Fenghuang - The City Frozen in Time

The ancient town of Fenghuang is located in the southwest corner of the west of Hunan province, in China, at the foot of a mountain along the banks of the Tuo Jiang River. The town is exceptionally well-preserved, untouched by modernization, harboring unique ethnic languages, customs, arts as well as many distinctive architectural remains of Ming and Qing styles. The ancient town has basically maintained the layout and original appearances of the Ming dynasty, of 14th century, and Qing dynasty, of 17th century, to this day. There are preserved in the ancient town zone over 200 ancient residential buildings, some 20 large or small streets, 10 ancient lanes and alleys, as well as ancient town walls, ancient town gate towers, ancient leaping rock, ancient wells, ancient rainbow bridges, ancient temples of literature, ancient temples of poems, ancient ancestral temples etc., all of which are by and large preserved in their original state. Photo credit Fenghuang Town used to be an uncivilized and wild frontier, and it was in the 2nd year of Chuigong under the reign of Empress Wu (A.D.686) that Weiyang County was first established. In the 3rd year of Jiatai period in the Song Dynasty, an earthen town was constructed. This was replaced by a brick town over 450 years ago, and an ancient town began to take shape. By 1715, under Emperor Kangxi’s reign all stone buildings inside the town were completed. Fenghuang is laid out in a remote mountain area. A red rock town wall winds along the undulating mountainous landscape, riding over the ridges and valleys, while rivers wind along the corridors before flowing out through the town. The stately and lofty town towers sits majestically against the four town gates, and the palace-style halls and residence, delicate quadrangles as well as civilian residences of various national styles are distributed along both sides of the streets.