Our reporter Ning Hong is on a month long trip along the Yangtze river. He tells us about the multi-ethnic region along the famed waterway. Take a look.

NING HONG YUNNAN PROVINCE "The Yangtze River is the third longest river in the world. It is also the longest river that flows only within a single country. And many believe it is because of this place. The upper reaches of the Yangtze are known as the Jinsha River. Flowing for some 1,000 kilometers from the Tibet Plateau, it hits the Hengduan Mountains here, and makes a 120 degree turn north toward central China."

This turn is also known as the First turn of the Yangtze river. The river runs through a deep valley, cutting through high mountains. It also has left a deep mark on the people who live near it. This is the home of the Naxi People, a national minority who lives beside the Jinsha River.

People here have adopted the traditions that the Naxi have, protecting the environment. Lumbering is forbidden, as is harming wildlife. This is Shigu, an ancient town located at the junction of the Jinsha and Chongjiang Rivers. For thousands of years, Shigu has been a crucial transportation hub and strategic military spot. Many wars were fought here, the latest in 1936, when the Red Second Army crossed the river and went north. Shigu Town has thus become a red tourism memorial site.

Over one-third of China's people live along the Yangtze river, From here we head east, to Guizhou, the home of China's brewing culture.