China has a vast territory, rich resources, and a long history. Naturally, there are countless ancient cities, but there are very few ancient cities that can be preserved intact.
When I have nothing to do, I occasionally feel like I am in a daze and have some "reminiscing about the past". At this time, it is most suitable to be in the ancient city. Chinese civilization has lasted for thousands of years, and there are many ancient cities left behind, but their popularity varies greatly. Some famous cities in history have long lost their historical commercial status or military status due to the development of the times, and have become somewhat "lost". In fact, these ancient cities have not been lost in the long history, but they are just waiting for tourists to further explore them. Because of this, these less popular ancient cities are the most suitable for us to express our "reminiscing about the past" and enjoy a real slow life.
Shangqiu Ancient City
"Square hole round money" is not snobbish
Shangqiu, Henan Province, is not well-known in contemporary China. Although it is large, it is just a third-tier small city, but in ancient times, Shangqiu had a high historical status. It is said that Shangqiu was the birthplace of commerce, commodities, and merchant culture in China. In Shangqiu City, there is also the ancient city of Shangqiu, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in China. It was the guide city during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The existing above-ground ancient city was built in the sixth year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (1511 AD) and is 500 years old. years of history.
The ancient city of Shangqiu in Henan was built in the sixth year of Zhengde in the Ming Dynasty (AD 1511). It is one of the better preserved ancient cities in China
Highlights
The ancient city of Shangqiu It is composed of three parts: the brick city, the city lake, and the city wall. The city wall, city wall, and city lake are a trinity, with a circle on the outside and a square on the inside, forming a huge ancient coin shape. The architecture is very unique. Shangqiu is the birthplace of commerce, commodities, and merchant culture in China. metaphor. At present, under the ancient city of Shangqiu, there are 6 capitals and ancient cities, including the capital of the Song Dynasty in the Spring and Autumn Period, Suiyang City in the Qin, Han, Sui and Tang Dynasties, and Nanjing City of Yingtian Prefecture in the Song Dynasty. Shangqiu Ancient City is the only existing large-scale ancient city ruins in the world that integrates Bagua City, Shuihua City and Chengshang City. The ancient city currently has more than 20 scenic spots such as North City Gate Tower, South City Gate Tower, Yongyuan Garden, Nanhu Park, and Yingtian Academy.
Tips
Food: Famous local dishes include mutton in casserole, stewed turtle in Ziyi, stewed black-bone chicken in Ziyi, fried eight-treasure gourd duck, grilled river eel in Sanqiu, hot and sour soup in Sanqiu, etc. , Huahua Shaobing, scallion pancakes, Hu spicy soup, camellia and other special snacks are also famous far and near.
Transportation: You can take train T180 from Guangzhou to Shangqiu.
Taierzhuang Ancient City
Carrier of Canal Culture
Taierzhuang, Shandong Province, is a small place but very famous because it is the site of the famous Battle of Taierzhuang in the history of the Anti-Japanese War. The main battlefield is a symbol of the national spirit and a historical monument; but as an ancient city tourist destination, it is slightly less famous for southern tourists. In fact, Taierzhuang in history was a famous canal city that was favored by business travelers and endowed by residents. It was the carrier of canal culture and still retains many relics. It was hailed by the World Tourism Organization as "the living canal" and "the Beijing-Hangzhou Canal is the only A surviving heritage village.”
In the ancient city of Taierzhuang, Shandong, actors from other places perform Lusheng dance
Highlights
The framework of the ancient city uses the canal as the cultural axis, with the Imperial Temple Scenic Area, Ximen Anlan There are eight major scenic spots including the Scenic Spot, Tracker Village Scenic Spot, "Canal Market" Scenic Spot, Banqiao-Huamen Tower Scenic Spot, Water Street Shopping Mall Scenic Spot, Mosque-Jiulongkou Scenic Spot, and Wetland Park. They respectively correspond to the eight sceneries of the ancient canal city such as "Jiushui River, Taicheng Jiuzhi, Tucun Green Shade, Temple Wang Fuyu, Willow Bank Wohong, Ancient Cypress Looking at the Moon, Canal Market, and Jiege Lingbo". Among them, the Ximen Anlan Scenic Area has important historical attractions such as the Taierzhuang History and Culture Museum and the Ximen Bridge Taierzhuang Battle Temporary Command Post.
