You are quite right actually ...The old town of Lijiang city is a very old place which hardly changed for centuries....If you have seen them now , you could be sure you know how it was 500 years ago. Because of special location ( high in the mountains) people of this place were never disturbed by *civilization* ...they survived many years under the communists without even knowing of them .
Now , of course it's world heritage and well protected , tourists pouring in thousands...