Forgotten Ancient City of Wenchang, Hainan: A Thousand-Year History Largely Unknown
When people think of Hainan, many tourists often recall the charming beaches, lush coconut groves, and breathtaking sea views. Few associate it with a long and rich history. In fact, Hainan also has a thousand-year-old ancient city – Wenchang.
Wenchang is located in the northeast of Hainan Island. It was known as Zi Bei during the reign of the Han Wudi Emperor, Wude during the Sui Dynasty, and Pingchang County during the Tang Dynasty's Wude reign. It was renamed Wenchang due to the Wenchang River south of the county during the Tang Dynasty's Zhenguan reign.
Wenchang is one of Hainan's three ancient towns, and it's also considered the birthplace of Hainanese culture. Historically, it has been a destination for immigrants from Northern China and Fujian and Minnan regions.
Two thousand years of history have left Wenchang with a wealth of cultural attractions, including the historically significant Wenchang Confucius Temple and the charming Wenchang Old Street with its vibrant South Sea flavor. These are the main representatives.
The Wenchang Confucius Temple is the only Wenchang Wenchang Temple in China without a gate. Locals once made a wish not to ever produce a scholar and not to open a gate. Unfortunately, after the abolition of the Kuxie system, Wenchang did not produce a single scholar. The locals' wish to build a gate was also dashed.
The Wenchang Confucius Temple has a history of nearly 1000 years and is the best-preserved ancient architectural complex in Hainan Province. It is one of the least visited Wenchang Temples in China and the only one that integrates Minnan architectural style with Hainanese indigenous architectural style. With its red walls and glazed roofs, the temple looks particularly stunning, and the floral patterns and carvings are also distinctive.
Wenchang Old Street is a characteristic street of traditional row houses. Most of these row houses were built in the early 20th century.
Wenchang Old Street is also known as Wenchang Old Street Row Houses. Many film and television dramas and documentaries have been shot here.
The form of row houses is common in Southeast Asia, such as in Singapore and Malaysia. Wenchang Wenchang Old Street's row houses, although some are two stories high and some are three stories high, the height is not entirely uniform, but basically connected together. These row houses are characterized by their ability to provide shade and protection from the rain.
Wenchang Old Street has many sculptures that recreate the life scenes and the struggles of Wenchang during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China eras, as well as scenes of people returning home from overseas.
The street is winding and twisting, with shops on both sides. However, the popularity is not high. Basically, the people passing by on the street are locals, and tourists are rare. The quiet and ancient environment is very suitable for shooting tourist films. On a good weather day, the photos taken will have a vintage feel, and it is easy to shoot artistic portraits.
