There is actually an ancient town that has 'lived' for 1676 years!

There are many ancient towns in Western Sichuan, but some are over-commercialized and restored to look brand new; some are small and poorly preserved—Yuantong Ancient Town offers a good comprehensive experience. 🔸 There are many old buildings where you can witness the historical changes The town already had settlements during the Eastern Han Dynasty, and in the third year of Yonghe of the Jin Dynasty (347 AD), it established a township system, which has been 1676 years to date. After the migration of people from Huguang to Sichuan, merchants from various provinces and Western missionaries flooded in, and guild halls, churches, and mansions were built one after another... In 1940, it was named Yuantong, which has been used to this day. 🔹 The number of tourists is just right, and the food is delicious and affordable Yuantong Ancient Town is built along the Xi River, about 1km long, with countless alleys and deep houses connecting the main street and the riverbank. 【Qilin Street】 is the most lively, with better restoration of ancient houses; 【Shuangfeng Street】 is starting to 'residentialize', with less than half of the shops open; 【Banbian Street】 and 【Dongsheng Street】 are rarely visited by tourists, with old houses sporadically inhabited. ——— 📍 Luo's Ancestral Home Built in the mid-Qing Dynasty, its highlight is the two gates, which have Gothic-style lines, but the details are traditional Chinese. 📍 Catholic Church Built in 1903, it is a blend of Chinese and Western styles, with a small square in front, which is especially photogenic. 📍 Huang's Mansion The best-preserved mansion, combining Chinese and Western styles, with a story. 📍 Xizi Palace Originally a famous Taoist temple in Western Sichuan, now only the ancient well and other original objects remain, and the character tower is newly built. 📍 Huijiang Bridge A famous iron bridge in Western Sichuan, moved to its current location in 1986. The bridge has three piers and four arches, with a pavilion on each pier and at both ends, totaling five, carved with various figures, flowers, and birds. 📍 Guangdong Guild Hall Yuantong once had several guild halls, but by the mid-20th century, except for the three arches of the Guangdong Guild Hall, the rest of the guild hall buildings no longer exist, and now they are restored to their original appearance based on the remaining gate walls. 📍 Ancient Pawnshop A small corner, but very interesting. The roof is Gothic, with bas-relief scroll flowers, Roman columns supporting the flying eaves, and the plaque reads 'Bright Wind and Clear Moon', with Latin inscriptions on the lintel—this was a pawnshop opened by the French in Yuantong. 📍 Yongli Bridge Originally built during the Ming Dynasty, it was rebuilt during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, and it is the only remaining stone bridge in Chongzhou. The bridge piers are two dragons, with the dragon heads facing north and the tails to the south, making the entire bridge look as if it is lying on the back of a dragon. 📍 Chen's Mansion Adjacent to Yongli Bridge, the outer perimeter is the abandoned Rongjunyuan (once used as a healing place for soldiers who were wounded and retired from the Korean War). The high walls of the courtyard have a grand air, and it is said that dozens of rooms were all paved with nanmu wood flooring, but now one can only stand in the desolate and dilapidated courtyard and imagine. ——— 🚌 Transportation 1h drive from Chengdu, take the high-speed train/bus to Chongzhou Station and transfer to bus 306. 🦐 Cuisine 'Yuantong's Four Delicacies': pig's trotters, oil flower, brain flower, and tofu flower. Reputable restaurants: Wuge Gongzui, Huang's Trotters, Yangji Bowl Rice, He Xuewang, Sange Restaurant. 🐱 Miao had He Xuewang, four dishes for 90, the blood curd was so tender that it could only be scooped with a slotted spoon, and the stir-fried bamboo shoots with pig's mouth were crispy. Yeba and frozen cake are outside the archway on Wenhua Street 'Huaiyuan Sanjue', scoring 80, slightly inferior to Xinchang Ancient Town; 'Banbian Street Duck' claims to be an old shop, but it doesn't feel as good as Pengzhou duck; next to the Catholic Church, 'Caozi Cake' is good. ——