Zhenyuan Ancient City

Chinese Name: 镇远古城
Add: 黔东南苗族侗族自治州镇远县兴隆街21号
Ticket: CNY
Attractions Level: AAAAA
Opening Time: All Day
Tel: (+0086) 0855-5722898

Zhenyuan Ancient City

Zhenyuan Ancient Town (Zhenyuan Ancient Town) is located in Zhenyuan County, southeastern Guizhou, on the banks of the Wuyang River. The river meanders through the city in an “S” shape, forming a style similar to the Tai Chi diagram, hence it is also known as the Bagua Ancient Town. Every summer, tourists from the surrounding areas gather here, creating a lively atmosphere.

The town of Zhenyuan is divided in two by the Wuyang River, and the north bank is the place where soldiers were stationed in the past, known as the Weicheng; The south bank is a gathering place for administrative agencies and civilian businesses, known as the Fucheng. There are still some ancient city walls and gate ruins left in the city to this day. There are two major bridges on the Wuyang River. The west side is a newly built bridge, which locals call the new bridge. The Zhusheng Bridge on the east side is a landmark building in the ancient city of Zhenyuan, which locals call the old bridge.

Between the new and old bridges, there is a traditional boundary of an ancient town. The town is composed of three adjacent streets (Xinzhong Street, Xinglong Street, and Shuncheng Street), with inns, restaurants, and shops on both sides similar to other ancient towns.
Zhusheng Bridge is a landmark of the ancient town, with a three story pavilion on it. It was once the main channel for connecting Hunan and Guizhou, and has been known as the “throat of Hunan and Guizhou” since ancient times. Every night, the lights on the Zhusheng Bridge are brightly lit, and the river reflects the lights, which is quite spectacular. It is suitable for strolling on the bridge or taking photos.

To the east of Zhusheng Bridge is Yuping Mountain, with over 40 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties built on top of the mountain, stacked one after another, making it quite spectacular. These ancient buildings are built according to the mountain terrain, integrated with cliffs, ancient trees, vines, and karst caves, creating a natural environment. The Yuhuang Pavilion at the top is the highest point of the ancient town of Zhenyuan and also a good place to view the panoramic view of the ancient city.

There is a dilapidated section of the ancient Great Wall on the back of Yuping Mountain, which was a site where the Ming Dynasty army fought against the border people. If you are interested and have physical strength, you may as well take a walk through the Miao Great Wall, which has a long history. The Great Wall of Miaojiang and Yuping Mountain jointly sell tickets and can be enjoyed together.
In addition to the three main streets, there are also ancient alleys connected to each other in the ancient city, including Sifang Jing Lane, Fuxing Lane, and Renshou Lane. The alleys are crooked and twisted, but they extend in all directions. Walking in the alley, ancient wells, houses, and some old workshops can all evoke some childhood memories.

After visiting the ancient city, you can rent a bicycle at the intersection of Xinglong Street and ride it around Zhenyuan County like locals. The air in the suburbs is fresh, and the green trees, wild flowers, and farmland along the way make you feel excited to leave the city. You can also rent a boat at the ticket office upstream of the ancient city water and go boating on the Wuyang River, especially at night. Watching the night scenery of the ancient city on the boat is particularly charming.

There are many inns in the ancient city, and you can choose as you like. Accommodation and food and drink are essential. There are three major specialty dishes in the ancient city of Zhenyuan, including braised pork and braised goose in Tiexi, which are worth tasting.