A Touch of an Unspoiled Land

There is no shortage of ancient villages and towns in China， like the Zhenyuan Ancient Town in the south， the water town in Wuzhen， the Lijiang Ancient Town with white walls and black tiles， and Fenghuang with unique folk customs. The water of Wuyang River is running as slow as many years ago， nurturing the generations in Guizhou and fostering a splendid culture. As you approach the southeastern part of Guizhou and walk on a stone arch bridge， the noise from the city becomes gradually weaker.

Zhenyuan： A chance to relive a simpler time

Guizhou province， also known as “Qian” or “Gui”， is located in the southwestern part of China. The old saying of Guizhou， a land comprised by eighty percent of mountains， ten percent of waters and ten percent of fields， is an apt description of Guizhou’s topography. It is these varied landscapes that create an abundance of amazing and unique scenery.

Surrounded by mountains， Zhenyuan Ancient Town is divided into two parts by the Wuyang River： Weicheng and Fucheng. Zhenyuan as a 2，000-year-old town in the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture boasts its rich and generous cultural relics， offering adventurous travellers a chance to see something a little different. Reputed as a historic garden， Zhenyuan Ancient Town will greet you with more than numerous scenic spots including caves， palaces， pavilions， temples and rivers. However， you may not know that there is a southern section of the Great Wall which protected the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644） from the invasion of local Miao ethnic tribes more than 500 years ago.

Sitting in a boat and moving along the river， you will be drunk with the rhythm of water made by the boat as well as the green color of mountains. Stone bridges are well-arranged， and old streets and paths are always secluded and quiet. Walking into the long and deep lane， the still-imposing brick and tile seem to tell you the imperial past of Zhenyuan. Seen from a higher place， the setup of the town looks like a picture of Taichi. Therefore， it won another name -- Taichi Town.

The Qinglong Cave on the cliff of Zhonghe Mountain in the east of Zhenyuan is well worth seeing. Delicate structures like the Zhongyuan Temple， Ziyang Academy and Wanshou Palace were built on the cliff. A cruise on the Wuyang River running through the town and a hiking to the picturesque Tiexi River Scenic Area are also recommended.

The old streets of Zhenyuan Ancient Town are not as commercialized as the towns in Lijiang or Wuzhen. After a short stay at the town， you can stop by a small diner and buy a stinky-tofu roll， which is surprisingly tasty. At night， the town is lit up in garish colors. As the traditional Chinese architectural style mingles with local minority style， the ancient town itself is absolutely a breathtaking beauty.

Other attractions

Wuyang River Scenic Area： Flowing through the Miaoling Mountain， the garish but spectacular Wuyang River will bring you one surprise after another. Grotesque gorges， primitive forests， crystal-like waters， fantastic flowers and enigmatic valleys present a wonderful picture before you， as if you were entering a wonderland. Each scenic spot has been given a fanciful name according to their enchanting legends. Moreover， rafting on the Wuyang River is a more exciting and pleasant experience.

Qinglong Cave： In fact， Qinglong Cave is the largest temple complex in Guizhou. Surviving several wars， it was rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty （1368-1644） and its current shape was the result of several renovations. Against the green backdrop， the Qinglong Cave seems to attach to the precipitous cliff in an orderly way. With Confucian， Taoist and Buddhist temples everywhere， a renowned architect once remarked that the Qinglong Cave won the upper hand over the famous Hanging Monastery in Shanxi province in terms of architectural art.

The scholarly family in Longli

The name of “Longli” implies the renewal of prosperity. As a weekend getaway， Longli seems like a fairly remote ancient village. Longli used to be a military garrison of Hunan-Guizhou border. Since the Ming Dynasty， soldiers settled in Longli， and the town became an advanced military outpost， protecting the empire from any other ethnic uprising. Until 1685， the Emperor Sunzhi of the Qing Dynasty （1636-1912） decided to change Longli into a regular town from an army outpost ruled by imperial officials.

The first thing that you notice about the town is probably its architecture. Different from those found in Miao and Dong villages， buildings here are decorated with turned-up eaves and ridges， epitomizing their splendid history. Here， scholarship was highly valued. The idea that “those who excel in study can follow an official career” was omnipresent. Plaques inscribed with Chinese characters such as “Shuxiang Di” （scent of books） were hanging over the gates of those old houses， which indicated a scholar’s family. In ancient times， “Di” refered either to the residence of a high official or a candidate was placed in the imperial examination.

Although hundreds of years have passed by， the town is just as it used to be， as if it was sealed by the time. As an unspoiled corner in Guizhou， Longli is quite peaceful， free from the noise of swarming tourists. People here have lived in a more traditional way and kept their original festivals.