Top ancient towns near Chengdu (1) – Huanglongxi town
( chinadaily.com.cn )
Updated: 2015-08-19
Visiting ancient towns can be a pleasant experience. Here we list four best ancient towns near Chengdu.
Huanglongxi Ancient Town – one of China’s top 10 ancient water towns
Location: in Shuangliu district in Chengdu, 40 kilometers from central Chengdu.
Highlights: lantern shows, collective singing, traditional time signals
The Huanglongxi Ancient Town is located in the southeastern part of Shuangliu district in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It neighbors Fuhe River and Luxi River in the east and Muma Mountain in the north.
The town has a history of more than 1,700 years. It used to be a key military area and major commercial center during the reign of different dynasties. The ancient buildings in the town, which endured the test of time, carry the hallmarks of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) architectural style.
There are many teahouses alongside both rivers where local residents and tourists can relax and have a leisurely time.
Chinese traditions are well preserved in the ancient town. People in Huanglongxi float and release festival lanterns of different shapes at the beginning of a new lunar year, set captive animals free in spring, and hold dragon boat competitions on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month.
When working on boats, people sing together for motivation.
Every night, a night watchman patrols in the town and gives time signal every two hours by striking a clapper as it was the case in the past to tell people what time it is.
