Infrastructure changes take their toll, report He Na and Yang Yang in Beijing and Hu Yongqi in Yunnan province.

Irreparable damage to ancient architecture and traditional culture was caused by a fire that raged in an ancient Tibetan town in Yunnan province at the weekend, according to experts.

The blaze in Dukezong, founded 1,300 years ago and a noted tourist attraction, destroyed 343 of the 1,084 houses in a town known for its cobbled streets and well-preserved wooden houses.