Fenghuang, means Phoenix , is located in the southwest of Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Hunan Province. It is a famous historical and cultural city in China and a national 4A level tourist attraction, one of the top ten ancient cities in China and one of the top ten cultural heritages in Hunan province. Fenghuang ancient city is a gathering place of miao and Tujia people.
Fenghuang ancient city was built in the 35 years of Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty (1556 AD), and has a history of more than 400 years. Although the Fenghuang city has survived many vicissitudes, it is still well preserved. The east gate of Phoenix and the north gate of the ancient tower are still there. In the ancient city, green stone streets, wooden stilted buildings along the river, as well as Chaoyang Palace, ancient city museum, Yang Family ancestral hall, Shen Congwen's former residence, Xiong Xiling's former residence, Tianwang Temple, Dacheng Hall, Wanshou Palace and other buildings.
It is said that the sacred bird "Phonex" in ancient India turned 500 years old, gathered incense and set himself on fire. Phoenix again revived from the dead ashes, delicious immortal, no longer dead. This bird is the phoenix, the king of all the birds in China. Phoenix southwest has a mountain resembles the phoenix flying wings of the phoenix, so the phoenix named.
Phoenix ancient city now retains more than 120 dwellings with the characteristics of the Ming and Qing dynasties, as well as more than 30 temples and pavilions. There are also more than 200 antique stone streets in the city, which is the county with the most cultural relics in southwest China.
Fenghuang ancient city is divided into old and new urban areas. The old city is near the mountains and rivers, and the shallow Tuojiang River runs through the city. The red sandstone walls stand on the shore. Nanhua Mountain is lined with the ancient gate tower, which was still the rusty iron gate of the Qing Dynasty.
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The Attractions of Fenghuang Old City:
Shenwu Feng Cultural Scenic Spot
Fenghuang God Phoenix culture scenic area is composed of more than 20 attractions: phoenix six lines, phoenix bamboo sea, phoenix pavilion, phoenix bridge, birds, nine-nine god order, phoenix temple, eighteen divine totem pole, spring, feel ashamed, five door, birds, release platform, by wind road, the cabinet, Hui Hui gallery, autumn floor, etc.
Tian Ancestral Hall
Tian family ancestral hall is located in the north bank of the Tuojiang River. It was built in the 17th year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1837 AD.), which was built by the leadership of Tian Xingshu, the imperial minister and the governor of Guizhou. At the beginning of the Republic of China, the West Hunnan garrison, the Kuomintang lieutenant General Tian Ying(son of Tian Xingshu) and spent a huge amount of money to complete the construction. This is a clan ancestral temple complex with strong ethnic characteristics. There are gates, main hall, stage and more than 20 houses, and a patio, Tianchi, corridor, also with "five blessings", "six shun" two doors. In front of the ancestral hall, there are six fan steps made of red sand stone. Gate, left, middle and right, three rooms. The middle gate is figure eight, both sides are blue bricks. In front of the door, there is a pair of stone elephants, a pair of stone drums, very imposing
Fenghuang North Gate ancient gate tower
The ancient city tower was first built in the Ming Dynasty. Because located in the north of Fenghuang, commonly known as the north gate tower, the original name is "Bihui". Fenghuang city in the Yuan and Ming dynasties is the five village chief government, and surrounded by the city of earth. The ancient north gate tower is made of local red sand stone, with exquisite workmanship and fine diamond. The gate is half-arched and wrapped in two iron sheets. The tower is built with blue brick, double eaves on the top of the mountain, through the bucket wooden structure, stone scroll top. There are two layers of gun holes to the tower, each layer has four, which can control the range of 180 degrees outside the gate.
Chen Dounan House
Built in the 28th year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1902 AD.), it is located in the ancient city of Fenghuang, between the East Gate tower and Yang's ancestral temple. The house covers an area of 366.6 square meters, and is composed of forward hall, patio, middle hall and backward hall. Around the firewall is deep and tight, it is the typical Southern china quadrangle courtyard. It is praised by experts and professors as the best clay sculpture art of the national level and even the world. Chen Dounan House is the interior location of more than ten famous films and TV dramas.
Tuojiang River Stilted Building
The stilted buildings are located in the southeast of the ancient city of Fenghuang Huilong Pavilion. The stilted building is built before the ancient official road and hung over the Tuojiang River. It is one of the ancient architectural groups with strong Miao architectural characteristics of Fenghuang Ancient City. The 240-meter-long buildings from the Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China still house more than a dozen families.
Slate Old Street
Green Stone Street, which is less than 5 meters wide, from the gate to the west, through Cross Street, Dongzheng Street, Guan Pavilion, Shen Congwen cemetery to the first spring in the world, with a total length of more than 3,000 meters. Fenghuang is the most prosperous commercial street.
Former residence of Shen Congwen
The old house in Zhongying Street was originally built from Shen Hongfu, the grandfather of Master Shen Congwen, in the fifth year of Tongzhi (1866). The house is a bucket wooden structure, front and back, firebrick seal, small and exquisite, antique, with strong architectural characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in western Hunan.
Wulong Mountain Scenic Spot
Wulong Mountain scenic area is 28 kilometers away from the ancient city of Fenghuang, located in the deep mountains and valleys of the border of Hunan and Guizhou. Here because of the few people, it is still relatively well preserved in the original ecological style. The scenic area is mainly composed of Qianshan fairy pillar, many strange rocks, cliff, pillar, strange peaks, Wuzi Peak, Wulong Cave, practice Platform and many other strange scenery. In addition, there are the beautiful winding Wuchao River Canyon, Longma Waterfall, Lankan Waterfall and Wulong dong Spring.
Huangsiqiao Ancient City
Thirty kilometers, just west from Fenghuang county, is the ancient city of Huangsiqiao. Huangsiqiao ancient city is wide, is an important ancient city in the west of the town. The ancient city of Huangsiqiao is the best preserved castle in China. The ancient city was built in the third year of the Tang Dynasty (687 AD), which was a place for garrison soldiers. The ancient city is a bluestone structure, with a wall of 5.6 meters high, 2.9 meters thick and 2.4 meters wide, covering an area of 2,900 square meters. The ancient city has three gates, all built with more than ten meters high Qing style architectural pattern of the tall tower. The architecture of the ancient city adopts the local indigenous people'house building skills and the skills of the imperial craftsmen, with the characteristics of primitive simplicity and solid.
Shujia Tang ancient castle
Shujiatang, also known as Shujiatang, is a key tourist attraction of Xiangxi Phoenix. It is located in the east of Huanghe Township, 31 kilometers west of the county. Because it is located at the border of Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces, there were many bandits before liberation. The book family hall can not only defend, but also has the function of mobilizing troops for attack. The barracks was built at the foot of the mountain, and the top of the mountain, thus forming a castle. The ancient castle has two features: one is ancient and wonderful. The second is simple and beautiful.
Miao People Ethnic Museum
Miao Museum is located in the mysterious place known as "Miao Wang House" —— Fenghuang County Shanjiang Town Gu Miao Village. Covering an area of 1,864 square meters, with a construction area of 1,200 square meters, the museum is the largest private Miao museum with the highest grade and the largest exhibits in China. It is divided into nine rooms, such as miao farmhouses, ancient residence, wealthy family, warrior home, wizard's hut, and clothing. It has a collection of more than 10,000 pieces, covering all aspects such as food, clothing, housing and transportation. The Miao Museum takes family culture as the entry point, integrating history, nationality and artistry. It shows the world the development history of the Miao people and the thousands of years of performance.