The Ancient City District of Tongcheng

The Ancient City District of Tongcheng

The Ancient City District of Tongcheng is a cultural tourism attraction.

The Ancient City District of Tongcheng serves as the seat of Tongcheng City (county) and has a history of more than 1,200 years. Located at the eastern foothills of the Dabie Mountains and the northern bank of the Yangtze River, it lies at a strategic north–south transportation hub. National Highway 206 (Hefei–Anqing Expressway), the Hefei–Jiujiang Railway, and the Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway all run past its eastern outskirts. The ancient city faces south with its back against three mountains—Yuping, Touzi, and Longmian—and is flanked by two rivers, the Shih and the Longmian, offering exceptionally beautiful mountain and water scenery. Originally named Shancheng (Mountain City), it was renamed Mengxia Town during the Republican era and later designated Chengguan Town after the founding of the People’s Republic.

The city is built with elegance and meandering layout, often described as having “seven turns, eight corners, nine lanes, and thirteen alleys.” Well-preserved or restored historic structures within the city include: the grand and majestic Confucius Temple, which reflects the cultural character of Tongcheng; the Southeast Two Old Streets, with their upturned eaves and classic Ming and Qing architectural features; the Jiaochunji Xuan, noted for its exquisite design and Jiangnan-style charm; the Zilai Bridge, a five-arch, four-span bridge crossing the Longmian River; the serene and solemn Jingtu Lianshe, which feels like a paradise on earth; and the Xianggu Well, a legendary spring that has never dried up in a thousand years.

At every step in the city, one encounters relics of notable historical figures, such as Fang Xuejian’s Lecture Garden, the Scenic Garden (former residence of Fang Yizhi), the Chili Pepper Hall (former home of Zuo Guangdou) and the Zuo Public Shrine, the Prime Minister’s Mansion (residence of Zhang Ying and Zhang Tingyu) and the ruins of the Six-Foot Lane, Yao Nai’s Xibaixuan Study and the ginkgo tree he planted, the former site of Yao Yuanzhi’s Bamboo Leaf Pavilion, the Fang Dongshu Family Temple, the former residence of Fang Zongcheng known as the Nine-Room Building, Wu Rulun’s book collection pavilion called the Banshan Pavilion, Fang Shoudun’s poetry pavilion named the Linghan Pavilion, as well as the residences of modern revolutionary martyrs such as Wu Yue. All of these sites vividly showcase the unique charm of the ancient city.

Contemporary renowned scholars and writers such as Zhu Guangqian, Fang Dongmei, Ye Dingyi, Fang Xiaoyue, Fang Lingru, Ma Maoyuan, Guang Renhong, and Shu Wu also left traces of their youth in this ancient city. The famous historian of literature and history, Luo Zhewen, wrote during his visit to the ancient city: “In the past, the city was filled with high-ranking officials and literary masters unrivaled across the land; today, culture is rising again, leading the way once more.”