Old road reborn
In Nakeli village, in Ning'er Hani and Yi autonomous county, the sound of running water accompanies visitors along stone-paved lanes. The century-old Rongfa caravan inn recalls the days when traders and packhorses passed through on the Tea Horse Road. Today, the route is lined with cafes, tea shops and stalls selling dried fruit and handicrafts.
Nakeli's transformation began after an earthquake in 2007. Authorities offered subsidies to renovate houses while preserving traditional architectural features, including 400 yuan per square meter for replacing wooden doors and windows. Some residents wondered why sound houses needed renovating. But as tourists arrived, rooms facing the street became shops, and courtyards found a second life as commercial spaces.
Today, about half the village's businesses are run by locals and half by entrepreneurs renting space from them.
For Gao Shixing, the change reaches deep into his family history. His Yi ancestors traveled with horse caravans, and his family has lived in Nakeli for eight generations. His father is Yi, his mother Hani, his wife Han and his sister-in-law Dai. His family reflects the village's ethnic diversity.
"Whenever a family needs help, the whole village comes," Gao said.
