Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail

Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail

Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hunan Province.

Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail is located in Jiangnan Town, Anhua County, Hunan Province, known as the hometown of dark tea. The trail stretches 30 kilometers from Yuanqi Bridge in Huanghua Creek Village, Jiangnan Town, to Wufu Palace Wharf along the Zijiang River in the same town.

The main nodes of Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail from south to north are: Yuanqi Bridge – Daping Rest Stop – Ya Zi Jian Stone-paved Path (including Ganlu Pavilion, Charity Tomb, ancient steles, cliff inscriptions, and Menggong Temple) – Jue Gong Bridge – Dongshi Old Street – Yongxi Bridge – Sixian Bridge – Zijiang River bank in Jiangnan Town (including Liangzuo Tea House, Dehe Tea Firm, Jiangnan Liang Family Wharf, and Wufu Palace Wharf).

Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail fully encompasses the entire process of tea production, transport, processing, and trade in the tea-growing regions of Western Hunan’s Meishan area. It served as a vital transportation route connecting the former four townships, five districts, and two counties of Anhua, as well as a commercial and tea trade route extending south to Shaoling and north to Langzhou. Prior to the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was also a key passage leading through Chen (Chenxi, Hunan) and You (Youyang, Chongqing) into Sichuan. As a strategic throat of the ancient Meishan region, Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail has been a contested military stronghold throughout history and is an important starting point of the application for UNESCO World Heritage status of the Ancient Tea Horse Road (Hunan Section).

Currently, Ya Zi Jian Ancient Trail has been included in the “Tentative List of China’s World Cultural Heritage Sites.” In March 2019, it was designated as part of the tenth batch of provincial-level cultural heritage protection units in Hunan Province.

Jiangnan Town: Overview of Jiangnan Town

In 1950, the provincial government approved Jiangnan Town as an established township. In 1986, Jiangnan Township was merged into it. In 1995, during the county-wide district and township consolidation, Chenwang Township was also incorporated. The town covers a total area of 131.4 square kilometers, governing 52 villages and 4 neighborhood committees. The area is mountainous, with the highest peak, Tianjing Mountain, reaching an elevation of 949 meters. To the north lies the Zijiang River, while three major water systems—the Maxi Stream, Sixian Stream, and Weixi Stream—flow through the town and converge into the Zijiang. Rich in resources, it is an important hub in the county for palm fiber, medicinal herbs, and timber. Mineral resources include gold, silver, uranium, zinc, iron, barite, ... More detailed information about Jiangnan Town ++

Further Reading:

· Tenth Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Hunan