Qingxi Ancient Town

Qingxi Ancient Town

Qingxi borders Ya'an to the north, connects to Xichang in the south, faces Emei in the east, and leads to Kham-Tibet in the west. As part of the Southern Silk Road for thousands of years, this important city of Lizhou has retained the charm of Qingxi. Since the Qin and Han dynasties, various administrative divisions—whether commanderies, prefectures, counties, or garrisons—have been established here. The town is also named Qingxi due to the several springs that flow gently through it, their waters clear and melodious. The ancient town of Qingxi was first built during the Han Dynasty and expanded through successive dynasties. By the Tang Dynasty, it had already taken shape, and reached its most perfect state during the Qing Dynasty: surrounded by moats on all four sides, with natural ravines to the east, south, and west. Inside the city, there were nine streets and eighteen lanes, with the main north-south street serving as the primary thoroughfare, complemented by secondary streets and interconnected alleys. The county yamen was located in the southern part of the town, serving as the judicial office of the magistrate. The eastern side housed the Confucian Temple and the Educational Office; the Confucian Temple was where scholars studied, while the Educational Office was the residence of the education supervisor who managed students. Due to geographical reasons, merchants from outside typically entered through the north gate, while local residents mostly used the south gate. Therefore, the imperial court set up military camps at both the northern and southern gates to manage the gates and station troops. This shows that Qingxi Town was primarily used for military purposes at the time. Recently, a stone tablet was discovered in the southern part of the town. Though the inscriptions are faint due to age, the deep carvings still clearly reveal characters such as "Great General Jiang Wei," which serve as valuable historical evidence.

Qingxi’s natural moats remain as impressive as ever, and the north gate still faintly echoes the charm of the ancient town. The long, dim passageways and towering, solemn city walls are truly breathtaking. The ancient streets and the Confucian Temple are especially remarkable. Thanks to the reverence and care people have for knowledge and cultural relics, the Confucian Temple has retained its original splendor. The ornate Lingxing Gate is adorned with exquisitely carved patterns, the most interesting of which depicts the scholar-officials escorting the top imperial examinee through the streets in celebration. The examinee looks jubilant, while the officials are rendered in vivid, lifelike poses. A thousand-year-old Chinese redbud, a hundred-year-old osmanthus tree, an antique bronze incense burner, and the shrine of Confucius all seem to tell of the supreme status of Confucian thought throughout Chinese history. The old streets, meanwhile, are uniquely charming. Although the streets have changed somewhat, the buildings remain, preserving an ancient atmosphere. The ingeniously designed courtyard houses overlap in layers, creating a maze-like complexity that is both dazzling and intriguing. Occasionally, the eaves hang down delicately, their colorful and exquisite designs showcasing the remarkable craftsmanship of ancient builders. Even more astonishing and heart-stirring are the clusters of golden corn cobs attached beneath the high wooden brackets, their glossy surfaces catching the warm sunlight and shimmering with tiny dewdrops—truly a moving sight. These ancient streets seem to recount the splendid scenery and unique customs of the ancient Southern Silk Road. Everything feels magical yet simple, like a dream, while the long-gone sounds of horse hooves and camel bells, though now distant tales, still linger in people’s minds. Outside the north gate stands the Temple of Marquis Wu, which according to records was first built during the Three Kingdoms period. Legend says it was personally commissioned by General Jiang Wei in memory of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang, and was maintained by successive dynasties. Despite centuries of change, although now worn and dilapidated, the temple stands like an ancient lamp swaying in the wind and rain—faint but never extinguished—evoking thoughts of Zhuge Liang’s devotion and inspiring deep respect.

In ancient times, Qingxi was famed for its refreshing breezes. As the saying goes, “Refreshing breeze in Qingxi, elegant rain in Yayi, and the moon over Jianchang.” Throughout the seasons, gentle winds blow ceaselessly. In winter, when dust storms arise, one can feel as if the yellow sands are about to engulf the sky. But during the hot summer and autumn months, the cool breeze brings endless relief, making it a perfect summer retreat.

As far back as the glorious Tang Dynasty, Qingxi was already known as the hometown of tribute peppercorns. Legend has it that when the Tang monk Xuanzang traveled to India to retrieve Buddhist scriptures, he passed through Jianli and casually planted his precious staff in the ground. From it grew a sapling, which the people of Qingxi carefully cultivated into peppercorn plants. These eventually became tribute peppercorns for the imperial court through the ages, and Qingxi earned its reputation as the hometown of tribute peppercorns.