China through the Lens

By
Yoav Volansky
 – June 11, 2011
China Through the Lens

Check out these AMAZING China pics by Laowaiblog photographer Yoav Volansky

Despite its breathtaking murals and historical significance, it is questionable whether anyone would make an effort to get to Baisha Village (literally, “white sand”), the first settlement in Lijiang valley, hadn’t it been located near the renowned and massively toured city of Lijiang in Yunnan province.

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Less than one hour bike-ride away from Lijiang, lies this beautiful, picturesque village. Have no doubt, there is nothing white or sandy about this village. Nevertheless, since Yunnan province homes more than half of the minority ethnicities in China, the location is attractive. Baisha is inhabited by the Naxi minority: a fascinating minority which preserved its matriarchal family structure until this very day.

Arriving after a strenuous bike-ride and drained by the hostile clinch of the sun, we pulled in the main square of the village. We found a rather lazy group of old folks sitting on boxes and selling a modest portion of their latest harvest. There was no sign of other Laowai (foreigners) in the area; a situation that made me feel quite fortunate. “Is it possible that I have finally found a place that is not contaminated with the everlasting touristic aftertaste?” I thought to myself. Not long after, I found a British ‘local’ restaurant that serves burgers and fries.

Minced meat or not, the older crowd who was sitting on small boxes and chatting indolently in a dialect that appeared light years away from standard Mandarin, seemed to be more real than ever. Getting out my camera, I received some leery looks, but in the end, it was worth it.

The result: a series of the best China pics my lens has captured in the middle kingdom.

Heavy

Old China

The Boss

For more China pics visit my flickr page

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About the Author

Yoav Volansky is an avid traveler, culture photographer, and a Photoshop artist. Upon completion of his B.A. studies in Economics and in East Asian Studies from Tel-Aviv University, Mr. Volansky relocated to China and has been exploring the Chinese culture while capturing the Chinese way of life through his lens.