Phoenix Ancient Town is located in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province, and is a national 5A-level tourist attraction. It was first built in the 35th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1556). It is a famous historical and cultural city in China and one of the most beautiful small towns in China. The ancient town is mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities, primarily the Miao and Tujia peoples, and has a rich ethnic flavor and historical and cultural heritage. The architecture of the ancient town is mostly in the Ming and Qing styles and is well preserved, earning it the reputation of "the most beautiful small town in China." The scenic area of Phoenix Ancient Town covers about 10 square kilometers, with the core scenic area covering about 2 square kilometers.
Historical Culture
The history of Phoenix Ancient Town can be traced back to the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, more than 400 years ago. The ancient town was originally named Zhen'gan and was an important military town during the Ming and Qing dynasties. During the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty, Fenghuang Ting was established, and in the 2nd year of the Republic of China (1913), it was changed to Fenghuang County. Phoenix Ancient Town is a famous historical and cultural city in China and one of the most beautiful small towns in China.
Phoenix Ancient Town is mainly inhabited by ethnic minorities, primarily the Miao and Tujia peoples, and has a rich ethnic flavor and historical and cultural heritage. There are many well-preserved Ming and Qing buildings in the ancient town, such as Shen Congwen's Former Residence, Xiong Xiling's Former Residence, the Yang Family Ancestral Hall, and the East Gate Tower. These buildings have a rich ethnic style and local characteristics and are an important part of traditional Chinese culture.
Phoenix Ancient Town is also a famous hometown of literature and art in China, having nurtured many famous writers and artists, such as Shen Congwen and Huang Yongyu. Shen Congwen's novels such as "Border Town" and "The Long River" use Phoenix Ancient Town as their background and depict the local customs and the living conditions of the people in the Xiangxi region. They are praised as classics of modern Chinese literature.
Main Attractions
Shen Congwen's Former Residence
Shen Congwen's Former Residence is located at No. 10 Zhongying Street in Phoenix Ancient Town and is the place where Mr. Shen Congwen was born and spent his childhood. The former residence is a wooden courtyard house covering 600 square meters, with a building area of 400 square meters. The residence displays Mr. Shen Congwen's life story, works, and manuscripts, and is an important place for understanding Mr. Shen Congwen and his works.
Xiong Xiling's Former Residence
Xiong Xiling's Former Residence is located at No. 10 Wenxing Street in Phoenix Ancient Town and is the place where Mr. Xiong Xiling was born and spent his childhood. The former residence is a wooden courtyard house covering 800 square meters, with a building area of 600 square meters. The residence displays Mr. Xiong Xiling's life story, works, and manuscripts, and is an important place for understanding Mr. Xiong Xiling and his deeds.
Yang Family Ancestral Hall
The Yang Family Ancestral Hall is located by the ancient city wall in the northeast of Phoenix Ancient Town and is one of the best-preserved ancestral halls in the ancient town. The ancestral hall was first built in the 16th year of the Daoguang reign of the Qing Dynasty (1836), covering 770 square meters, with a building area of 400 square meters. The hall displays the history and culture of the Yang family and is an important place for understanding the clan culture of Phoenix Ancient Town.
East Gate Tower
The East Gate Tower is located at the end of Dongzheng Street in Phoenix Ancient Town and is one of the landmark buildings of the ancient town. The tower was first built in the 54th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1715). It is 11 meters high, 8 meters wide, and 4 meters deep. The tower displays weapons and armor from the Ming and Qing dynasties and is an important place for understanding the military history of Phoenix Ancient Town.
Tuojiang River
The Tuojiang River is the mother river of Phoenix Ancient Town, flowing through the center of the ancient town and forming a unique water town scenery. Boating on the Tuojiang River is one of the classic tourism projects of Phoenix Ancient Town. Visitors can take small boats, enjoy the beautiful scenery on both banks of the Tuojiang River, and feel the tranquility and peace of the ancient town.
Phoenix Ancient Town Museum
Originally the century-old residence of the Chen Baozhen family, it covers an area of more than 1,600 square meters. It is a cultural carrier integrating the Ancient Town Museum and the Chen Baozhen family and provides an important display platform for external exchanges and cross-strait cultural communication.
