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, Mose

大足石刻，始建于唐永徽元年（650年），历经五代，盛于两宋，余绪延至明、清，是中国晚期石窟艺术的代表作品。大足石刻，是重庆市大足县境内主要表现为摩崖造像的石窟艺术的总称。现公布为文物保护单位的摩崖造像，多达75处，雕像5万余身，铭文10万余字。其中，以北山、宝顶山、南山、石篆山、石门山摩崖造像特色。大足石刻于1999年12月1日，被联合国教科文组织作为文化遗产，列入《世界遗产名录》。