Location: Liujian Ancient Town, Hongya County
Route: Chengdu – Meishan – Danling – Hongya – Liujian Byway Grand Hotel. Total distance is about 160 km. The Chengdu to Meishan section is a highway with a toll of 30 RMB. The rest is first-class road with a toll of 22 RMB.
Entertainment: Admire the ancient town scenery, sip on fresh town tea, enjoy local specialties, drink chilled beer, and breathe in the crisp air… Amidst the haze and slight dizziness, you suddenly realize that in the sweltering summer heat, instead of going fishing, relaxing in the tranquil surroundings of Liujian can be just as delightful.
Expenses: A classmate hosted us — no splitting the bill (no AA)! We stayed at Liujian Byway Grand Hotel (http://www.liujiangby.com), which had plenty of rooms and a nice environment, a three-star establishment for 150 RMB per night. Shanshuiyuan and Shuxiangyuan are also good choices. Previously, we had booked small riverside courtyards in the ancient town two days in advance (for a more authentic ancient-town experience) — those at 80 RMB and 160 RMB per night were all fully booked.
Impressions: Still under development, peaceful and serene, with an ancient charm that rivals Lijiang — definitely worth a visit.
Introduction to Liujian Ancient Town: Built during the Southern Song Dynasty, the ancient architecture stands just across from modern buildings. Simple wooden stilt houses lean against twisted old banyan trees. At the end of the half-timbered street lies a long flagstone-paved avenue, quietly exuding the vicissitudes and rustic beauty of the old street.
The river that Liujian Town sits by is not called the Liujian River, but rather the Huaxi River and the Yangcun River. These two rivers converge in the town, forming a small island at their junction. Amid the greenery on the island, you can faintly see some residential houses, creating a truly poetic scene. It’s said that an artist bought the island years ago to settle there, making one admire the artist's eye for such a place.
Ancient towns are always home to old trees. Liujian Ancient Town is not only home to many huge old banyan and willow trees, but also a reportedly 200-year-old Michelia champaca. This ancient tree stands dozens of meters tall, lush with foliage and emitting a rich fragrance. But the wonders don’t stop there — next to this tree, inside the Zeng Family Courtyard separated only by a wall, grows a peculiar tree bearing slender, bean-like fruits. Locals don’t know its name or origin, so we simply call it the “Yardlong Bean Tree.” The courtyard where this tree grows is the Zeng Family Courtyard, covering an area of 11,621 square meters, featuring four courtyards, three stages, an observation deck, an ornate gate, a young lady’s chamber, a study, a stone memorial archway, as well as a peony garden, a lychee garden, and leisure pavilions — all testaments to the former grandeur of the family who owned it. As the father of the family had the character “shou” (meaning longevity) in his name, the Zeng Family Courtyard was designed and built using strokes from the character “shou,” which is quite creative.