Cormorant fishing is unique in China. This way of fishing has been existing for hundreds of years. The birds do fishing much better at night than at day time. People sometimes see lights on bamboo rafts in the river. That will be the fisherman who use cormorants to fish for extra income. It is a rare opportunity to get a close look at the fishing and people always wonder how these birds fish for people.
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Fishing on the Lijiang - China. Video hosted on Google. In the past, residents along the LiJiang River made a living from fishing, The traditional fishing methods such as cast net, gill net and cormorant fishing make the view of Lijiang Rive," more appealing, Today, the fishing tradition has developed into a new tourist attraction, and a subject many professional and amateur photographers locus on. Exploring Lijiang is like opening a Chinese jewel chest , each exquisitely crafted compartment leads to richer more dazzling sights.
Perched at bottom of the Himalayas and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, this remote town in southwest China's Yunnan Province is a show-stealer for its amazing landscape and rich culture. Nestled in a valley ringed with snow-capped mountains, springs, lakes and frothy rivers, nature's touch extends into Lijiang County. The Old Town is full of cobbled streets, crisscrossing canals flowing with water, swaying willow trees and gaily-hued blossoms. Every so often, a bridge--stone, wooden, flat, arched, roofed pops up and along it trundles local folk in traditional dress.
Over 22 different ethnic minorities have made Lijiang their home, amongst them are the Lisu, Pumi, Bai, Yi, Tibetan, Miao and Naxi. People of Lijiang are like vibrant butterflies: cheerful, busy and visually stunning. The market squares and alleys are peppered with locals in their individual ethnic fashions, ornaments and hairstyles. Local customs, architecture, spiritual beliefs, language, arts and craft are influenced by ethnic diversity and are rich with symbolism and creativity.
Lijiang's ancient old city has preserved its charming antiquity despite the modern changes sweeping through China. Old-style architecture and pathways are rebuilt along the original model after an earthquake in 1996 damaged sections of the town. In individual enclaves, pebbles and smashed tiles are arranged symbolically to denote happiness or good fortune. Rooms are built beside running water for a soothing effect. Doors and windows sport decorative woodcarvings of phoenixes, legends and nature. Pathways, barely two-shoulders wide, are crammed by two-storey shop-houses, inns or private residences all built in the traditional style. Cobblestone streets are free of vehicular nuisances and the maze of back alleys offers innumerable possibilities for shortcuts and scenic surprises.
Although the town grew from humble nomadic origins, there's little that's transitory or mercurial about Lijiang. Several houses, streets, monasteries and bridges have been there since the Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties. At the heart of the Old Town is Square Street. Centuries ago, it was the central bazaar where mountain tribes, Tibetan and Han traders and farmers briskly bartered yak butter, poultry, grain and linen. Today, this ancient crossroad for trade continues to hum with mercantile activities; business is open everyday. On sale are a variety of handicrafts, from homemade griddlecakes to handpicked tea leaves from Yunnan's hills.
Lijiang's people adore learning and the arts. They're the bookkeepers of the ancient Dongba scripts. Called "sijiulujiu" in the Naxi language, meaning "signs on rock and wood," these eloquent drawings depict the history of Naxi culture, their religious rites, folk tales and legends. Over 20,000 volumes of Dongba sutra, painted on wooden tablets, are scattered around the world, but many are still lovingly preserved in Lijiang's sacred monasteries. Amazingly, this one-of-its-kind pictographic language has not been simply locked away and forgotten. The Naxis deep appreciation for culture and their roots ensure that it is still used within the community today.
In 1997, Lijiang became the first Chinese hill town to earn a World Cultural Heritage status from UNESCO.
So what's the cormorant? It's similar like a bird, but it can't fly any more. It's feeded by the fisherman and catch the fishes for the fisherman. As a traditional fishing way, It has existed nearly for 1000 years in Yangshuo. why does so many tourists still attracted by it even nowadays. Generally speaking, the Cormorant fishing usually operated in the evening. As well known, the fishes must be attracted by the light and get close to the light. because of this reason, the fisherman usually hang a lamp in the front of the boat, then they take the cormorants go along the river ,when the fish get close to the boat, the fisherman will drop the cormorant off the water and catch the fish. because the cormorant's throat is long and narrow ,it can't swallow the fish at once, So after it catched the fish, the fisherman will take the fish out from its throat. Sometimes, In order to stimulate the cormorant ,so that it willing to catch the fish themselves, The fisherman have to strike the water by using the quant all the time. So you can image how wonderful that dozens of the boats or even more boats with light as well as strike the water while they toing and froing on the river. the cormorant fishing as a nightlife show for the tourists now !
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