Summit explores ways to preserve traditional villages

A Dong ethnic woman weaves in the traditional way. ZHANG JIHUI/CHINA DAILY

She says that on the festival day the use of fire was prohibited in the village and all the people had to go to a nearby river to eat cold dishes. This was to remind the Xijiang people about taking precautions to keep wooden structures from catching fire and to pay homage to the fire god.

"Now, we cannot demand that tourists not use fire on that day," she says. "They eat whatever they like."

Meanwhile, though a proposal was made by 100 scholars at last week's summit to accelerate the push for Qiandongnan's traditional villages to be declared as UNESCO Cultural Heritage sites, Cao Changzhi, deputy director of the State-level commission for traditional village development, is not optimistic.

He says: "I did research in Qiandongnan in 2012. Some traditional villages were well preserved then.

"However, when I went back recently, I found that many things had been replaced by wide roads, newly built fortress gates and stores, all within three years."

Zhao Hui, chief economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, says that while traditional villages are still vanishing, government efforts have slowed the pace.

"Protection is still the priority, but we also have to find ways to improve the villagers' livelihoods.

"Poverty is still the biggest challenge," he says.

As Xibaoyi says: "Many people ask me which one I like better: my hometown in the old days or the new look."

Her answer is tactful. "Well, visitors always like original landscapes. But we had to struggle to fight poverty, and tourism has enriched us. So, for sure, I prefer today."