I wonder if I'm alone in detecting an oxymoron here, as the situation at Lijiang, the town being recommended, demonstrates very well:

There was much rebuilding following an earthquake, but the officials took the opportunity to invent a king's palace and build it in place of some of the housing that had collapsed.

Such vernacular housing as was rebuilt was neither built to match the original style nor in proper materials. Lines scored in cement replace the original pattern of brick for instance.

The authorities have demolished other buildings and rebuilt them 'in the style of the Ming dynasty.'

Two thirds of the households living in the town have been resettled elsewhere.

Just about every business is now a souvenir shop.

There is a row of pizza restaurants along one stretch which is known to locals as Yangren Jie, or 'Foreigner Street'. Tour guides with megaphones lead groups of Chinese tourists past the restaurants, inviting them to look at the foreigners being traditionally foreign.

The traditional Naxi ethnic minority costume tour guides and others wear has been redesigned by the Han Chinese authorities to make it more attractive to visitors and to encourage young people to wear it. It is compulsory for anyone working in the hospitality industry to wear it, regardless of their ethnic group.

Back in 1996 Lijiang had 3000-5000 visitors per annum. In 2005 it had 4.3 million.

From being a quiet historic village Lijiang has now become little more than a theme park. It is not 'well preserved'. It's a travesty of its former self.

Peter N-H