Chinese Ancient Town Tour (A Complete Handbook for Self-Guided Tours of 220 Classic Ancient Towns in China)

Author: Compiled by the Editorial Department of "Chinese Ancient Towns Tour"
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-02-01
Features: 980 photos of ancient towns, mostly taken by renowned photographers, with unique scenes and materials, suitable for appreciation on paper and as inspiration for photography. 220 ancient towns cover all major tourist hotspots, with additional lesser-known but uniquely valuable towns in Dali. Numerous obscure yet distinctive ancient towns are included. Rarely-seen information brings the history and current state of ancient towns to life, with detailed descriptions of particularly noteworthy features. 180 maps of various types, ranging from provinces to villages, include locations of ancient towns, transportation routes, and illustrated maps for tourism. Every rural ancient building and every detail worth exploring are accompanied by appreciation guides designed for non-experts. Transportation to each ancient town, as well as dining and lodging options, are tailored for independent travelers. Detailed entry and exit transportation maps for each ancient town are specially designed for drivers. "Chinese Ancient Towns Tour" fills the gap in domestic literature for comprehensive ancient town information, opening up new tourism directions. Published in April 2002, the book immediately caused a sensation both domestically and internationally. As the first book to comprehensively compile and organize ancient towns across the country, its impact far exceeded the realm of tourism. It provides vivid examples in the fields of ancient Chinese architecture preservation, ecological conservation, and human geography—recognizing that well-preserved ancient towns are living history. As a uniquely valuable book, "Chinese Ancient Towns Tour" deeply resonated with urban dwellers, sparking a widespread "ancient town fever" that emerged in various media, including the internet, television, and newspapers.
The 2005 edition of "Chinese Ancient Towns Tour" features information and images collected and shot on-site by special correspondents and photographers of the editorial department. The photographic images of Shanghai, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan, Sichuan, and Chongqing are the latest from 2004. In addition, based on the 2004 upgraded edition, 4 ancient towns were reorganized and adjusted to ensure the most representative ancient towns in each area are comprehensively included.