Jianchuan County
Located in the northern part of Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province, between Dali and Lijiang, it was founded in the Yuan Dynasty and has a history of more than 600 years. It has Jianchuan Ancient City, Shaxi Ancient Town, Shibaoshan, Jianhu, Shiqianshan and other scenic spots have produced many celebrities, such as Zhao Fan, Zhou Zhongyue, He Keji, Yang Dongchao, etc. From Yongle in the Ming Dynasty to Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, a total of 558 people passed the exam, which is a veritable document. Famous country.
Among them, the ancient city of Jianchuan, where the county seat is located, is a beautiful and low-key ancient city. Due to its backward economy, it is relatively well-preserved. There are more than 40 Ming Dynasty buildings, 146 Qing Dynasty buildings, and ancient residential buildings preserved to this day. It accounts for more than 90% of the total number of residential buildings in the city. It is an ancient city that has been seriously underestimated. Unfortunately, the ancient city wall and woodcutter tower were demolished in 1952.
This is my travel diary in Jianchuan, Yunnan in April 2019.
Day 1: Tonghai to Jianchuan, Su Jianchuan Ancient City
When I walked around Tonghai and thought about where to go next, a friend suggested that I go to Jianchuan I walked around Sichuan and said that it was very suitable for me. It is quiet and low-key with few tourists, rich in history and simple folk customs. He also recommended an inn for me to stay.
I checked the transportation online and found that you can take a train from Tonghai to Lijiang, and then take a shuttle bus to Jianchuan. I arrived at Tonghai Railway Station an hour early. I saw the gate was closed and a group of women were dancing in front of the square. I looked at the railway station curiously. It was very small. There were many cars parked in front. There were children running around and people walking. , it seems that this is not only a train station, but also a leisure place for nearby people.
Night falls, the lights begin to turn on, and there are only 10 minutes until the train starts. The gate finally opens. It is too late to pick up tickets, go through security, and get on the train. There is no time to look at the train station. I gradually fell asleep to the clanging noise, and woke up to hear the announcement that the station ahead was Lijiang.
Take the bus from Lijiang Railway Station to Lijiang Passenger Terminal, buy a ticket to Jianchuan (26 yuan, more than 70 kilometers), eat a bowl of rice noodles nearby, and then take the shuttle bus. You can choose your seat freely. So I sat in the passenger seat and had a very good view. Compared with Honghe Prefecture, Lijiang has a higher altitude, and the blue sky and white clouds are exceptionally clear, making people feel particularly comfortable.
After more than an hour, we arrived at Jianchuan County Passenger Terminal. Compared with the bustle of Lijiang, it seemed quieter here. Follow the navigation to find Henglu Mansion. The stone roads in the ancient city are the same as those in Dali Ancient City and Lijiang Ancient City. It is a bit difficult to carry the suitcase. When I stopped to ask for directions, a woman next to me asked me, are you a mango? It turns out that she is Sister Yang, the proprietress of Henglu Mansion.
Sister Yang said that Henglu Mansion was built during the Republic of China, more than a hundred years ago. It was once the residence of a celebrity. Now they use it as an inn. The layout of the rooms has not been greatly changed, and the furniture has not changed much. In line with the style of the Republic of China, it looks simple and heavy. I put down my luggage and had tea with Sister Yang downstairs. She said that she was from Dali and the boss, Brother Yang, was a native of Jianchuan. The people who opened the inns and B&Bs here were basically locals, because there are not many tourists in Jianchuan at present, and most of them are from Jianchuan. I just passed by it on my way to Shaxi Ancient Town.
?The inn seems very ordinary at first glance. After careful inspection, I found that every decoration here is very particular. There is a bully at the door, and there are many stone ornaments in the yard. , are all old objects from the Ming and Qing Dynasties collected by Brother Yang.
The lunch we had with Sister Yang at the inn was home-cooked and tasted particularly delicious. There was an aunt who ate with us, who helped clean and cook at the inn. She said that these dishes were brought over by her family, and the meat was marinated by herself. Just the smell of it made people salivate.
I went out for a stroll in the afternoon, stepping on the stone pavement, listening to the sound of rushing water, looking at the white walls and green tiles under the blue sky and white clouds, and the rows of ancient houses on both sides, and sighed that this is what an ancient city should have. appearance.
I met very few tourists, mostly locals, but I met a few groups of foreigners. They all asked tour guides to explain. Compared with many domestic tourists, they seemed to be more interested in China's historical buildings.
There are two things that impressed me very deeply. First, almost every ancient house has handwritten couplets on it. It is said that they are all written by themselves or asked to be written by their husbands. The smell of books. It is said that people in Jianchuan admire reading very much. Maybe a stall owner here can write well.
Second, every household has a yard filled with flowers and plants. The Bai people (Jianchuan is where the Bai people live) are one of the ethnic groups I have seen who like to plant flowers the most. No matter how difficult life is, they always I can see some beauty.
After dinner, we went out for a stroll. The ancient city was quieter and more historical than during the day. Sitting in front of the square, looking at the famous documents in front of us, it felt like we had traveled hundreds of years ago. The Baoguo Temple is quite lively. There is a century-old primrose in the yard that is blooming brilliantly and emitting a light fragrance, which is particularly refreshing in the quiet night.
The next day: Wandering around Jianchuan Ancient City and Suzhou Ancient City
In the morning, I went to the small shop recommended by the boss for breakfast. I saw a table full of foreigners already sitting there. I was so curious. Looking at their breakfast, each of them had a bowl of thin soy flour, and they were enjoying themselves. I asked for permission to take a photo. When I passed by their table after eating, I saw that everyone's bowls were empty. Ha, these foreigners are very adaptable.
Today happens to be the market day in the ancient city of Jianchuan. The road is very lively and full of small stalls, selling vegetables, clothes, shoes and medicines. There are many people carrying baskets to buy things.
I saw shoes being sold at a stall. They were very special. They looked like ancient straw sandals. I originally wanted to buy a pair, but then I thought about the burden of going to other places and it didn’t seem too comfortable. It was suitable to wear, so I gave up.
I still wandered around the ancient city in the afternoon. There were almost no tourists today and it was getting quieter. Occasionally I saw one or two old people sitting in front of a house chatting. If there is such a quiet time in this world, does this count?
To be continued~
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