Farewell to the zipline! Two Nujiang sisters cross into a new life

The Nujiang River Grand Canyon in Lisu Autonomous Prefecture of Nujiang, southwest China's Yunnan Province, is known for its towering mountains and swift-flowing river. For generations, ziplines were a vital means of transportation for local residents. In 2007, a photograph of sisters Yu Chunhua and Yu Caimei crossing the river by zipline to get to school moved countless people. With the launch of China's initiative to replace ziplines with bridges, bridges began spanning the Nujiang River, turning a natural chasm into a thoroughfare.

Today, Maji township in Fugong county has built 16 bridges across the river, with roads reaching every village and household. The sisters who once braved the ziplines to pursue their education have also transformed their lives. The elder sister has become a village medical worker, safeguarding the health of her neighbors, while the younger sister has turned to cultivating the ginger-like plant caoguo, boosting her income on the road to prosperity.