Yinzi House is the typical architecture in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang. There are over 380 Yinzi Houses preserved. Time passes, and the world changes; the prosperity has now long gone. At present, the majority of the residents here are the old and weak families who live on government low-income subsidies. They are the group of people who struggle with poverty in Hong Jiang.

The blade-shaped building in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang is located where Youlou Alley and Baozi Valley converge. The ancient trading town was built against the mountain. During the time it flourished, one inch of land was worth one inch of gold. Shrewd businessmen and wise architects took advantage of the shape of the landscape to build this blade-shaped building.

Liu Hongmei, 32, lives at 34 Qingshan Jie in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang. Here, the unemployed mother washes her hair. She cares for her 8-year-old son on a daily basis. Her son is in the 2nd Grade.

166-4 Jianshe Street in Tuokou Town in Hong Jiang City. It’s cold; Peng Zaoxiu (left), 80, and Li Guomei, 70, make a fire in a small container with small pieces of firewood.

17 Baozi Valley in Ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang. Zhu Shouguo (left), 91, chats with Zhai Guangcui (right), 81. Several kids play in the background. Within the ancient trading town, simplicity and honesty prevail, many live long lives, and the community maintains the tradition of “respecting the old and loving the young.”

Zeng Fanying, born April 1961 in Hong Jiang, lives at 85 Tianwan in the ancient town. In her memory, the old Hong Jiang was surrounded by verdant mountains and clear waters. Back then, the old street by the river stood full of “Diao Jiao Lou” (“foot-hanging house,” structures where the lower parts of the house are suspended above ground). The walls were high and the alleys were deep. She always likes to wear Qipao (mandarin dress). She has dozens of Qipao of all kinds at home.

Yang Songlian, born 1964, married in 1980s, has one daughter. The couple came to Hong Jiang, rented a place at 14 Longchuan Chong, and opened a shop in 2004. In 2008 their annual income was 20,000 RMB (approx. $3,000). Their daughter now works for the tourist company in the ancient trading town.

Yang Xinzhen (left), born August 1939 in Xupu Longtan, came to Hong Jiang at age four when her mother remarried. She started working in Hong Jiang Leather Shoes Factory as a young girl, and stayed there until she retired. Now she lives at 4 Yuying Alley in Hong Jiang. Her husband has passed away. They have three daughters and two sons.

Shen Liang, who lives at 15 Baozi Valley in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang, plays with her two-year-old son on the wide stairs to their home. Her mother (right), who was laid off by the Towel Factory, stands to one side and enjoys the family moment.

Wang Qiulian, born 1969, lives at 6 Musu Chong in Hong Jiang District. In the old days, robbery was common in Xiangxi, so wealthy families built “Yinzi Houses” for safety. A “Yizi House” has two entrances and two stories or three stories, and is surrounded by fireproof walls made of gray bricks. The living room and side-rooms are all “Chuan Dou” style (a traditional Chinese architecture style), and the middle hall is very spacious.

Li Fengying (left) became a child bride (a baby or teenager who is raised by her future husband’s family) when she was 12. In 1944, in order to escape the War she fled from Shaodong to Hong Jiang. She was a tailor for nearly 20 years. Now that her children and grandchildren have all grown up and her husband has passed away, she lives alone at 5 Yijia Alley Yuanjiang Street in Hong Jiang District. Ms. Fan, 86, often stops by to chitchat.

Liu Zhongyi, 84, lives at 41 Musu Chong in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang with his wife, Yuan Manxiu, 80. They used to work at Hong Jiang Leather Shoes Factory, and then were transferred to Hong Jiang Second Paper Factory until retired. The Yinzi Houses in the ancient town are warm in winter and cool in summer, and very comfortable to live in.

Shen Jinqiu, born 1921, lives at 26 Xiangyang Ping in Hong Jiang District. He was a bare-foot herbalist. He learned from many famous herbalists when he was young, and has had his practice for over 70 years. The herb shelf in his house holds a tidy display of pre-formulated Chinese medicine. The mountains in Xiangxi are his natural storehouse for his herbs; one could find his footsteps all over each mountain.

Zeng Chunchang, 76, and his wife Xiang Lanxiang, 73, live at 10 Youlou Alley in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang, and are both retired workers from Hong Jiang Drinks and Foods Company. They used to commemorate important holidays and anniversaries by having their picture taken.

Feng Jipei, born August 1943, lives at 180 Langxi Village in Tuokou Town. He started his business making hand-made steelyards when he was 20. These days his three sons all manage grocery stores, but he continues his craft, making steelyards.

Jiang Minghao, born January 1940, lives at 90 Jianshe Street in Tuokou Town in Hong Jiang City. He began cutting hair at age 14. In the old days he carried his tools every day, going through villages and alleys to find customers. He charged adults one dime for his services; for kids, a nickel. Jiang Minghao was the best barber in Tuokou Town.

The Suo Na is an indispensable musical instrument in Xiangxi local traditional opera. Cao Yiyou, born October 1945, lives at 144-5 Daqiao Street in Tuokou Town. Ever since he was little he has been fond of playing the Suo Na. Now he is the premier craftsman creating Suo Na in Hong Jiang.

Shu Daiyou, born December 1937, lives at 121-3 Jianshe Street Tuokou Town in Hong Jiang City. When he was 16, he entered into apprenticeship to create ornate carvings in tombstones, and has mastered this skill. His workmanship is so high that the images seem to spring to life. Because he always asks for a fair price for his high quality work, countless people turn to him when they need a tomb tablet.

Earth Temples are located throughout Hong Jiang, and offering ceremonies take place all year long. For hundreds of years, Earth Temples were built in the Yuan River area, especially near rivers and creeks. People made offerings to the River God, praying for the right amount of wind and rain, peace, safety and auspiciousness.

Zeng Yuxiu, 76, is from Langxi Village in Tuokou Town in Hong Jiang City. As she totters through the Langxi Meeting Hall, with the aid of her cane, she takes in the rows of coffins. Her husband passed away last year. They have a son named Zhao Xiaomao.

The Pu’en Temple on South Yue Mountain in Ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang.The Pu’en Temple holds an event from August 1st �" 15th every lunar year. There are over one hundred temples in Hong Jiang that spread religion, and contribute to economic prosperity. In the front row, Tian Jia (right), age 30; Li Zhongwei (left), age 70; Yang Aiying (middle), age 71.

Jianshe Street in Tuokou Town in Hong Jiang City.During the Cultural Revolution,to demonstrate their loyalty to Chairman Mao, many people wrote Chairman Mao’s Quotations on their house walls. These days, you can still see many such writings on the walls in Hong Jiang.

Tuokou Town, located in the southern part of Hong Jiang City, is where Hunan Province and Sichuan Province converge, and also where Hong Jiang City, Huitong County, Zhijiang County, and Tianzhu County converge. Tuokou Town has thousands of years of history. The building of an electricity station in Tuokou Town will submerge this ancient town under 40 meters of deep water. In this photo, villagers perform “Hua” Style dragon dancing.

Every night a traditional trumpet sounds through the streets and alleys of the ancient trading town: “To prevent fire and robbery, be careful with your candles, close all doors and windows.” Du Xiuying, 56, lives at 8 Yujia Chong in the ancient Trading Town of Hong Jiang and earns a living by warning the residents through the trumpet. She makes 70 RMB (approx. $10) per month, and is otherwise unemployed.