Fenghuang Ancient Town

FENGHUANG Ancient Townsits amongst rolling hillsin Xiangxi Tujia and MiaoAutonomous Prefecture ofHunan Province， China. The townwas established during the TangDynasty （618-907） and peaked inprosperity during the Ming （1368-1644） and Qing （1644-1911） dynasties.It has long boasted picturesquescenery and diverse ethniccultures， and historically， was amilitary stronghold.

Today， Fenghuang， rated as anational 5A tourist attraction， isone of the most-visited ancienttowns in China. Visitors flockto see the more than 120 wellpreserved traditional dwellingsdating back to the Ming and Qingdynasties， with two sites understate protection. High on theviewing list are the North GateWharf， Hong Bridge， East GateTower， Fenghuang Ancient TownMuseum， former residence ofShen Congwen， Chongde Hall，Wanshou Palace， and AncestralHall of the Yang Family.

Boat Ride Along the Tuojiang River

The Tuojiang River flows gentlybeside Fenghuang’s northernwalls. At the North Gate Wharf，rows of small traditional boatsare available for visitors to take ariver cruise. The boats move pastthe well-known Hong （Rainbow）Bridge and the grand WanshouPalace， while also giving visitorsthe chance to enjoy the view ofrows of traditional ethnic woodenhouses on the river’s bank.

The Hong Bridge， originallybuilt during the Ming Dynasty，is one of the most famous landmarks"of Fenghuang. The bridgesupports an imposing towerbuilding， adding an air of grandeur，below which the boatsflow through three arches. Itis especially beautiful at nightwhen lit up， casting a warmreflective glow over the water.

On the riverside， Tujia people’scenturies-old wooden stilthouses are another signatureattraction. These multi-storybuildings feature mortise andtenon joints and curved eaves.Some boast intricately carvedrailings， doors， and windows.The ground floor is usually toodamp for habitation as it is soclose to the river， and thus oftenused as storage rooms or livestockpens.

After the boat cruise， it isworthwhile to take a stroll alongthe river and visit the SteppingStone Bridge. It was first builtduring the Tang Dynasty andmade up of dozens of stoneblocks， not a typical design， butserved as a pathway for villagers"carrying goods into the town.Today， it is a popular attractionwhere many visitors wait in lineto walk across it and experiencethis historical crossing point.

The East Gate Tower， locatedby the Tuojiang River， was builtduring the reign of Qing EmperorKangxi （1661-1722）. It isone of the four main gates ofFenghuang Ancient Town andis the only gate open to visitors.Soaring up from the ground， thetower has a solemn and imposingappearance. From the top，visitors can enjoy a panoramicview of the ancient town.

Old Residence and Ancestral Hall

Shen Congwen （1902-1988）was a renowned Chinese writerand historian， twice nominatedfor the Nobel Prize inLiterature. He spent his childhoodand teenage years inFenghuang， which became animportant source of inspirationfor his literary works. Both ofhis masterpieces Border Townand Recollections of WestHunan are set in west Hunan，depicting the social customsand scenery of the region.His former residence in Fenghuang，built by his ancestorsin the late Qing Dynasty， is a400-squaremeter quadranglecomplex. It now houses a collectionof old photographs anditems of Shen Congwen open tothe public.

The ancient town of Fenghuangnot only boasts a wealth of talentedscholars， but also has beenhome to numerous valiant warriors.In ancient times， Fenghuangwas a key military stronghold andan essential part of the SouthernGreat Wall. The residents of thistown were known for their courageand military skills.

Another famous site in thetown is the Ancestral Hall of theYang Family， built by the family ofYang Fang， a prominent generalin the late Qing Dynasty. This hallserved as a place for the Yang clanto hold ceremonies and discussimportant matters. This northfacingcompound， covering anarea of 770 square meters， consistsmainly of a main hall， a theatrical"stage， and courtyards. Its intricatecraftsmanship makes it a valuableresource for the study of ancestralhall culture and architectural art.

Chongde Hall and Wanshou Palace

Fenghuang， sitting on a keywaterway link that connectssouthwest and east China， attractedmany merchants fromother places to do business inthe past. Some of them bought"land， built houses， and settleddown there. Chongde Hall andWanshou Palace are the legaciesof these merchants.

Chongde Hall is a private residentialcompound built by PeiShoulu during the Qing Dynasty.Pei， who came from Jiangxi Province，was the richest man in Fenghuangat that time. This typicalsouthern-style quadrangle coversa total area of 622 square metersand has two floors. The first"floor primarily includes a mainhall， a dining room， and a reargarden， while the second floorcontains bedrooms and studies.Today， Chongde Hall exhibits acollection of rare antiques andcultural relics gathered by Peifrom across the country.

Wanshou Palace， also knownas the Jiangxi Assembly Hall，was built by Jiangxi merchantsduring the Qing Dynasty. Thiscompound is known for its intricatelydesigned carvings， eaves，and winding corridors. This sitehas been converted into an artgallery displaying the paintingsof Chinese artist Huang Yongyu.

Laid-Back Atmosphere

Locals in Fenghuang enjoywearing colorful traditional costumes.Ethnic minority groups，such as the Miao and Tujia， makeup 80 percent of Fenghuang’s totalpopulation. This ethnic diversityhas created a unique regionalculture. Some tourists embracethe local customs by dressing inMiao-style clothing while touringthe town.

There are many alleys and oldstreets waiting to be explored.Visitors can spend a lot of timewandering around， taking photos，trying local food， and browsinglocal shops. At night， the townlights up and seems to take on atotally new personality. Illuminatedbuildings and towers arereflected in the water of TuojiangRiver， while the streams of livelymusic in festive bars echo throughthe alleys. Many visitors come toFenghuang particularly to enjoythe night views and unique photoopportunities.