Rustic Xigubao . 蔚县, 西古堡

In China, it has become increasingly hard to find ancient villages that remain relatively untouched by the ugly rush of modern development or the sticky lure of tourism. Few get the balance right. And, you have to drive through a lot of faceless towns to find the real gems.

Xigubao isn’t devoid of tourists but for the moment remains largely as it has been for centuries. Long may it last…although in reality that’s unlikely, as it’s the village elders who give the town so much of its character and charm.