The Two Most Underrated Ancient Cities in Hunan: More Primitive and Rustic Than Phoenix, Less Known to Tourists
When visiting the ancient city of Hunan, the most popular are Phoenix Ancient Town and Woshan Ancient Town, both located in Hunan Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture. They are just next to each other, and Wuhu City also has two ancient cities with profound cultural heritage, which are relatively less commercialized compared to Phoenix Ancient Town and Woshan Ancient Town.
These are located in Hongjiang District of Wuhu City, including Hongjiang Ancient Market and Quyang Ancient Town in Hongjiang City, Hunan.
Hongjiang Ancient Market, as the name suggests, is a town formed due to trade. It is located in the western part of Hunan and was an important gathering place for goods from various provinces in Southwest China. It had ( –) and trade centers as early as the Spring and Autumn period, and became an important commercial port in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Its prosperity was no less than that of Phoenix Ancient Town and Woshan Ancient Town. Because of the frequent trade and its important position, people often called it 'Little Shanghai' and 'Little Nanjing',
During its peak, Hongjiang Ancient Market had numerous trading companies, money changers, ( –), workshops, and inns. There were more than 380 Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient buildings preserved alone.
Hongjiang Ancient Market also retains many traditional customs. If you're lucky, you can even encounter the scene of matchmaking with a needle and thread while exploring the ancient market. Sometimes, you can even play the roles of a groom, a bride, a master, or a mistress.
In addition, the ( –) in the ancient market will recreate historical scenes.
Hongjiang Ancient Market has not renovated various mottled old buildings because of the development of tourism, but it has preserved them as they are, which is worth praising.
Quyang Ancient Town is located in Quyang Town of Hongjiang City, Hunan. Its history is nine hundred years earlier than that of the most famous Phoenix Ancient Town. It is surrounded by water on three sides and is one of the best-preserved Ming and Qing Dynasty ancient towns in China.
Like Hongjiang Ancient Market and Hongjiang Ancient Market, Quyang Ancient Town and Hongjiang Ancient Market are not very well-known. Many original residents still live within the city walls, and the commercial atmosphere is not very strong.
The most representative building in the ancient town is the Woshan Building, which stands proudly on the riverbank. It was a place where literati and scholars used to linger. Woshan Building is a classical garden. Although it is not as meticulously constructed as Suzhou gardens, it is full of lush trees and winding paths, and has its own charm.
Walking through the streets and alleys of Quyang Ancient Town, appreciating the mottled buildings, it's like traveling back to the distant past. It's like a movie set, and every detail is worth careful appreciation.
In addition to traditional buildings, there are also Sino-Western buildings within Quyang Ancient Town, which were built during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. They have a strong sense of time.
