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Ancient city of the minorities, the old town of Lijiang.

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Lijiang is in the northwest of Yunnan province in China.

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The town stretches across a plain 2,400 meters above sea level.

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The old city is lined with beautiful tile-roofed houses.

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The wooden homes and flag-stoned pavements are reminiscent of Tang and Song styles.

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Several minority ethnic groups live here.

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Approximately 70% of the 300,000 population are Naxi.

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The town was built and developed by the Naxi people.

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Lijiang has numerous tea houses.

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The town flourished as a trading post of the Silk Road of tea, known as the Tea Horse

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Ancient Path.

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Merchants would travel from far and wide with their horses loaded with tea.

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The city has a complex water supply system.

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The Jade Dragon River stemming from Jade Dragon Snow Mountain diverges into numerous small

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waterways, providing water to all areas of the town.

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The water in the upper part of the river is for drinking.

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The spring water tastes good and attracts people each day.

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People scrub the dirt off their vegetables in the middle part of the river, while clothes

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are washed further downstream.

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Different parts of the river have different functions, hence the name Three-Eyed Well,

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a unique Lijiang character.

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At the foot of the bridge is a slot where a board can be placed to dam the waterway.

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This method has been in practice since the Ming Dynasty.

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In this festival, an elder reads out a scripture, praying for the peace and well-being of the

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Naxi people.

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The scripture is written in Dongba pictograph.

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It was developed more than a thousand years ago and is still passed down to this day.

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It is a living hieroglyph.

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The spirit of respecting tradition and ancient wisdom still thrives here in the town of Lijiang.