In the ancient town of Lijiang, came artists, who built their studios there and live a unique life.

Came people longing for romantic life. Fascinated by Lijiang, they settled down and opened bars or cafes, not for making money, just for fun.

Came merchants looking for opportunities. They sell stereotyped and low-quality souvenirs, and found the business was not easy.

Came crowds of tourists, bargaining with the sellers in the little shops on the stone road or enjoying themselves in the western-styled bars beside the river.

But went away native residents from the bustling ancient town to seek modern convenience in outside world.

"Conservation of Lijiang is at a crossroad, leading to success or failure," said Fan Li, a heritage protection expert.

"Lots of efforts have been made to protect Lijiang. But improper construction has also been done. Positive and negative factors coexist in the ancient city," said Fan, also a researcher with the research center of historic and cultural cities under the Shanghai Tongji University.

With a history of more than 800 years, Lijiang, located in southwest China's Yunnan Province, is the most typical tourist city in China. Great changes have happened in the city over the past 20 years. It is also China's first ancient town where large-scale conservation works have been done.

Tourism has promoted the economic development of the city, helping increase Chinese people's awareness of the values of cultural heritage and traditional buildings.

However, negative factors have also emerged in Lijiang. The annual number of tourists pouring into the little town has jumped from 200,000 ten years ago to current four million.

The number of people moving into the city from other places has made up one third of the total population in Lijiang. The city's population is expected to increase at a annual speed of 18.5 percent by the year 2020.

Farmland around the city is disappearing, water in the town contaminated, ice and snow on the Yulong Snow Mountain near the city melting.

Many hotels, like fake ancient buildings, have been built. Prices in the ancient town are two or three times higher than those outside the town.

It has become a common opinion that Lijiang is too commercialized. In the ancient town, only one forth of the tourism businessmen are natives of Lijiang. Traditional handicrafts are decreasing.

The ancient town is now more like a theme park. Thousands of same plants have been put in front of the door of each shop in the main streets.

The river channels at places where travelers often visit have been cleaned, with fish put into the water. But at secluded corners, rubbish was thrown to the river.

Looking to the Yulong Snow Mountain from the ancient town, people would find it surrounded by high buildings.

During her investigation to Lijiang, Fan Li found that many local residents rented their houses to businessmen. Some residents moved out the ancient town because their old houses have been listed as key protection sites by local government.

Some natives complained that they were reluctant to move out, and they didn't get enough contemplation, said Fan.

"The ancient town should not only be a cultural center for visitors, but also a land of pleasure of local residents," said Fan.

"Lijiang natives are the successors of the cultural heritage. Without local residents, the traditional culture would be weakened," said Zhao Zhongshu, a senior engineer with the historic and cultural cities research institute under the China Urban Planning and Design Academy.

Zhao said the social structure of the ancient town should be protected. Natives, especially young people, should be encouraged to stay in the ancient town and take part in the ecological protection and cultural development.

Fan suggested that local governments should cooperate with experts in making the management plan of the city, and integrate the cultural heritage conservation into the overall development strategy of the city.

Most of the officials of Lijiang government are local residents. They were born in the ancient town and have deep love for the town. The negative aspects brought by tourism have aroused their attention.

At present, opening shops in the ancient town should get operation licence from government. Cultural celebrities of Lijiangare provided houses free of charge. Service centers for local residents have also been built in the ancient town.

Classes in the language of Naxi, the main ethnic group in Lijiang, have been opened in the primary schools of the city to carry forward local culture.

Although there are many problems in the tourism development and heritage management, yet Lijiang has done outstanding works in heritage protection, said Fan.

China has lots of ancient towns and cities with many similarities as Lijiang. The direction of Lijiang will be regarded as a model of other historic cities and towns.

"Protection of historic cities is to seek the balance between the social, economic and cultural development. The balance should be supervised regularly, and consistent efforts should be made to maintain the balance," Fan added.

Editor: Wing