Baqiu Ancient Town · Lukuang

Author: Wang Dingtian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-09-01
Features: The architectural art is harmoniously integrated with the natural environment, exuding a unique charm and vitality. For thousands of years, the indigenous people of diverse ethnicities and migrants have lived here, weaving countless simple yet beautiful stories. The region of Ba Yu boasts majestic mountains and rivers, a long history, and profound cultural heritage. From the establishment of villages by indigenous settlers around 4,000 years ago to the emergence of cities along the river during the Spring and Autumn Period, and from the elevation of Gongzhou to Chongqing Prefecture in August 1189 (September 18, 1189) during the 16th year of the Chunxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty, to its becoming the largest commodity trading hub in eastern Sichuan during the Jiaqing era of the Qing Dynasty, the system of market towns has evolved over time. As regional economic and social hubs, many of these towns originated in the Qin and Han dynasties, flourished during the Tang and Song dynasties, or reached their peak in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Each is an important cultural symbol of the evolution of Ba Yu civilization, making them highly worthy of attention. Disappeared ancient towns cannot be (reborn), cloned, or replaced, and the remaining ones are all the more precious due to their rarity. Most of Chongqing's historical and cultural ancient towns were built near mountains and rivers, reflecting the unique architectural style of the Ba Yu region while absorbing cultural influences from Huguang, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. They embody the humanistic pursuit of harmonious coexistence between people and nature. From the grand selection of sites based on feng shui principles to the intricate details of mountain walls, ridges, eaves columns, door lattices, almost all residential buildings, ancestral halls, guild halls, temples, theaters, enclosed gates, covered bridges, cobblestone streets, half-side streets, and wind and rain bridges are simple yet functional. The free-standing houses, suspended wooden structures, and open-air wind and rain courtyards particularly showcase ingenuity amidst spontaneity. The architectural art is harmoniously integrated with the natural environment, exuding a unique charm and vitality. For thousands of years, the indigenous people of diverse ethnicities and migrants have lived here, weaving countless simple yet beautiful stories. Under the relentless noise of modernization, they face the risk of disappearing at any moment. However, as long as they continue to exist, the cultural lineage they carry—such as architecture, history, art, and folk customs—remains visible, serving not merely as a refuge for urban dwellers to return to their roots but as something far more profound. This book, rich in illustrations and text, vividly recreates the original appearance and folk customs of the ancient towns through its prose-style narrative and visual materials. It delves deeply into the ethnic transformations and historical reforms of the towns, exploring the practical significance of their development. The cultural analysis and research on the suspended wooden structures of the ancient towns in this book also holds academic value.