Lives of people in Korla, NW China's Xinjiang (5)

Qasim Amudun rows a wooden canoe used for fishing at the Lop Nur People Village in Yuli County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 25, 2021. (People's Daily Online/Zhang Ruohan)

Located in the Tarim Basin, the Lop Nur People Village, situated at the terminal point where the Tarim River flows through the desert, is famous for its natural scenery and the long life expectancy of its residents. As one of the oldest indigenous populations living in the Taklamakan Desert, the roots of the Lop Nur people can be traced back thousands of years to when they used to survive by fishing in the nearby lake. The Lop Nur people have now integrated into the wider population and have various options to sustain their livelihoods. Improvements in infrastructure over the years has boosted the number of inbound tourists, which has in turn created more jobs for the local Lop Nur people. Qasim Amudun works in the local tourism industry, rowing a wooden canoe for tourists made from a desert poplar tree.