Tips
Food: Canal stone pancake, Zaozhuang spicy tofu, Master Song’s yellow flower beef noodles, Feng family’s ancestral donkey meat, and Zhang’s crispy chicken are famous local specialty snacks.
Transportation: You can take a flight to Linyi first, and then transfer to Taierzhuang.
Xiangyang Ancient City
The iron-clad "No. 1 Pool in China"
Xiangyang City in Hubei Province is very familiar to many Jin Yong fans. It is a The military fortress has the story of Guo Jing and Huang Rong defending Xiangyang City against the Yuan Dynasty in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".
In reality, Xiangyang is located in the upper reaches of the Han River and is indeed a famous military town in ancient and modern times. Because the city wall is strong, the city is high and the pool is deep, it is easy to defend but difficult to attack. Since ancient times, it has been known as "Iron-made Xiangyang" and "the first pool in China".
A lion dance performance was performed in the urn of the ancient city wall of Xiangyang
Highlights
The ancient city of Xiangyang has gone through vicissitudes of life, and now only Linhan, Gongchen and Zhenhua are left. Three city gates. There is still a double-eaves Xieshan-style tower built in the Tang Dynasty and rebuilt in the Qing Dynasty on Linhan Gate, which is intact after repairs. After the Zhongxuan Tower on the southeast corner of the city was rebuilt, the layout of the city was reasonable. The main streets were in the shape of "艹", running vertically and horizontally to the city gate. Outside the city, there is a natural barrier of the Han River to the north, and the remaining three sides are a moat as wide as a lake, 2 to 3 meters deep and 250 meters wide at its widest point. Xiangyang City is now best protected by the north wall along the river. Although the Yangchun Gate on the east wall, the Xicheng Gate on the west wall, and the Wenchang Gate on the south wall have been destroyed, the basic layout and double-layer defense system of the ancient city are still retained as a whole. .
Tips
Food: Xiangyang is close to the Central Plains area. The food style is influenced by the Central Plains area and belongs to the northern Hubei flavor. Famous dishes include pork with sand, Xiangfan wrapped hoof, braised hoof, Sweet and sour cabbage, kimchi shredded tripe, Yicheng eel, etc.; snacks include oil tea, clear soup, butter noodles, cold noodles, jade belt cake, etc.
Transportation: You can choose to go to Wuhan first, and then take a bus to Xiangyang.
Huizhou Ancient City
Huizhou Culture Witness
Huizhou Ancient City is located in Huicheng Town, She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. It belongs to the ancient Huizhou area and is the seat of Huizhou Prefecture for thousands of years. , merchants have gathered since ancient times, and the ancient city of Huizhou is naturally an important commercial town. Although with the changes in the commercial ecology, today it is just a small county town, and its reputation is far less famous than that of nearby Huangshan Mountain. However, the celebrities and gentry in history built a large number of Huizhou buildings that can be called works of art in the ancient city, leaving a legacy to the world. The unique Huizhou culture.
The main hall of Huizhou Mansion in She County is a symbol of restoring the old appearance of the ancient city of Huizhou
Highlights
Huiyuan Garden is a grand and majestic collection of archways, ancient residences and ancestral halls. It is the culmination of the three unique features of "Huizhou" and is known as the Huizhou Grand View Garden. The Xuguo Stone Archway is the most outstanding representative of Huizhou stone archways, comprehensively embodying the highest level of stone archway construction skills. Its four pillars and three floors are soaring into the sky in the shape of the stone archway. For hundreds of years, it has occupied a prominent position in the history of Shifang architecture and is unique in the country. The Yuliang Ancient Dam, the source of Huizhou merchants, still maintains the style of ancient streets, waterfronts and wharfs. The Yuliang Old Street is more than one kilometer long. Paved with cobblestones of the same color, old shop and village names are vaguely identifiable; Dooshan Street integrates ancient houses, ancient streets, ancient sculptures, ancient wells, ancient archways, and condenses the main features of Huizhou architecture, etc.
