Fenghuang Ancient Town is located in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. Founded in the 35th year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty (1556), it is a famous historical and cultural city in China and one of the most beautiful small towns in China. The ancient town is a settlement of ethnic minorities dominated by the Miao and Tujia nationalities, with rich ethnic customs and historical and cultural heritage. Most of the buildings in the ancient town are in the Ming and Qing styles and well preserved, known as "the most beautiful small town in China". The area of Fenghuang Ancient Town Scenic Area is about 10 square kilometers, and the core scenic area is about 2 square kilometers.
History and Culture
The history of Fenghuang Ancient Town can be traced back to the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, with a history of more than 400 years. The ancient town was originally called Zhengan and was a military town in the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Fenghuang Hall was set up, and in the second year of the Republic of China (1913), it was changed to Fenghuang County. Fenghuang Ancient Town is a famous historical and cultural city in China and one of the most beautiful small towns in China.
Fenghuang Ancient Town is a settlement of ethnic minorities dominated by the Miao and Tujia nationalities, with rich ethnic customs and historical and cultural heritage. There are many well-preserved Ming and Qing buildings in the ancient town, such as Shen Congwen's Former Residence, Xiong Xiling's Former Residence, Yang Family Ancestral Hall, East Gate Tower, etc. These buildings have a strong national style and local characteristics and are an important part of Chinese traditional culture.
Fenghuang Ancient Town is also a famous hometown of literature and art in China, giving birth to many famous writers and artists, such as Shen Congwen and Huang Yongyu. Shen Congwen's novels "Border Town", "Long River" and other works, with Fenghuang Ancient Town as the background, depict the local customs and the living conditions of the people in Xiangxi, and are known as the classics of Chinese modern literature.
Main Attractions
Shen Congwen's Former Residence
Shen Congwen's Former Residence is located at No. 10 Zhongying Street, Fenghuang Ancient Town, where Mr. Shen Congwen was born and spent his childhood. The former residence is a wooden structure quadrangle courtyard, covering an area of 600 square meters with a construction area of 400 square meters. The former residence displays Shen Congwen's life stories, works and handwriting, etc., and is an important place to understand Mr. Shen Congwen and his works.
Xiong Xiling's Former Residence
Xiong Xiling's Former Residence is located at No. 10 Wenxing Street, Fenghuang Ancient Town, where Mr. Xiong Xiling was born and spent his childhood. The former residence is a wooden structure quadrangle courtyard, covering an area of 800 square meters with a construction area of 600 square meters. The former residence displays Xiong Xiling's life stories, works and handwriting, etc., and is an important place to understand Mr. Xiong Xiling and his deeds.
Yang Family Ancestral Hall
Yang Family Ancestral Hall is located by the ancient city wall in the northeast of Fenghuang Ancient Town and is one of the best-preserved ancestral halls in Fenghuang Ancient Town. The ancestral hall was built in the 16th year of Daoguang in the Qing Dynasty (1836), covering an area of 770 square meters with a construction area of 400 square meters. The ancestral hall displays the history and culture of the Yang family and is an important place to understand the family culture of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
East Gate Tower
East Gate Tower is located at the end of East Main Street in Fenghuang Ancient Town and is one of the landmark buildings of Fenghuang Ancient Town. The tower was built in the 54th year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty (1715), 11 meters high, 8 meters wide and 4 meters deep. The tower displays weapons and armors of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is an important place to understand the military history of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Tuojiang River Boat Ride
The Tuojiang River is the mother river of Fenghuang Ancient Town, flowing through the center of the ancient town and forming a unique water town scenery. The Tuojiang River boat ride is one of the classic tourist projects in Fenghuang Ancient Town. Tourists can take a small boat to enjoy the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Tuojiang River and feel the tranquility and peace of the ancient town.
