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Article: Minority report: the cultural traditions of the Li people Hainan Island, China, are rapidly disappearing as they are assimilated by the dominant Han Chinese. But now veteran explorer Wong How Man is trying to save one of the island's last traditional Li villages from the bulldozers.
- Article from:
- Geographical
- Article date:
- June 1, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Circle Publishing Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
The winding, paved road into Hongshui village makes a final swing to the left before plunging to the lush valley floor. From this vantage point, a cluster of thatched-roof mud houses appear to float like Shredded Wheat in a green bowl of rice paddies and coconut palms. Wong How Man stands on the hillside and peers through a sheet of tracing paper at the village below. On the paper, a hand-sketched map shows a cluster of houses near the road. Wong turns to Ildiko Choy, the architect who drew the map, and points to the zone. 'We need to secure these houses,' he tells her.
Contrary to appearances, Wong isn't a land speculator or ...