Recently, the Dukezong Old Town in Shangri-la City, southwest China’s Yunnan Province, has started to take shape after reconstruction work, Yunnan Daily reported.

In the early hours of Jan. 11, 2014, the Dukezong Old Town suffered a major fire, which ripped through 17.8 percent of Shangri-la with 246 household affected and 343 ancient buildings damaged. Since the moment the fire was put out, reconstruction work has promptly been started based on the principle of "repairing it while preserving its original style".

"We must speed up the reconstruction work and ensure timely completion of the infrastructure without compromising the quality and quantity of our work," said Guo Dongsheng, director of reconstruction headquarter of the Shangri-la Dukezong Old Town.

The communication management, power companies, television and radio networks, fire station, the Urban and Rural Planning and Design Institute, amongst others, took part in the reconstruction project.

"To reconstruct the old town, we must pay respect to history and ethnic culture, as well as integrate protection with development, in a bid to well preserve and inherit the local intangible cultural heritage," Guo Dongsheng added.

After reconstruction the old town has still retained its original charm and style.