones used by the horses that climbed the steep, narrow mountain paths.

The Old Town, adapted to the uneven mountainous terrain and the flow of rivers, is laid out in the Eight Diagrams of Taoism, with Square Street (Sifangjie) as the center. Four main streets radiate from this center square, and from them narrow lanes meander to all parts of the town, lined on both sides by quaint houses that are now mostly shops, restaurants, bars and inns.

The streets are paved with local bluestones, which are neither dusty in the dry season nor muddy in the rainy season. The sluice at the center of town is opened late at night to flush and wash the streets, keeping the town clean despite the daily onslaught of thousands of tourists.

The very well preserved houses feature architecture characteristic of the Naxi ethnic people who live there.

The Naxi pay much attention to decoration, and the houses, made of timber with gray-tiled roofs, feature engraved figures of people and animals on the doors and windows, and red lanterns on the façades. “Living in such a beautiful and comfortable environment is a real pleasant thing,” remarked one visitor.

A distinct feature of the town is the system of streams or canals that flows along the lanes between the houses. The main water source at Heilongtan or Black Dragon Pool subdivides into streams that reach every house in the town. Willow trees grow along these aqueducts, and over 350 bridges – some built in the Ming and Qing Dynasties – cross the aqueducts. Together they give the town a decidedly charming, even romantic, atmosphere.

The aqueducts serve very practical and vital purposes beyond the aesthetic, and their construction follows very sound engineering principles. Each has three branches from upriver to downriver – one is for potable water, another for cleaning of vegetables and fruits, and the third for washing clothes. And because the water is quite cold, the streams also function as “iceboxes” to cool drinks – imagine beer chilled in the stream right in front of you!

In the early evening of Feb. 3, 1996, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale struck Lijiang, killing 309 people, injuring over 4,000 and causing extensive damage to property. But the Naxi people of Lijiang were resilient, and they lost no time in clearing the debris from collapsed structures, building temporary shelters and – with generous donations from overseas Chinese – pooling efforts and resources to rebuild their damaged homes.

Post-earthquake assessment by engineers from China and the US showed that the Naxi’s traditional construction methods had prevented the houses from being totally destroyed, leaving the basic frames and even the tiled roofs of the houses intact, with only the mud walls having collapsed. The wise decision was thus made to rebuild the houses in the traditional manner, and to restore the town to its former glory.

The success of these efforts led to the town’s listing as a World Heritage Site, and to its increasing popularity as a tourist destination.

Almost a hundred of us took a chartered flight to Kunming on a tour organized by GoldMine Tours, the highlight of which was a visit to Lijiang. The Old Town was everything we had read about, and then some. Strolling through the lanes, stopping to sit awhile on stone benches by the aqueducts under graceful willow trees, stepping into little shops to look at delicate silver jewelry or sample yak meat jerky – delicious! – or just marveling at the intricate décor of the houses transported one to another time and place. There was a surprise round every corner, a delight behind every door; you could follow the lanes and snake through the town all day – and all night – long, and not be bored.

The Naxi and other tribal people have distinct clothing styles and distinct cultures; the Naxi still write in the Dongba script, the only pictographic writing system still in use today. They call you pang jin mei (pang jin ge for males) – literally plump golden sister – an endearment that is not an insult to one’s waistline.

From Lijiang it is only 400 kilometers to the Tibetan border (1,200 kilometers to the capital Lhasa), and many Tibetans with their distinct features come to trade in Lijiang, adding another dimension to this already diverse and fascinating place. One wishes to spend more time here, but as tours go, there is always the next attraction to go to.

And from here, the attractions get better, if that is possible: Lijiang is the gateway to the majestic Jade Dragon Snow (Yulongxue) Mountain, said to be the soul of the Old Town, the source of its vital water system. The 13 peaks of the mountain – the highest of which is 5,596 meters above sea level – span over 50 kilometers north to south, and with the tribal peoples’ great respect for nature, it is pristine in its grandeur, breathtaking in its beauty.

Set against the backdrop of the mountain is “Impression Lijiang,” a $31-million extravaganza directed by award-winning movie director Zhang Yimou (“Raise the Red Lantern,” “Hero,” “Not One Less”), depicting the life of the various ethnic minorities of the region. The participants are chosen from ten tribes from 16 towns in the Lijiang area.

It is set in an open-air arena and involves over 500 actors, singers, horsemen and their horses. Since its premiere in July 2005, the show has attracted millions of tourists, some braving the cold (like we did), others the heat of summer and the rains of spring. “The outdoor performance gets me touched by the beauty of nature and land,” Zhang said when asked why he chose an outdoor venue.

The show overwhelms by its sheer magnitude – imagine dozens of horses, with riders in full tribal regalia, galloping at full speed atop the wall encircling the arena; or a hundred drummers keeping time on tribal drums – and celebrates the richness of the cultures of its people, resilient, proud, true to their land and their heritage. It is a rare privilege for visitors to share, for such a brief time, in this natural and cultural treasure.