Zhenyuan Ancient Town

Background

Zhenyuan Ancient Town lies around Wuyang Town, the seat of Zhenyuan County in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou. The Wuyang River flows through the town, dividing it into two banks. The county's Qinglongdong ancient building complex, the site of Heping Village and the Zhenyuan ancient wall are all national key cultural heritage sites, and Shiping Hill at the edge of town is a popular viewpoint. Locals have a vivid way of describing the place: the Wuyang River winds through town in an S-shape, and seen together with the layout of the two banks it resembles a taiji diagram. The Zhenyuan area was originally home to Dong and Miao communities. A border defence office was set up here in the Southern Song dynasty, it became the Zhenyuan military and civilian prefecture in the Yuan dynasty, and a prefecture and garrison were established in the early Ming dynasty; in 1913 the prefecture was abolished and only the county remained. When Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture was founded in 1956, its capital was first set in Zhenyuan, before moving to Kaili in 1958. Chinese folk religion, Taoism, Buddhism and Catholicism coexist here; the county has Buddhist temples such as Zhongyuan Chan Temple and Taoist temples such as the Mazu Temple and Wanshou Palace.

Local customs

• Stroll along both banks of the Wuyang River to see the old bridges, the river bend and the lamplit night scene
• visit the Qinglongdong ancient buildings and old lanes, and climb Shiping Hill to look down on the S-shaped bend
• taste local dishes such as sour soup fish, and spend a night in the old town.

Travel tips

• The old town's lanes are mostly stone-paved, so wear non-slip shoes
• opening details and charges are as officially announced. The Xiang-Qian and Zhu-Liu railways pass through the county, and you can take the train to Zhenyuan Station
• the Shanghai–Kunming Expressway and national highways 320 and 211 also cross the county, with roads linking the county town to nearby towns
• specific schedules are as officially announced.
• Zhenyuan has a humid subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons, an average annual temperature of about 16.5°C and annual rainfall of about 1,093.6 millimetres. Rain is plentiful, so check the official weather forecast before you travel.