A town of lovely canals, quaint wooden structures, and neat, winding cobblestone alleys, Lijiang is a quiet, beautiful town with a history dating back nearly 800 years. In years past, its residents were primarily of the Naxi, or Nakhi ethnicity, a people descended from the Tibetan Qiang tribes - and who were a conspicuously matriarchal society. Thanks to its remote location, as well as a concerted effort on the part of its inhabitants, Lijiang, particularly its well-preserved Old Town, earned a designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. However, due to careless overdevelopment of its tourism industry, Lijiang is in danger of having its UNESCO status revoked.
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