Jingxing Tianchang Ancient Town

Jingxing Tianchang Ancient Town

Tianchang Town is located in the western part of Jingxing County, 45 kilometers east of Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei Province, 135 kilometers west of Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi Province, 60 kilometers north of the revolutionary holy land Xibaipo, and 38 kilometers south of the national scenic spot Cangyan Mountain. As one of the eight strategic passes of the Taihang Mountains, it is the only route from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan and is known as the “throat of transportation between Shanxi and Hebei.” The town enjoys convenient transportation with the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan Expressway, National Highway 307, and Provincial Highway Pingshe passing through the town area.

Tianchang Town is a key town in Hebei Province, currently governing 49 administrative villages, with a total area of 101.1 square kilometers. The total population is 41,247, including 11,158 permanent residents in the town area and 5,510 temporary residents who are migrant workers, merchants, and students. The town has 40,800 mu of arable land. In 2008, the total gross domestic product of the town was 4.42168 billion yuan, with an average per capita income of 4,864 yuan for farmers. In 2008, the town’s fiscal revenue exceeded 100 million yuan.

Tianchang Town has a long history. It originated as a village during the Han Dynasty, became known as Tianchang Town in the mid-Tang Dynasty, and established the Tianchang Military Command at the end of the Tang Dynasty, becoming a famous military garrison. In the eighth year of the Xining era of the Song Dynasty (1075 AD), the county seat of Jingxing was moved here, continuing through the Jin, Yuan, Ming, Qing dynasties, and the early Republic of China until the founding of the People’s Republic, maintaining its status as the county seat for over 800 years. During the Jin and Yuan periods, it was briefly elevated to a prefecture. It was not until 1958 that the county seat was relocated to the current Weishui Town. Due to the relocation of the county government, the ancient town has been well preserved over the past half-century with little constructive damage.

Having endured for a thousand years, walking into Tianchang Town, one can see ancient architectural relics such as city walls, official buildings, schools, temples, stone bridges, and residential homes scattered everywhere. It's like stepping into a historical dreamland. In recent years, many film and television dramas have been shot here. Currently, the original spatial layout of the ancient town remains intact, with over 80% of its historical buildings in good condition. There are many residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The center of the town area was the county government office during the Ming and Qing periods, with the Jieshan Academy to the east, the City God Temple and Confucian Temple to the west, and rows of private mansions. Still standing today are the Ming-era Huo Duting Mansion, Xu Zongbing Mansion, Wang Family Courtyard, Cai Family Compound, Lu Family Lane, and numerous residences — all are traditional quadrangle courtyard complexes made of blue bricks and gray tiles, with clear axes, symmetrical layouts, and well-preserved structures.

Tianchang Ancient Town is a comprehensive reflection of the historical culture of the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. The ancients once gave a brilliant description of the local terrain: “The Mian River meanders in front, Mount Xing stands behind, the strategic Guan Pass guards the southwest, and the majestic Aodo stretches across the northeast. Above, it serves as a protective barrier for the imperial capital; below, it safeguards the people and communities — truly an ancient fortified town.” The great Tang Dynasty poet Wang Wei, when passing through Jingxing, praised the landscape with the lines: “Towns lie upon cliffs, guest pavilions float in clouds, high walls watch the sunset, and rivers mirror the green mountains.”

With its long history, Tianchang Town exhibits strong traditional cultural characteristics in its urban construction. The current architectural style is predominantly from the Ming and Qing periods. Major cultural relics and the ancient city walls are well preserved, making it a pearl among ancient towns in central and southern Hebei. Its strategic location has made it a battleground throughout history, while its vibrant culture, notable figures, and prosperous trade have earned it the reputation of being a “cultural and military heritage town with outstanding architecture.” In 2007, it was designated as one of the “First Batch of Historic and Cultural Towns in Hebei Province.”

The town area currently has 24 key cultural heritage protection units at the national, provincial, municipal, and county levels. This includes 2 national key cultural heritage sites, 10 provincial-level sites, 12 county-level sites, and over 40 undesignated but highly valuable historical remains. These relics and historic sites form a distinctive cluster centered around ancient structures, preserving the urban cultural context and traditions from the Sui-Tang to the Ming-Qing periods. They represent a diverse array of explicit and implicit cultural resources with high historical, architectural, artistic, relic, and aesthetic value. They are precious assets to the people of Jingxing and vital resources for inheriting traditional Chinese culture and developing tourism.

In recent years, the governments of Jingxing County and Tianchang Town have placed great emphasis on the protection of Tianchang Ancient Town. As early as 1987, the Jingxing County People’s Government issued the “Notice on Strengthening the Protection and Management of the Chengguan Ancient Town,” identifying a number of key county-level protected projects and outlining preservation requirements. In June 2002, the first session of the 15th Tianchang Town People’s Congress passed a resolution on developing the ancient town’s tourism resources. In 2002, the Tianchang Town People’s Government issued the “Notice on the Protection of Cultural Relics and Historic Sites” and organized the development of the “Tianchang Ancient Town Protection Plan.” A dedicated protection agency was established, which undertook significant efforts to preserve both the overall layout and historical appearance of the ancient town alongside cultural relic conservation, achieving noticeable results. To date, 15 million yuan has been invested in the protection and development of the ancient town. Cultural heritage sites such as the City God Temple, Wang Family Courtyard, Yufengshan Temple, and Dashiqiao Bridge have been restored. A newly built ring road has been put into use and landscaped, greatly easing traffic pressure in the ancient town. Restoration work on the Confucian Temple is ongoing, and other cultural heritage units have received effective protection.

Thanks to the joint efforts of the local government and residents, Tianchang Ancient Town, despite centuries of wind and rain and multiple wars, remains remarkably well preserved: the ancient city walls still stand tall, the four city gates remain open, and the historical street layouts of the town’s main streets, South Street, Dongguan Street, Beiguan Street, and Chenghao Street are preserved in their original forms, with traces of ancient shops still visible along them. Public buildings such as the county government office, Confucian Temple, City God Temple, and Jieshan Academy retain their main structures. Residential courtyards like the Dang Mansion, Xu Zongbing’s Former Residence, Wang Family Courtyard, Cai Family Compound, and Lu Family Lane remain intact. The Dashiqiao Bridge continues to bear heavy traffic despite centuries of rushing waters. Thousand-year-old relics from the ancient Jingxing kilns have been unearthed one after another... More valuably, this millennia-old town still thrives with vitality. Most historical buildings continue to be used even as they are preserved, maintaining the continuity of life in the ancient town. Its role as a transportation hub between Shanxi and Hebei remains, and although it is no longer the county seat, Tianchang Town continues to function as the economic and cultural center of western Jingxing County.

Tianchang Town has successfully been named one of the fourth batch of “China’s Historic and Cultural Towns”! Upon hearing the news, over 40,000 residents of Tianchang Town, along with officials and people across Jingxing County, were overjoyed. Moving forward, Tianchang Town will take this honor as an opportunity to work even harder, ensuring more effective protection of this historical treasure and promoting its healthy, sustainable development, further showcasing the timeless charm of the ancient town.

Transportation Guide

Location: Tianchang Town, Jingxing County, Shijiazhuang City, Hebei Province

Getting There: Take a minibus headed to Tianchang Town from the Jingxing County Bus Station.