The Old North and South Villages

The North and South Old Villages

The old city of Nangong was first built during the Western Han Dynasty, located in what is now the North and South Old Villages. What it originally looked like, we can’t say for sure — let’s not dwell on that. The present-day Nangong Old City is situated on Feifeng Ridge, connected to the new city on its east, north, and south sides. What it once was, we’ll leave aside. Wandering the old streets here, strolling through the quiet, ancient alleys, and then glancing at the roadside where elderly folks are playing chess under the shade of trees, suddenly, you catch a whiff of the old city’s original flavor.

In the 14th year of the Ming Chenghua era (1478 AD), due to long-term neglect of the old embankment south of the city, the city walls, ancestral temples, and residential houses were all submerged by the waters of the Hengzhang River. In the 16th year of the Chenghua era (1480 AD), the county seat of Nangong was relocated to “Feifeng Ridge.” Through multiple expansions and reinforcements, the city walls became solid and the moat deep, with neat streets and lanes. Its most prominent feature was a regular square shape, with equal-length sides of one kilometer each and equal angles at the four corners, covering an area of one square kilometer within the city walls. The four main streets radiated from the central crossroads, leading directly to the east, west, south, and north gates. Each street was 500 meters long, wide and straight. The crossroads served as the city center and also the highest point — standing there, one’s line of sight aligned with the tops of the gate towers. The layout of the other streets was equally orderly, with balanced density, symmetrical design, showcasing a rigorous and scientific urban plan that reflected the wisdom and creativity of the people of Nangong. A popular saying goes: “From Beijing to Nanjing, among county towns, Nangong stands out.”