Xiang-Yue Ancient Road (Chenzhou Section)

Xiang-Yue Ancient Road (Chenzhou Section)

The Xiang-Yue Ancient Road (Chenzhou Section) is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hunan Province.

The Xiang-Yue Ancient Road is situated in Zhelingtou Group, Dengjiatang Village, Suxian District, Chenzhou City. For nearly two millennia, it functioned as a crucial transit route linking the Central Plains with the Lingnan area. This ancient road, approximately 3–4 kilometers in length, is paved with stone slabs that are densely dotted with small indentations — the imprints of hooves from the pack animals that once traveled it. After large-scale renovations carried out by Wei Sa, this vital artery between southern Hunan and northern Guangdong was essentially finalized in its current form and remained in use for almost two thousand years, fostering ethnic integration and socioeconomic development in the region.

In ancient times, boats traveling southward could only reach as far as Chenzhou before travelers had to switch to the overland Xiang-Yue Ancient Road to continue their journey further south. Similarly, boats coming north from Guangdong could only go as far as the southern end of the Xiang-Yue Ancient Road — present-day Yizhang, near modern-day Shaoguan. Ancient roads themselves were not rare, but what makes this one exceptional is the abundance of mule and horse hoof prints preserved along its length. These marks serve as direct evidence of the social, economic, political, and cultural conditions of the time. Furthermore, it is the earliest and best-preserved ancient post road among those still existing in Hunan Province.

(Includes Rhino Well, the Former Site of the Suxian County KMT-CPC Anti-Japanese Cooperation Negotiations – Li Family Mansion, Fude Building, Shuixing Building, Yingfeng Pavilion, Chastity Archway, Wenchang Palace Stage, Ancient Inn, Wansui Bridge, Genyan Rock Carvings, Mengyan Rock Carvings, Yeshi Pu Rock Carvings, Dongchang Street, Sanxing Bridge, Nan Guan Street)

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units in Hunan Province