Fubaochang

Author: Chen Zhihua (text), Lou Qingxi (photography)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-01-01
Features: Fubao Town is a religious center in a vast area, hence it was once called Fubao. There are at least fourteen temples and shrines on the streets, occupying about one-third of the town's land. There are also temples outside the town. Temples are often venues for folk cultural activities, either for performances or temple fairs. Fubao is always lively throughout the year, making it a cultural center of the region. As an economic, religious, and cultural hub, as well as a transportation junction for both water and land routes, it naturally had the influence of the Gelaohui (Brotherhood Society) activities prevalent across Sichuan. All of these, combined with the unique customs of immigrants, make Fubao Town's historical and cultural heritage exceptionally rich and deeply rooted in local traditions.
After 1949, Fubao underwent a series of changes. The role of the religious center weakened, and cultural activities were organized by the cultural center instead. Opium dens, gambling houses, and brothels disappeared, but the old layout of the town remained unchanged. Fubao Town's fortune lies in the fact that its new district has already taken shape. Its geographical conditions allow the new district to develop without interfering with the preservation of the old street, and the old street does not hinder the development of the new district. However, the old street will undoubtedly retain its vitality in the long run, which is the special vitality of cultural relics and historical heritage.
The scenery of Fubao Old Street is also deeply moving—it is a landscape filled with romantic fantasies, poetic charm, and a sense of vicissitudes. It carries the solemnity of history. No wonder several movies and TV dramas have been filmed here, and photographers and painters continue to come for sketches.