The Xijing Ancient Road in Ruyuan

The Xijing Ancient Road in Ruyuan

The Xijing Ancient Road in Ruyuan is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

The Xijing Ancient Road (including the Yangzhi Pavilion in Hongyun Village, the Houlingshan section, and the Tiyunshan section), also known as the Yile Ancient Road, is centered in Daqiao Town, Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County, Guangdong Province. It is a key route through the Weiling Mountains and is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong. National Highway 323 and the Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway run nearby. It is approximately 40 kilometers from the county seat of Ruyuan. Originally built in the sixth year of the Jianyuan era during the Western Han Dynasty (135 BC), it was an essential passage from the Lingnan region to the capital during Emperor Wu of Han’s reign. It is a renowned historical and cultural tourist attraction within Ruyuan County’s scenic area.

In ancient times, there were two main routes from the Central Plains and the regions of Hunan, Hubei, and Jiangxi to the Lingnan areas such as Guangzhou — the Xijing Ancient Road that crossed the Weiling Mountains (with passes such as the Weiling Pass) and the Meiguan Ancient Road that crossed the Dayuling Mountains (while the Xianggui Corridor included the Xiaohuo Ancient Road, among others).

The “Xijing Ancient Road,” also called the Xijing Road, earned its name as a historical “highway” connecting the ancient capital to the Lingnan region due to its long history. The Xijing Ancient Road was carved through mountains and bridges built over rivers, with numerous villages along the way. Ancient bridges, pavilions, village houses, and residences can still be seen today. The well-preserved sections of the Xijing Ancient Road in Ruyuan include about 2.5 kilometers in the Tiyunshan section and about 2.5 kilometers in the Houlingshan section. The Xijing Ancient Road serves not only as an important site for scientific research and education but also as an ideal destination for tourism, sightseeing, summer retreats, and vacations. Major attractions include ancient covered bridges (such as the Dafu Bridge and Tongji Bridge, with the latter having stood for over 240 years and remarkably well preserved), ancient pavilions (including the “Little Meiguan” Pavilion, Tiyun Pavilion, Xiangdui Pavilion, Guanzhi Pavilion, Xinhhan Pavilion, Leshan Pavilion, Yangzhi Pavilion, Shoude Pavilion, and the Rain Shelter Pavilion), the Guanlan Academy, and ancient residential buildings. The Xijing Ancient Road and its surrounding historical and cultural relics are invaluable physical materials for tourism, archaeology, scientific research, and exploring Hakka history and culture. They also serve as a patriotic education base for primary and secondary school students and youth.

In 2012, it was announced as part of the seventh batch of cultural heritage protection units by the People's Government of Guangdong Province. In 2019, the Xijing Ancient Road was included in the eighth batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

Daqiao Town: Located in the northwest of Ruyuan County, at 113°09′ east longitude and 24°59′ north latitude, Daqiao Town borders Bibei Town to the east, Shaoping Town of Lechang to the west, Dongping Town to the south, Yunyan Town of Lechang to the north, and the Ruyang Forestry Bureau to the southwest. The town center is 27 kilometers directly south of the county seat and 15 kilometers north of Yunyan Town. The town has 21 village committees, 1 neighborhood committee, 249 natural villages, and 7,498 households; the total population is 39,000, of which 37,000 are agricultural residents. The total area is 384 square kilometers, with agricultural … More detailed information about Daqiao Town ++

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units

· Eighth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units