China is changing fast. Seemingly overnight it has become aneconomic and political powerhouse on a global scale. Although it isthe recent rise of China that makes the daily news, the lastcentury saw other large and rapid changes: the fall of the lastimperial dynasty, the failure of the Nationalist government, andthe ascent of Mao Zedong and the new China. How have these changesaffected the land and people of China? Can lessons from the pastgive us insights about the future? For six years, Robert Moseleylived and worked as a conservation scientist in the mountains ofnorthwest Yunnan Province.As part of that work, he set out toanswer these questions and apply the results to the conservation ofnature and culture.

Northwest Yunnan provides a compelling backdrop to explore theseissues, with its spectacular mountain environment and diverseethnic cultures that were once remote, but are now confronted withunprecedented rates of change. Following in the footsteps of earlytwentieth century explorer-photographers, Moseley and colleaguestraveled extensively through this region rephotographing originalscenes and comparing them with modern conditions. In RevisitingShangri-La, he uses this collection of repeated photographs as apowerful visual tool to portray the dynamic and resilient characterof people and the land and to communicate future opportunities forconservation.

　　作者曾任职于美国大自然保护协会驻云南办公室，在此期间他搜集了大量20世纪20年代探险家洛克在中国西南地区拍摄的历史照片，并在同样的地点用同样的角度进行拍摄，这种历史照片和现实照片的新旧对比给读者带来极强的视觉冲击。