Legendary Ancient Town of Qingmu River, a Unique Paradise in the Deep Qinling Mountains
“One foot steps on three provinces, the crowing of chickens startles three provinces,” Qingmu River, located in the depths of Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Gansu provinces, is known as the most beautiful ancient town in Ningqiang County, Shaanxi Province, and a national 4A-level tourist attraction, a Chinese historical and cultural town.
Illustration: Qingmu River Ancient Town Source: Internet
Qingmu River was once one of the routes into Sichuan, the throat of Qin and Shu, and a strategic location that merchants flocked to. The town took shape in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, and after years of vicissitudes, it now retains a large number of diverse ancient halls, ancient, ancient courtyards and old streets, including the return dragon field old street, which is characterized by the orderly arrangement of Ming and Qing architecture. Legendary figures such as Wei Fucang’s Wei family estate and Cunren Middle School still exist in good condition. Qingmu River also has a national-level primitive forest nature reserve.
Return Dragon Field Street
Qingmu River is divided into two parts, the old street on the south and the new street on the north, facing each other across the river, and the new street and the old street are connected by a Fenghu Bridge with a corridor. The ancient and antique Fenghu Bridge spans the two banks of the Jinxi River, and there is a pair of lifelike golden phoenixes on both sides of the bridge pavilion, wishing to spread their wings and fly. The end of the Fenghu Bridge is the old street of Qingmu River: Return Dragon Field Street.
Return Dragon Field Street was built in the Ming Chenghua years, because the Jinxi River curved around the ancient town, the old street also followed a curved shape, resembling a lying dragon, hence the name Return Dragon Field Street. Wandering through the old street paved with ancient blue bricks, you can experience the thick Ming and Qing ancient atmosphere of the ancient town. The old street is lined with Ming and Qing style buildings: quadrangle style, Chinese-Western hybrid style, window lattices, door lintels and roof tiles are exquisitely carved, elegant and refined. The old street was once a prosperous trading market, with smoke houses, tea houses, wine houses and restaurants.
Wei Family Estate
Entering the ancient, towering Wei Family Estate, you can almost hear the words: 'Children not studying, it is not advisable; young children not studying, what about the elderly?'; 'Jade is not carved, it will not become a useful object; people without learning, they will not understand the meaning.' The sound of books echoes through the valley.
Cunren Middle School was founded in 1942, initially headed by Wei Fucang, and at its peak had more than 600 students. The school was built on a small hillside south of the ancient town. The school gate resembles a writing brush holder, and Wei Fucang thought that the writing brush holder was where the four treasures of the study were, so he asked the craftsmen to build the school gate with symbolic meaning. The school currently retains two Chinese-Western hybrid style buildings. In the past, the school also offered English classes. This school in the mountains became the first-ranked school in the south of Shaanan.
Reporter Xia Qingcen of Xinmin Evening News
1942600
