Wangyu Ancient Town

Wangyu Ancient Town

Wangyu is situated 35 kilometers south of Ya'an City in Sichuan Province, upstream along the Zhougong River. It consists of an old street and a new street. The old street was built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties and originated as a post station along the ancient Tea Horse Road. Its main buildings are located on a huge boulder that abruptly rises from the mountainside, and the town is named after the rock’s resemblance to a cat watching fish swim in the Zhougong River. The old street is a long, narrow, linear thoroughfare, stretching 120 meters in total, with a bluestone-paved path running its entire length. Both sides of the street are lined with traditional wooden structures topped with black-tiled roofs and stilted houses. Due to the constraints of the terrain, the overall layout is long and narrow, with buildings connected along the main street. In the past, the old street housed money shops, inns, a government yamen, and pawnshops, but these have now all been converted into residences. Behind the old street lies a central primary school. However, to cater to tourism, there is also a small guesthouse on the old street where visitors can lean on the railing and admire the beautiful Zhougong River, home to the prized Ya Fish. Wangyu Town is located deep in the mountains and is relatively small. Like other ancient towns, many of its young people have left to work elsewhere, leaving behind mostly elderly residents and children. Life here is leisurely, peaceful, and free from strife, exuding a serene and tranquil atmosphere—no longer the bustling hub of the ancient Tea Horse Road post station, nor the noisy environment of a modern city. This simple way of life and the quaint old street have become one of the highlights of Wangyu Ancient Town.