Zhongdu Ancient Town

　　Zhongdu, a millennium-old ancient town and the birthplace of Luzhai civilization, was established in the first year of Sun Ganlu (265 AD), boasting a history of nearly 2000 years. The town covers a total area of 374 square kilometers and is located 26 kilometers northwest of Luzhai County. It serves as the junction of Luzhai, Rong'an, and Yongfu counties, as well as an economic hub in the northwestern part of Luzhai County, often referred to as the "Pearl of the Forty-Eight Valleys," with a total population of about 50,000. This pair of ancient banyan trees, over 600 years old, have withstood the test of time and still stand firmly on both banks of the Luo River. The town still retains ancient city gates, city walls, and merchant shops, reflecting the bustling trade of its heyday.

　　One of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Xiangqiao Fairyland: Nestled among surrounding mountains, Xiangqiao Rock is flanked by lush green peaks and layered ridges. The entrance is a narrow cave opening; after walking a few dozen steps, you’ll enter a large cave chamber adorned with hanging stalactites, where the view suddenly opens up to reveal floating white clouds and a world apart. In the distance, a natural stone bridge arches high, resembling a rainbow, with trees providing shade on the bridge surface and vines dangling down. Beneath the bridge, the river surges with fierce currents, splashing water droplets like pearls and producing thunderous roars. Upstream, the clear waters meander gently, while downstream, the deep pools are tranquil and mysterious, creating a fairy-tale-like scene. Stepping into this place, one can truly experience the “Peach Blossom Spring” realm described by Tao Yuanming in his “The Peach Blossom Spring.”

　　The Second of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Xiangshui Gushing Springs: Upstream on the Luo River lies Xiangshui, where towering peaks face each other across the river. The river features a stepped stone platform about a hundred meters long, with a drop of over twenty meters in the riverbed. The water rushes down with tremendous force, creating a thunderous roar, hence the name “Xiangshui” (Resounding Water). When the water hits the stone platforms, silver droplets splash like lotus blossoms. The scene resembles “layers of lotus flowers churning with waves gleaming like snow, their thunderous sound heard from miles away,” displaying a majestic and spectacular momentum. This is the famous scenic spot known as the “Xiangshui Waterfall.” Since the source of Xiangshui originates from the underground river of Xiangqiao Rock, some also call it the “Xiangshui Gushing Springs” or “Xiangshui Singing Zither.”

　　The Third of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Eagle Mountain Hanging Moon: A poem describes it as “A mountain soars by the Luo River, resembling an eagle with full wings; under boundless blue skies, the summit forever hangs the moon’s bright grace.” Eagle Mountain, located behind Yingshan Middle School and at the head of Jiuxian Village, resembles a majestic eagle whether viewed from afar or up close. In the past, someone inscribed the words “Eagle Mountain Is Peerless” on the mountain’s peak, meaning there is no second like it. Zhongdu Town is also called Eagle Mountain Town, a reference originating from this. On clear, bright nights when the moon hangs high, gazing at Eagle Mountain feels like watching Chang’e dancing and the eagle spreading its wings. No wonder poets have associated it with the imagery of “Chang’e Playing with the Eagle.”

　　The Fourth of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Luo River Spring Floods: The Luo River originates from the underground rivers of Laduo in Yongfu County and Xiangqiao Rock. Flowing to Jiujie Village in Huangmian, it joins the Qing River and is then called the Luqing River. The Luqing River passes through Luzhai Town, Luorong Town, and Jiangkou Township before flowing into the Liu River. The two bright red characters “Luo River” carved into the huge boulder by the riverside have faded over the years due to wind and rain but remain strikingly visible. The Luo River has a narrow water surface, with calm and gentle flow, posing little threat even during flood season. The river not only nourishes and irrigates hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland along its banks but also supports hydropower generation and navigation. Before the 1950s, ships weighing up to 50 tons could travel upstream to Xiangjiang and downstream to Wuzhou and Guangdong. Spring arrives particularly early here; just after winter fades, the river water ripples, fish leap near the shallows, swallows dance on treetops, shepherd’s flutes play, cattle frolic, fields echo with folk songs, and green spreads halfway up the mountains. A vivid “spring plowing scene” and “rural idyll” unfold amid the laughter of spring, reminiscent of the famous lines by Tang Dynasty poet Bai Juyi: “At sunrise, river flowers are redder than fire; with spring’s arrival, the river water is as green as blue—how could one not miss the south?” The ancients vividly named this landscape “Luo River Spring Floods.”

　　The Fifth of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Ximei Misty Rain: Traveling upstream along the river, the scenery changes with every movement of the boat. The shimmering river surface reveals distant mountains veiled in indigo and nearby slopes tinged with emerald green, a feast for the eyes. The reflection of Ximei Mountain shimmers in the water. This towering mountain, rising abruptly from the ground, is majestic and lush with dense foliage. At its summit stands a fortress rising into the sky, and in the light misty rain, the mountain is enshrouded in drifting clouds and fog, presenting a quite spectacular sight.

　　The Sixth of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Dongling Clear Mist: Dongling, also known as Twelve Peaks or Twelve Valleys, lies horizontally across from the Luo River, opposite the eastern gate wharf of Zhongdu Town, serving as the barrier to the southeast of the ancient town. After rain clears or under the bright moonlight, the rugged peaks appear ethereal amidst the slowly drifting auspicious mist, truly evoking the ambiance of the Twelve Peaks of Wushan in the Yangtze River’s Three Gorges.

　　The Seventh of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Dragon Pool Autumn Moon: The Dragon Pool refers to the section of the Luo River between Yuezhan Village and Xin County Village, namely Longtan River, with its emerald and deep blue waters that seem unfathomable. Local legend says a yellow dragon resides here, hence the name “Dragon Pool River.” When it is angry, the Luo River swells; when it calms, the Luo River becomes tranquil. This legend may stem from our ancient ethnic group’s worship of the dragon as a totem.

　　The Eighth of the Eight Scenic Spots of Zhongdu — Solitary Beauty Piercing the Sky: This refers to the solitary peak that rises abruptly from the vast fields behind Ducun Village in Zhaoyang Village. Traveling westward from here to Pingshan Town, you’ll encounter many other peaks that soar into the sky, such as “Three Big Cannons” and “Penholder Mountain.” Each peak is majestic and lofty, surrounded by thousands of acres of fertile land and villages nestled by water, truly embodying the ancient saying “towering uniquely through the ages, standing firmly to guard all around.” Climbing to a vantage point, one truly feels “as if traveling within a painting.”