Southern Xinjiang's Zoulu: Jianshui

Author: Cao Jing,
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-11-01
Features: Located on the northern bank of the Hong River in the middle section of Yunnan Province, Jianshui County boasts numerous historical and cultural attractions. The county is home to nearly 100 ancient temples and over 50 ancient bridges. Among them, two are designated as National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units, and ten are designated as Yunnan Provincial Key Cultural Relics Protection Units. Notable examples include the majestic Chaoyang Tower, the rare Yuan Dynasty large-scale wooden structure building——Zhilin Temple, and the Jianshui Confucius Temple, which is the second-largest in scale in China after the Shandong Fuke Temple. The county is renowned as a "Museum of Ancient Architecture." Jianshui's cultural development has experienced three major leaps from lower to higher levels: the Tang-Nanzhou period, the Yuan Dynasty period, and the late Qing Dynasty to the early Republic of China period. These steps have gradually led Jianshui onto a path of brilliance, forming a unique regional culture with the mainstream of Central Plains Han culture supplemented by numerous ethnic flavors. Thanks to its long history, rich cultural heritage, numerous scenic spots, and beautiful landscapes, Jianshui has been honored with the titles of "Land of Literature and Learning" and "Jinan of Southern Yunnan" since ancient times. In January 1994, it was listed by the State Council as a National Historical and Cultural City and a Key Scenic Area, simultaneously earning two national honors.