Delicacies
Fenghuang Blood Pudding Duck
Fenghuang Blood Pudding Duck is one of the traditional famous dishes in Fenghuang Ancient Town, made of duck blood, glutinous rice, duck meat and other ingredients. The Blood Pudding Duck is bright red in color, soft and glutinous in taste, and delicious in flavor, being one of the representative delicacies of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Fenghuang Sour Soup Fish
Fenghuang Sour Soup Fish is one of the traditional famous dishes in Fenghuang Ancient Town, made of fresh fish, sour soup and various seasonings. The Sour Soup Fish is bright in color, sour and spicy in taste, and delicious, being one of the representative delicacies of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Fenghuang Shefan (Ancient Sacrificial Rice)
Fenghuang Shefan is one of the traditional foods in Fenghuang Ancient Town, made of glutinous rice, artemisia, bacon and various seasonings. The Shefan is green in color, fresh and delicious in taste, being one of the representative foods of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Fenghuang Rice Tofu
Fenghuang Rice Tofu is one of the traditional snacks in Fenghuang Ancient Town, made of rice, lime water and other ingredients. The Rice Tofu is white in color, soft and glutinous in taste, and delicious, being one of the representative snacks of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Fenghuang Ginger Candy
Fenghuang Ginger Candy is one of the traditional specialties in Fenghuang Ancient Town, made of ginger, brown sugar and various seasonings. The Ginger Candy is golden in color, sweet and spicy in taste, being one of the representative specialties of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
Admission Tickets
It is free to enter, but some attractions charge separately, such as the Shenfeng Culture Scenic Area at 88 RMB/person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "凤凰古城旅游区" to get the latest information or book tickets online.
Opening Hours
Open all year round from 07:00 to 19:00.
Tour Routes
The Fenghuang Ancient Town Scenic Area is large with many attractions, and tourists can choose suitable tour routes according to their time and interests. The following is a recommended tour route:
Morning: Start from the Fenghuang Ancient Town Tourist Center and take the scenic area sightseeing bus to visit attractions such as Shen Congwen's Former Residence, Xiong Xiling's Former Residence, and Yang Family Ancestral Hall.
Noon: Taste characteristic delicacies such as Fenghuang Blood Pudding Duck and Fenghuang Sour Soup Fish in the restaurants in the ancient town.
Afternoon: Go to attractions such as East Gate Tower and Tuojiang River Boat Ride to visit and enjoy the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Tuojiang River.
Evening: Relax and entertain in bars, cafes and other places in the ancient town to feel the nightlife of the ancient town.
Transportation
- Airplane: The nearest airport to Fenghuang Ancient Town is Tongren Fenghuang Airport, about 30 kilometers away from Fenghuang Ancient Town. Tourists can take a taxi or airport bus from the airport to Fenghuang Ancient Town.
- Train: The nearest railway station to Fenghuang Ancient Town is Jishou Railway Station, about 50 kilometers away from Fenghuang Ancient Town. Tourists can take a car or taxi from the railway station to Fenghuang Ancient Town.
- Bus: There are multiple bus stations in Fenghuang Ancient Town, and tourists can take buses from cities such as Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Huaihua to Fenghuang Ancient Town.
- Self-driving: Fenghuang Ancient Town is located in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province. Tourists can drive to Fenghuang Ancient Town from cities such as Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Huaihua.
Must-visit Attractions
- Shen Congwen's Former Residence: An important place to understand Mr. Shen Congwen and his works.
- Xiong Xiling's Former Residence: An important place to understand Mr. Xiong Xiling and his deeds.
- Yang Family Ancestral Hall: An important place to understand the family culture of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
- East Gate Tower: One of the landmark buildings of Fenghuang Ancient Town.
- Tuojiang River Boat Ride: A classic tourist project to enjoy the beautiful scenery on both sides of the Tuojiang River.
Tour Tips
- Understand the weather conditions of Fenghuang Ancient Town in advance and choose a suitable time to visit.
- Book hotels or homestays in advance to avoid delaying the trip.
- Wear comfortable shoes for long-time walking.
- Taste the local characteristic delicacies in the ancient town and feel the local food culture.
- Purchase some local characteristic souvenirs in the ancient town as keepsakes.
Notes
- Abide by the regulations of the scenic area and take care of the environment and facilities of the scenic area.
- Pay attention to safety and do not climb steep mountains and buildings.
- Pay attention to fire prevention and do not smoke or use open fire in the scenic area.
- Pay attention to anti-theft and keep your belongings properly.
- Respect the local customs and religious beliefs.