Backroads China
Day 9-Lijiang

Lijiang - The Naxi, descendents of Tibetan Buddhists, have developed a distinctive cultural tradition, centered on life in the isolated, visually stunning, Lijiang Valley. Distinctive mythology, matrilineal descent, and a curious pictographic language distinguish the Naxi from all of Yunnan's other ethnic minority groups. Seventy years ago, American botanist and ethnographer Joseph Rock made Lijiang his adopted homeland and described the area in a series of books and popular articles. Only recently has this region re-opened to the outside world. In old-town Lijiang, a great place for walking, Naxi women in traditional dress sell produce and homemade goods in the outdoor market. Family shops open onto the canal-lined alleys, and private gardens add color to the streets. In the evening, we may visit a local scholar or attend a musical performance.

  
Photos courtesy of John Perry