Lijiang Ancient Town — Naxi Canal at Night
163.00 £
Lijiang’s UNESCO World Heritage Old Town photographed at night from the Wanggu Tower — the Naxi canals reflecting the red lantern light, the cobbled streets empty before the morning market, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain moonlit beyond.
Description
Lijiang Old Town in Yunnan Province is a UNESCO World Heritage site — a remarkably intact Tang-era Naxi town whose canal system, cobbled lanes, and traditional timber architecture have survived without the reinforced concrete intrusion that has compromised most Chinese historic towns. The Naxi ethnic minority — the town’s original inhabitants — maintain cultural traditions including the ancient Dongba pictographic script (the world’s last living hieroglyphic writing system) and the Baisha Mural Paintings from the Ming dynasty. This photograph was made from the Wanggu Tower viewpoint at 11pm — after the majority of tourists have returned to their hotels — when the canal-side restaurants and shops have closed and the stone streets reflect the red lantern illumination in near-perfect stillness. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, 5,596 metres, is visible above the town in the moonlight to the north.
