Wenchang Ancient Trail

Wenchang Ancient Trail

The Wenchang Ancient Trail is a cultural heritage site protected by Huangshan City.

The Wenchang Ancient Trail is one of the roads used to carry rice from southern She County to Jingde. This ancient path runs through Wenshan Village in Chakou Town, Wuyang Township, and Qiahe Village, leading to Xiaba Yuan Village in Changxi, stretching a total length of 6 kilometers with a width of 1.8 meters, all paved with bluestone slabs.

It is said that this ancient trail was constructed during the late Qing and early Republican period by a wealthy man from Wenshan Village to welcome his bride. Within the Wenchang Ancient Trail, there are two mountain ridges over 600 meters above sea level, namely Wenshan Ridge and Ba Ridge, connected by a stone-paved path over 2,000 meters long. Along the way, six road shelters were built to provide resting spots for local villagers working in the fields or visiting relatives and friends. The Wenchang Ancient Trail was not only a major passage for the people of southern She County to connect with the outside world but also the route they took to carry rice from Jingde. In its heyday, the trail was bustling with activity, lined with pavilions, teahouses, inns, and shops. Even merchants from Zhejiang traveled along this trail to conduct business in She County, Jixi, and Jingde.

Changxi Township: Located in southern She County, Changxi borders Shendu Town to the west, Wuyang Township to the southeast, and Tangli Township and Xiakeng Town to the north. It is 30 kilometers from the county seat, covering a total area of 20.33 square kilometers. The township administers 10 administrative villages, 54 villager groups, 2,420 households, and a population of over 8,000.

Changxi has a long history and is known for its talented people. The village was established during the Tang Dynasty, known as Cangxi before the Southern Song Dynasty, and renamed Changxi after the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty. It enjoys the reputation of being “the No. 1 Village in Southern She.” From the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties alone, over a hundred individuals held official positions ranging from second-rank to seventh-rank, including jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and zhuangyuan (the top scholar). Among the Huizhou merchants, notable names include “Wu Tea” and “Zhou Lacquer.” More details about Changxi Township ++

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of Municipal Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Huangshan City