A slice of ancient folk culture

It is only accessible after an hour's drive up a tortuous mountain road, but is the best preserved market town along the Tea-Horse Road, which has connected Yunnan with the Tibet autonomous region since the late sixth century. Yang Feiyue reports

Everything turned into a blur in the dim yellow light from the thinly-scattered street lamps after night drew a veil over the Shaxi township.

I had to carry my suitcase all the way to the hotel to keep it from coming apart if I dragged it over the rough stone-paved lanes.