We sat drinking tea one morning in a place that overlooked Lijiang's main square. We noticed an elderly woman in traditional dress who entered the square shortly after we arrived. We watched her walk around and wondered what she was thinking as she observed the scene. Her lifetime would have included civil war, the beginning of the People’s Republic of China, the Cultural Revolution, the devastating local earthquake, the rebuilding of the town, and now the arrival of mass tourism.
The town is visited by many tour groups each day. Here, a tourist pays to pose as a member of one of the minority groups.
Our elderly lady, who may have worn the same traditional clothing all her life, looks at a tourist who has a different style.
A bicycle cart driver reads a book as he waits for his customer to arrive. Most of the business in Lijiang must be heavily reliant on tourism, either directly or indirectly.
A man who offers posing opportunities counts the day’s take.
Here, our lady watches a commercial photo shoot.
Just metres away, a child happily rides a dragon...
and our lady carries on with her day.