Longtan Ancient Town, Chongqing

　　China's Famous Historical and Cultural Town — Longtan Ancient Town is situated in the heart of the Wuling Mountain area in southeastern Chongqing, covering an area of 1.5 square kilometers. It is a settlement for 35,000 people of Tujia, Miao, and Han ethnicities. The ancient town was rebuilt in the 13th year of the Yongzheng reign during the Qing Dynasty (1735) and was named Longtan (Dragon Pool) because two water caves shaped like dragon eyes at the foot of Fulong Mountain often accumulated water into pools.

　　The ancient town is built along the Meishu River, boasting a large scale and well-preserved structures. The existing 3-kilometer-long flagstone street has been polished to a mirror-like sheen, dark and jade-like, with ancient marine fossils occasionally visible. Over 50 Tujia stilted houses feature upturned eaves and graceful forms. The streets are lined with shops, and the alleys are interconnected. Firewalls stand imposingly, exuding grandeur. The traditional quadrangle dwellings are simple and serene, each with its own distinctive character. As the former site of offices such as “County Magistrate’s Deputy,” “Patrol Inspector,” “Prefectural Administrator,” and “County Assistant,” it was historically known as “Little Nanjing” and “Cargo Hub Longtan.”

　　The Meishu River has since ancient times served as a major route connecting the You River and leading to the Yuan River, eventually reaching Jiangsu and Zhejiang. After the abolition of the Tusi system and the lifting of the prohibition “No ethnic minorities beyond the mountains, no Han Chinese within” in the late Yongzheng era, merchants from Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Huguang (Hubei and Hunan), and Chongqing flocked to Longtan Ancient Town. They transported large quantities of daily necessities such as salt and cloth, and exported local specialties including tung oil, tea, lacquer, cinnabar, and more. The town flourished with salt shops, trading firms, and stores, earning the nickname “Cargo Hub Longtan.” Guildhalls such as the Jiangxi Merchants’ Guild Wanshou Palace and the Hunan Merchants’ Guild Yuwang Palace were established, promoting integration between local ethnic minorities and the Han Chinese. During the Anti-Japanese War, Longtan Ancient Town became a rear refuge for people fleeing the war zones. The small town of 1.5 square kilometers hosted a population of 80,000, bustling with merchants and residents, briefly gaining national fame and earning the title “Little Nanjing.”

　　The residential buildings in Longtan Ancient Town, mostly constructed of brick and wood, stand closely packed together, each showcasing unique architectural craftsmanship. Common homes typically feature “three pillars and four rafters” or “three pillars and six rafters” wooden structures. Wealthier families built grand “courtyard homes with a central skywell.” Stately stone pillars form the elegant main gates, while courtyards include “central halls” used for ancestor worship, receiving guests, and holding weddings or funerals. The street-level ground floors are fitted with wooden counters or brick-and-mortar sales counters where owners sold goods. Temples such as the Wenchang Palace, Xuanyuan Palace, Yuwang Palace, and Wanshou Palace feature delicate window carvings, painted beams, upturned eaves, and graceful designs. In the past, a poetic couplet was inscribed before the statue of Guan Yu in the Spring and Autumn Pavilion, penned by a poet from Hebei: “A lone horse beheads Yan Liang, terrifying all the heroes of Hebei; A single saber meets Lu Su, humbling all the renowned scholars of Jiangnan.” Within the ancient town, one can touch history with their hands and sense the faded glory through their senses. Scholars and experts who have visited the town have praised it, saying: “Ancient trees, wells, bridges, docks, and architecture form a unified whole, with residences seamlessly connected to docks and guildhalls. Not only is the natural scenery breathtaking, but the historical value is also extremely significant, making it fully comparable to the Square Street of Lijiang.”

　　Longtan Ancient Town is a place of outstanding people and spiritual energy. It is the hometown of revolutionary pioneer Zhao Shiyan, Liu Ren — the former First Deputy Secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee, Wang Boshan — secretary to President Sun Yat-sen and a member of the Tongmenghui, and Wang Jianhong — wife of Qu Qiubai. The famous writer Shen Congwen lived in Longtan in the 1920s and wrote moving stories about Wang Yaomei, frequently describing the town’s beautiful natural scenery, long history, and rich ethnic culture in his works. The renowned female writer Ding Ling also wrote about the classic-style Longtan Middle School. The famous playwright Tian Han composed a seven-character quatrain upon leaving Longtan: “A lone pagoda of Youyang lurks in mountain mist, / Huge stones prop up the sky, beyond reach to explore. / I hear the carp grow over a foot long, / When shall I fish Longtan with my rod?”