Exploring Qingyan Ancient Town | The Famous Stone City In Guizhou | 4K HDR | 贵州 | 青岩古镇
It's 10:38 AM (not PM) As an ancient town, covering an area of 741 acres, Qingyan Ancient Town was originally built in 1378. Nowadays, because of its long history and strong cultural atmosphere, Qingyan Ancient Town has become an attractive destination for numerous domestic and foreign tourists. Due to the local geology, Qingyan Ancient Town was built completely of stone.
You can see spectacular city walls built right on the cliffs with vast rocks, which divided Qingyan Ancient Town into inner and outer towns. The old town covers 3 square kilometers and follows the style of Ming and Qing dynasty. Some inside structure is also preserved well up to present. It includes nine temples, eight joss houses, five pavilions, three caves, two ancestral halls, one palace and one yard, 30 in total. Such age-old buildings are characterized by majesty vigor and wonderful craftwork, which will make tourists acclaim as the peak of perfection.
Located in the south of Guiyang city, Qingyan Ancient Town is about 29 km away from downtown, 12 km from Huaxi south. Qingyan ancient town is a famous historical and cultural town in Guizhou, it's one of four big ancient towns in Guizhou province (others are Zhenyuan, Bingan and Longli ancient town), formed by Hongwu 10th year of Ming dynasty (1378) which has six hundred years of history. The culture atmosphere here is rich that there are many gathering of talents. Because there are a lot of cyan stone near the town therefore this town named Qingyan town (means Cyan stone town). During Ming dynasty it was a military fortress of the special geographical position, followed by hundreds of years, after repeated building expansion, the soil walls were replaced by stone walls, and streets were stone pavement. Around town is encircled with wall, divided into inner and outer city, assembled with a square stone, in the wall there are watchtowers, crenels and battery.
Qingyan Ancient Town without the noise of the bar, it is a primitive simplicity small town, and near the top summer resort Guiyang. Foreign culture was introduced quietly through the path into the town. Religious influence is especially typical; among ancient towns in China it has hardly such scenery of “the unity of four religions” like Qingyan Ancient Town. In Qingyan, Buddhism and Taoism temple is very popular.
Buddhist temple, although is not big, but with rigorous layout there is a lot of exquisite workmanship, such as stone carving art of Ciyun Temple and the woodcarving in Shoufo temple in Guiyang are high-quality arts. Not far from the gate of temple is the Christian church where Christians listening to the white-haired old man interpret the bible in church. And there is Taoist temple. 【Transport】：From Guiyang to Qingyang is 28 km, to Qiantao is 40 km, to Gaopo is 60 km, people can take passenger bus going the way of Guiyang-Huaxi-qingyan-Qiantao-Gaopo, And also people can take bus to Huaxi first and then transfer to Qingyan by special line bus.
【Best time to go】：Spring, summer and fall is the gold season to travel there 【Recommended tour time】: 2 days With over 90 percent of its area covered by mountains and hills, Guizhou Province in southwest China boasts moist subtropical climate, abundant natural resources and diversity with its many ethnic groups. This episode of "Ancient Charm of China" takes you to a town over 600 years old in the provincial capital city of Guiyang. Qingyan Ancient Town, together with Zhenyuan, Bing'an and Longli, is considered the top four old towns in Guizhou. Established in 1378 by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of China's Ming Dynasty (1358-1644), Qingyan was historically a key military fortress and trade hub. Qingyan in Chinese refers to green stones. It is no exaggeration to call it a stone town, for almost everything was made out of stones to prevent any invasion.
Through years of modification and restoration, it has gradually become a popular spot for weekend getaways. Tourists often marvel at the clusters of ancient buildings constructed in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The magnificent city walls divide Qingyan into inner and outer towns with four giant gates facing different directions. Walking inside the town, you'll find various monasteries, temples, caves, courtyards and palaces with stone-paved streets and lanes intertwined with each other.
Qingyan is also noted for its rich religious culture. Taoism, Buddhism, Catholicism and Christianity coexist in ways rarely seen in China. The round domed churches and aged temples impart distinctive charms to the small town. Additionally, the town boasts specialties such as pot-stewed pig trotters and Qingyan tofu.
A military ancient town built some 620 years ago during Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), the Qingyan Ancient Town is one of the most fascinating town of China, as well as a famous historical and cultural ancient town inhabited by multi ethnic groups under the provincial protection with profound cultures in history, architecture, religion, farming, cuisine, and revolutionary tradition. The interlaced architectures that densely covered in this archaic Qingyan Town were masterly designed with exquisite workmanship in the styles of Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Here are temples, pavilions, ancestral temples, memorial archways, residences, city walls, crenels, batteries, etc. Originally an earth town, Qingyan Town has been built into a stone one after centuries’ development because of the local karst landform with sufficient stones. The crisscross green-stone-paved paths, long and narrow lanes, piling up stone houses, stone or wooden counters, delicate carvings on gates and windows, and the mighty stone lions, all indicate the ancient stories of the town and its full-bodied local color.
More marvelously in Qingyan Ancient Town, the Buddhist temples, Christ Church and Catholic Church are existing together in the meantime in such a small town not over 3 square kilometers. Built in early Ming Dynasty in 1378, Qingyan Town was built by the central government to dominate this southwest frontier, and a military outpost was set up in the area of present Qingyan Town. From 1624 to 1627, the leader of Buyi Minority firstly built the Qingyan Town with earth and ruled 72 Zhai (subdivided area).
As a vital fortress with its special location, the town was gradually recreated with the materials of stones, and the circled city walls were just built on cliffs with four city gates in four directions. Though only covering 3 square kilometers, nearly 100 historical and cultural attractions can be found in Qingyan Town, there are nine Buddhist temples, eight ancestral temples, three palace halls, three pavilions, an academy, three ancient stone archways, city walls and many former residences of celebrities. In the history, Qingyan Ancient Town was a place of gathering of talents, the famous scholar of early Qing Dynasty, Zhou Yuhuang, the Number One scholar (who won the final imperial exam) in late Qing Dynasty Zhao Yijiong (who is also the first person won Number one in the exam from Guizhou Province), and as a operational headquarters during the Long Marches (1934-1936), numerous famous revolutionaries and their family members lived here secretly, such as Li Kenong, Zhou Enlai’s father, Deng Yingchao’ mother, and so on.
2021-07-05 17:54