Hongqiao Bridge
Hongqiao Bridge, also known as "Wohong Bridge" or "Wind and Rain Bridge," is located over the Tuojiang River at Huilongge outside the east gate of Phoenix Ancient Town. It was first built during the Hongwu period of the Ming Dynasty and was reinforced and repaired in the 35th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty (1556), the 9th year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1670), and the 54th year of the Kangxi reign (1715). In the 3rd year of the Republic of China (1914), Tian Yingzhao, the military governor of Xiangxi, initiated fundraising for its renovation and renamed it "Hongqiao." The bridge runs north-south and is a semicircular arch multi-arch stone bridge with two piers and three openings, built of red sandstone. In 1955, it was rebuilt into a highway, and in 2000, it was restored as the Hongqiao Wind and Rain Tower. It has extremely high ornamental value and cultural relic protection value. In 2011, it was designated as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit in the ninth batch of Hunan Province.
Shenfeng Culture Scenic Area
The Shenfeng Culture Scenic Area is located within the Nanhuashan National Forest Park. The entrance to the scenic area is adjacent to Hongqiao Bridge, with mountains and water nearby, overlooking the entire Phoenix Ancient Town. The Shenfeng Culture Scenic Area is the first national 4A-level tourist attraction in Nanhuashan and China's first full-experience scenic area of phoenix culture. With China's 7,800-year phoenix culture as its theme, it ingeniously creates ancient buildings and themed scenes embodying phoenix cultural elements, such as pavilions, terraces, halls, chambers, corridors, columns, bridges, and towers. It refines the eighteen divine attributes of the phoenix divine bird and densely, vividly, and richly displays the profoundness, mystery, and beauty of the Chinese nation's phoenix culture.
Tour Route：
The Phoenix Ancient Town scenic area is relatively large and has many attractions. Visitors can choose a suitable tour route according to their time and interests. The following is a recommended tour route:
Morning: Depart from the Phoenix Ancient Town Visitor Center and take the scenic shuttle bus to visit attractions such as Shen Congwen's Former Residence, Xiong Xiling's Former Residence, and the Yang Family Ancestral Hall.
Noon: Taste specialty foods such as Phoenix Blood Cake Duck and Phoenix Sour Soup Fish at restaurants in the ancient town.
Afternoon: Visit attractions such as the East Gate Tower and take a boat ride on the Tuojiang River, enjoying the beautiful scenery on both banks of the Tuojiang River.
Evening: Relax and entertain at bars, cafes, and other places in the ancient town and experience the nightlife of the ancient town.
Travel Suggestions：
Learn about the weather conditions in Phoenix Ancient Town in advance and choose a suitable time to visit.
Book a hotel or guesthouse in advance to avoid delaying your itinerary.
Wear comfortable shoes to facilitate long periods of walking.
Taste local specialty foods in the ancient town and experience the local food culture.
Buy some local specialty souvenirs in the ancient town as mementos.
Precautions：
Observe the regulations of the scenic area and protect the environment and facilities of the scenic area.
Pay attention to safety and do not climb steep peaks or buildings.
Pay attention to fire prevention and do not smoke or use open flames in the scenic area.
Pay attention to theft prevention and take good care of your belongings.
Respect local customs and religious beliefs.
Transportation：
By plane: The nearest airport to Phoenix Ancient Town is Tongren Fenghuang Airport, about 30 kilometers from Phoenix Ancient Town. Visitors can take a taxi or airport bus from the airport to Phoenix Ancient Town.
By train: The nearest railway station to Phoenix Ancient Town is Jishou Railway Station, about 50 kilometers from Phoenix Ancient Town. Visitors can take a bus or taxi from the railway station to Phoenix Ancient Town.
By bus: Phoenix Ancient Town has multiple bus stations. Visitors can take buses from cities such as Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Huaihua to Phoenix Ancient Town.
By self-driving: Phoenix Ancient Town is located in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan Province. Visitors can drive to Phoenix Ancient Town from cities such as Changsha, Zhangjiajie, and Huaihua.
Opening Hours：
Open all year round, with opening hours from 07:00 to 19:00.
Tickets：
Admission is free, but some attractions require separate charges, such as the Shenfeng Culture Scenic Area at 88 yuan per person.