Ancient town’s preservation sparks tourism boom

The ancient temples, old alleys and caravansaries of the ancient town of Shaxi, reminders of past glories, attract tourists from around the world.

A remote township in Jianchuan county, southwestern China’s Yunnan province, Shaxi was once an important trading hub for tea, herbs, silk and salt on the ancient Tea Horse Road that linked Yunnan to Tibet.

Dong Zengxu, director of the Jianchuan cultural heritage institute, said that in ancient times, commercial exchanges not only brought Shaxi economic prosperity, but also made it a place where cultures and religions blended.

“In the old days, it was adventurous to travel along the Tea Horse Road because trade caravans had to face harsh conditions on the snowy mountains and had to go through steep ravines and fast-moving waters,” Dong said. “When they made it to Shaxi, they felt the place was just like paradise, and then a marketplace was formed here.”

But the once-bustling trading hub declined in importance in the late 19th century because it was far from the modern road network, and other modes of transport replaced the traveling caravans.

In 2002, a restoration project was initiated to preserve the cultural heritage and landscape, improve infrastructure, and promote economic growth in Shaxi.

However, preservation work was challenging. “There were overgrown grass and weeds in the ramshackle theater and guesthouses,” Dong said.

Restoration workers carefully marked all the parts of the ancient buildings. They removed some for cleaning and repair before putting them back in place.

“We did our best to restore the traditional architecture,” said Huang Yinwu, a leader of the project. “For example, the bumpy cobblestones laid during the Qing Dynasty (16441911) were preserved after bitter disputes among experts.”

Years of effort are paying off. The project saw old buildings renovated and the scenery beautified, turning Shaxi into a desirable destination for tourists at home and from abroad.

Guy Lapointe, a tourist from Quebec, Canada, paid a three-day visit with his family before Lunar New Year. “We enjoyed seeing old buildings, walking on the ancient Tea Horse Road and hiking in the nearby countryside,” he said.

Residents have benefited from the tourism boom. During the Spring Festival holiday, over 114,000 tourists visited Shaxi, and tourism revenue rose 11 percent year-on-year to 134 million yuan ($19.8 million), according to data from Jianchuan’s tourism resources protection, construction and management committee.

“There are over 100 hotels and inns in Shaxi and many of them are run by locals,” said Zhang Zhuolin, an official with the committee. “Tourism has also boosted sales of local products such as honey and wild mushrooms.”

Zhao Jiahua, 33, worked as a site keeper at the beginning of the restoration project over 10 years ago and then found a job at a hotel. At the end of 2017, Zhao opened his own inn with 18 guest rooms.

“Our rooms were fully booked during the Spring Festival holiday,” he said. “Tourists like our traditional Bai ethnic dishes.

“Poverty once forced young adults to leave home and make a living elsewhere. But many of them have returned in recent years because they can find more opportunities here.”