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Phoenix Attracts Visitors
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On February 7, the local government of Fenghuang (Phoenix) County announced in Beijing that the age-old town in Central China's Hunan Province will apply to be on the list of World Cultural Heritage Site of UNESCO (United Nation's Education, Science and Culture Organization).
Two months previous to this, the town was placed on the list of National Historical and Cultural Cities.
Hidden away in the rolling mountains of western Hunan, Fenghuang is truly worthy of being protected.
Stretching along the green Tuojiang River from northwest to southeast, the town is packed with old gardens, distinctive residential buildings, elegant bridges and various towers and pagodas.
The Nanhua Mountain lays to the south of the town. With dense forests of fir and pine trees, 45 peaks and more than 20 gushing springs, it creates a beautiful setting for the town and offers some pleasant walks and attractions to visitors.
The river is the lifeline of local residents, and they can be seen washing their clothes and preparing food alongside the river.
Standing on the river banks, fishermen make a living by hauling nets up and down the river to harvest fish. Boatmen support their family by transporting visitors up or down the river to get a glimpse of the splendour of the town.
Three distinctive bridges span the river through Fenghuang.
The newly renovated Pavilion Bridge, also known as "Rainbow Bridge," is actually a covered bridge with a two-storey traditional pavilion on a three-arch stone bridge.
Named "Fengyulou (Wind and Rain Pavilion)," the wooden structure features latticed windows, an arched black tile roof and flying eaves.
The Tiaoyan, or Rocks for Jumps Bridge, is formed from dozens of cubical stones dotted across the river in two tidy rows.
Their tops are above the water so people can step on them crossing the river.
The last one is a log bridge. About 10 metres north of the Rocks for Jumps Bridge, the bridge is paved with long round logs, which are slippery on rainy days.
Facing the rocks and the log bridges on the south of the Tuojiang River, the North Gate is the highest traditional building in Fenghuang and the landmark of the town. With a three-storey tower and an arched entrance, it looks great from the opposite bank of the river.
A newly renovated city wall, unfolding from the gate and connecting with the East Gate, has created some new angles for visitors to enjoy the riverside views of the town.
In fact, most of riverside buildings are traditional structures.
Originally built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and recently restored , the Wanming Pagoda is a hexagonal brick structure with seven storeys. With flying eaves and a pinnacle roof, it makes for a beautiful reflection in the water.
South of the Pavilion Bridge, wooden stilt-houses with lofty gables and riverside balconies trim the southern bank of the river and are dominant.
All of them are the remains of the town's glory.
With a history of more than 1,300 years, there are still 68 old mansions, pagodas and pavilions, 116 cultural relics and 120 well-preserved residential buildings that were completed during the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties in the town. There are around 20 flagstone streets.
The town is a delightful maze of narrow streets, old buildings and has a sizzling market life. Miao women dressed in traditional blue clothes and white scarves can be seen in the streets. The flavour of pickled red pepper waft out of small, family-operated restaurants. Home-made tie-dyes, printed or batik cloth is everywhere and is the speciality of the town.
Visitors can also find various silver jewellery in the town. This is mainly because the majority of the local population are made up of Miao ethnic people, who are very fond of wearing various types of silver jewellery during festivals.
Fenghuang is also the hometown of quite a few of the country's great minds, including the versatile modern writer and scholar Shen Congwen (1902-88), the first premier of the Republic of China (1912-49) Xiong Xiling (1870-1937), and famous contemporary painter of Chinese traditional painting Huang Yongyu, whose creative frescoes of Buddhism stories in Zhunti Nunnery have become one of the major tourist attractions of the town.
A number of historical interests can also been found around the town.
About 15 kilometres west of the town, the South Great Wall winds along the tops of mountains.
Construction of the wall began in 1554 during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) to keep out rebellious Miao tribes. From 1615 to 1627 the main structure of the wall was completed. However it was not until 1797 of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), that the project was finally completed.
Starting at Tingzi Pass on the border between Fenghuang and Tongren in Guizhou Province and ending at Baojing of Hunan Province, it has a length of about 200 kilometres and boasts 835 watchtowers and 25 gates.
About 24 kilometres west of the town, the Huangsiqiao old fort is one of the country's best-preserved ancient castles.
Originally built in 687 of the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and restored in 1753 during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the castle features an enclosed wall, which is about 5.4 metres high, 2.4-2.9 metres wide.
With a circumference of 686 metres, it has three gates, two batteries and 300 battlements.
At present, the once stronghold of army shelters 89 families of the Huangsiqiao Village.
To restore and protect all of these cultural heritages, the local officials said at a news conference in Beijing that the government raised and invested 33.95 million yuan (US$4.09 million) last year.
In the next two years, the local government is expected to continue pouring in 85 million yuan (US$10 million) for its protection.
(China Daily March 9, 2002)
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