The last week in China we went out to Shaxi, a rural community in the north of Yunnan, close to the Tibetan plateau. On the way to we stopped in Dali, a well touristed town originally famous for marble production.
Shaxi existed as a town because of it's location near a river on the Tea and Horse caravan, a less well known parallel to the Silk Road. It ran to the south, through Burma and on into India. Because of it's climate, it was snow free through the winter, providing an attractive alternative, especially during the winter.
Previous to being incorporated, this part of Yunnan was an independent kingdom. The Tang dynasty had attempted an alliance to prevent Tibetan hegemony of the area, but eventually this kingdom became more of a threat than the Tibetans.
Most people of Shaxi are of the Bai ethnicity (see pictures). They are one of the many non-Han people in the southwest of China. While they tend to be financially less well off, you can feel a real sense of community in Shaxi, which seems to be more important for them.
Our students seemed to enjoy their home stays here more than in the city of Kunming, mostly because the pace of rural life allowed for more interaction and the natural beauty of the area. Two students seemed to have stepped into a family feud. They were housed on opposite sides of a large mansion, owned jointly by feuding brothers. The mansion was in a state of disrepair due to an inability to reach an agreement on how to maintain it. This gave it a Scooby Doo feel to it, including secret compartments in the wall that boarding traders would use to hide their valuables.
Our local host and partner, Sam Mitchel commented frequently that Shaxi was a lot like Dali had been fifteen years ago, so the question of what increased tourism will do to this town remains an open one.
Shaxi existed as a town because of it's location near a river on the Tea and Horse caravan, a less well known parallel to the Silk Road. It ran to the south, through Burma and on into India. Because of it's climate, it was snow free through the winter, providing an attractive alternative, especially during the winter.
Previous to being incorporated, this part of Yunnan was an independent kingdom. The Tang dynasty had attempted an alliance to prevent Tibetan hegemony of the area, but eventually this kingdom became more of a threat than the Tibetans.
Most people of Shaxi are of the Bai ethnicity (see pictures). They are one of the many non-Han people in the southwest of China. While they tend to be financially less well off, you can feel a real sense of community in Shaxi, which seems to be more important for them.
Our students seemed to enjoy their home stays here more than in the city of Kunming, mostly because the pace of rural life allowed for more interaction and the natural beauty of the area. Two students seemed to have stepped into a family feud. They were housed on opposite sides of a large mansion, owned jointly by feuding brothers. The mansion was in a state of disrepair due to an inability to reach an agreement on how to maintain it. This gave it a Scooby Doo feel to it, including secret compartments in the wall that boarding traders would use to hide their valuables.
Our local host and partner, Sam Mitchel commented frequently that Shaxi was a lot like Dali had been fifteen years ago, so the question of what increased tourism will do to this town remains an open one.
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