Huizhou Ancient City is located on the north bank of Lianjiang River in She County. It was built in the Qin Dynasty and became the seat of the ancient Huizhou government after the Tang Dynasty. Here, the ancient city gate, memorial archway and government office are still preserved, allowing tourists to appreciate the legacy of the ancient Huizhou government.
Among the several gates of the ancient city of Huizhou, Nanqiao Tower is the most distinctive. The door frame consists of 13 pairs of pillars, which are arranged in sequence in the doorway, supporting the city tower.
After entering the Dongqiao Tower (Yanghe Gate), the ancient memorial archway you see is the essence of the whole ancient city. Built in the 12th year of the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD), the memorial archway has eight columns with a cross section of "mouth" shape. It is a three-dimensional structure, which can be viewed from four external faces and four internal faces. It has twelve stone lions sitting at the base of its columns, and the upper stone carvings are exquisite and unparalleled.
At present, there is only one ancient memorial archway with such a shape. The owner of the memorial archway is Xu Guo, who was once an elder of three dynasties, and his distinguished status can be seen.
Many scenic spots in the ancient city are diverged from the Xu Guo Stone Archway. To the west, one can go to the Huizhou Prefecture, which was renovated in modern times and imitated the appearance of the Ming Dynasty Prefecture; To the east, you can visit the memorial hall of Tao Xingzhi, a native of Shexian County; To the north, you can visit the Huizhou Garden, but it is filled with antique buildings. Doushan Street, located in the northeast of the ancient city, gathers Hui style ancient dwellings, memorial archway and ancient wells. It is very delicious to walk on the ancient street paved with bluestone slabs and pebbles.
Leaving the ancient city from Wengcheng, cross the stone bridge "Taiping Bridge" built during the Ming Hongzhi period, and reach the south bank of Lianjiang River, where there are Taibai Tower and Xin'an Stele Garden. The Taibai Tower was built in memory of Li Bai. The most famous ones in the Xin'an Stele Garden are the "Yu Qingzhai Tie" and "Qing Jiantang Tie" from the Ming Dynasty. Tourists who enjoy calligraphy can come and take a look. Traveling eastward along the Lianjiang River, the Changqing Temple Pagoda, built in the second year of Xuanhe in the Northern Song Dynasty (1119 AD), is rarely seen. However, it provides a true surprise for nearby tourists. Each layer of the external tower has colorful murals, which have become blurred over time and cannot be found from a distance.
The last scenic spot, Yuliang, is located 2 kilometers east of the ancient city, with an entrance on the north bank of Lianjiang River. Therefore, after visiting the Changqing Temple Pagoda, one must cross the Taiping Bridge again to return to the north bank. If walking from the south bank, one must pass through Yuliang Dam and detour to Ziyang Bridge before crossing the river.
The main attraction of Yuliang is the Ming Dynasty Yuliang Dam on the Lianjiang River. Whether one can walk to the dam depends on the water volume of the Lianjiang River. If the water is too large, the ancient dam cannot be reached. When walking onto the dam, remember to pay attention to the small stone "ingot lock" embedded horizontally between the long stones, which plays a stabilizing role in the dam; There is also a water gate in the center of the dam for drainage. If you want to take a boat ride by the local people on the shore to practice the river, the price can be negotiated. There are still residents living on the old street of Yuliang on the north bank, who are still drying their sheets in front of the ancient buildings, as if time is still here.
At night, the ancient city lights up and you can enjoy the night view. The September Huizhou Inn in Shexian County, Mount Huangshan, next to the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall in the ancient city, can be accommodated, and there are more accommodations around the ancient city. Restaurants are concentrated outside the Huiyuan Garden. Huizhou Yipin Pot, a local specialty food, is a large pot with a layer of chicken, a layer of duck, a layer of meat, and a layer of Oily bean curd. It is decorated with egg dumplings, which is very impressive. Maodou, stinky mandarin fish, etc. are also worth tasting. If you meet a vendor who sells plum vegetable Shaobing (Baked cake in griddle), you can buy it and eat it while shopping, which is very delicious.
Travel Tips
Address: northeast of the intersection of Huizhou Road and Xin'an Road, She County, Huangshan City.
Phone: 0559-6526108
Opening hours: 08:00-17:00
Ticket price: CNY 100