Tips
Food: Huizhou Yipin Hotpot and Huizhou Hairy Tofu are the most representative delicacies of Huizhou.
Transportation: You can take the K222 train or flight from Guangzhou to Huangshan, and then take the shuttle bus to She County.
Langzhong Ancient City
A model of "harmony between man and nature"
Langzhong Ancient City is located on the northern edge of the Sichuan Basin and in the middle reaches of the Jialing River. It has a history of more than 2,300 years. , has always been an important military town in Bashu in ancient times, but the most well-known one is that Zhang Fei guarded it for many years. Among them, the architectural style of the ancient city of Langzhong reflects the ancient Chinese concept of residential Feng Shui. The ancient city has a chessboard layout and a building complex that integrates northern and southern styles, forming distinct styles such as "half-bead style", "pin" shape, and "duo" shape. The architectural group is a typical example of the "harmony of nature and man" in ancient Chinese city building site selection.
Langzhong Ancient City on the Jialing River
Highlights
There are four nationally protected cultural relics in the city, including Zhangfei Temple, Yongan Temple, Wulong Temple, and Tengwang Pagoda. There are 15 provincial-level cultural relics protection units including Sichuan Gongyuan, Huaguang Tower, and Baba Temple in the Qing Dynasty. There are more than 200 cultural relics on the ground alone; the scenery of Jialing River in the south of the city has been known as "Jialing's No. 1 Jiangshan" since ancient times. The poet Du Fu There is also the eternal admiration that "the south of Langzhong City is rare in the world".
Langzhong Ancient City, Sichuan
Tips
Food: Langzhong cuisine is known as the "Eight Weirdnesses", "Zhang Fei's beef is smoked black and sold with white sugar, and steamed buns are red" Seal, men and women are jealous, kiln-pressed sake is floating all over the world, Fengguo rice is used to make tofu, oil tea steamed buns are served at the breakfast table, cold noodles are served with spoons of hot sauce, and hot pots are served with cold dishes.
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Transportation: You can first take a plane to Nanchong, and then take a shuttle bus to Langzhong.
Liaocheng Ancient City
Phoenix City that can be trapped without losing it
General tourists know very little about Liaocheng, Shandong. In fact, Liaocheng is full of historical traces. It was once a famous commercial port along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, with frequent material exchanges between the north and the south and a gathering of cultures. Located in the middle of Dongchang Lake in the city, the city wall was built in the Northern Song Dynasty. It is square in shape and has a total area of ??about 1 million square meters. It is said that Wu Song was famous at home and abroad for fighting Ximen Qing in the Lion Tower in the ancient city.
The renovated Guangyue Tower in the ancient city of Liaocheng, Shandong
Highlights
The long history has left many landscapes in Liaocheng, such as Guangyue Xiaoqing, Chaofu Yimu, Chongqing Wulian Wall, Green Clouds at Spring Dawn, Ancient Autumn Pavilion, Holy Spring with Rain, Immortal Pavilion with Cloud Protection, and Iron Tower with Misty Clouds are collectively known as the eight scenic spots. The famous Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal crosses the border like a dragon. Dongchang Lake is like a brocade belt surrounding the ancient city. The Guangyue Tower, soaring into the sky, is one of the wonders of Western Shandong. The Shanshan Guild Hall is an ingenious and magnificent iron tower built during the Song and Jin Dynasties. It is a symbol of ancient Liaocheng. . The Haiyuan Pavilion is a simple, solemn and rich collection of books. It is one of the four famous private libraries in the Qing Dynasty.
The Shanshan Guild Hall in Liaocheng, Shandong is exquisite.
Tips
Food: Traditional dishes such as fish sticks in sauce, braised crucian carp in sauce, braised catfish in sauce, braised mutton in sauce, vinegar-braised chicken, spicy and sour fish fillets, stir-fried heart slices, sweet and sour tile fish, etc. The name is mouth-watering.