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The imperial soldiers' descendents swapped their armor and weapons for civilian attire and farming implements generations ago. But the aesthetic essence and distinctive culture of the village of about 3,000 in Guizhou province have changed little since.
Longli is still the kind of place where residents never lock their doors and can enter a home at any time without violating local etiquette.
Consequently, the reason wooden houses in the castle's northeast corner conspicuously tilt southward is not shoddy construction but rather an attempt to rebalance its lopsided energy flow.
However, changes may be on the way, as the old citadel is now reincarnating itself as a travel destination. Rebuilding is under way that is meant to preserve, rather than destroy, the fort's defensive structures.
The city wall, for instance, was recently reconstructed but is still sheathed by the original bulwark, which in turn is wrapped within the original moat. Tiny flowers and clovers peek out of the cracks of the ancient barricade.
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