In the ancient Tianlong town, business shops are lined in front of nearly every residential household on both sides of a hundred-meter-long street. The wooden windows of these stone houses are decorated with exquisite patterns of bats, flying birds, kylins (mythical creature) and all kinds of vegetables. The striking contrast between these patterns and those of the ethnic people's residential dwellings reflects the influence of the immigrant Han people. Some of the shops are still in business, making it easy to imagine the prosperous scene of this typical ancient commercial street.

Every lane and household in Tianlong Town are clean. On the banks of a small creek lies dozens of flowerpots that were placed by the neighboring households a long time ago. Sometimes, when someone sees that the plants need to be watered, he or she will water it. For the local people, fraternity and aloofness from worldly strife are essential in life.

Author: Jessie

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