Twenty million people in northern China are full-time residents of caves. The Chinese first turned to this unconventional lifestyle because of poverty. But even now, as the region becomes more prosperous, many feel more comfortable living underground.
It turns out that cave dwelling ain’t all that bad. There is no mortgage to pay, for one. And since the caves, known as yaodong, tend to be passed down for generations, they’ve become customized with electricity, running water, and even cable TV. Also, the natural insulation keeps temperatures warm in winter and cool in summer.
(Source: McClatchy Newspapers)
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Chinese cave dwelling: I would think sanitation would be a problem. Local rivers and water supply turned into a lagoon. How is something like this handled?