Jianshui Ancient City, historically known as Butou and also as Badian, is located within Jianshui County in the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province. Situated approximately 220 kilometers south of Kunming, it is designated as a National Historical and Cultural City and a scenic area of national importance. Founded during the Yuanhe era of the Tang Dynasty, the city boasts numerous ancient architectural structures and natural landscapes, including the Jianshui Confucian Temple, Chaoyang Tower, the Zhu Family Garden, the Shuanglong Bridge (also known as the Seventeen-Arch Bridge), and the Swallow Cave. Its core area covers approximately 1.03 square kilometers.
The earliest fortification of Jianshui was an earthen wall constructed during the Nanzhao period. In 1387, during the 20th year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, it was expanded into a brick city. When Li Dingguo captured Lin'an City, the city towers on the north, south, and west sides were destroyed by fire. Although they were rebuilt in 1665 during the fourth year of the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, they were subsequently damaged again. The only exception is the Chaoyang Tower at the East Gate; despite enduring repeated wars and earthquakes over a history spanning nearly 600 years, it still stands majestically.
The tradition of establishing Confucian temples and schools in Jianshui County dates back to the Yuan Dynasty. The Lin'an Prefectural School was built during the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty, followed by the Jianshui Prefectural Confucian School during the Wanli reign. In the Qing Dynasty, four academies—Chongzheng, Huanwen, Chongwen, and Qujiang—were established successively. At that time, the region earned the reputation of "Lin Half-List," meaning that candidates from Lin'an Prefecture accounted for roughly half of those who passed the imperial examinations in Yunnan Province. Ranking first in the province, it was hailed as the "Prefecture of Literature and Fame" and the "Zou and Lu of Southern Yunnan" (referencing the birthplaces of Confucius and Mencius, symbolizing a hub of culture and learning).
Within Jianshui Ancient City, there are over 1,000 existing ground-level cultural relics. This includes 7 national key cultural relics protection units, 147 provincial, prefectural, and county-level protection units, and 358 cultural relic sites. The number of ground-level cultural relics ranks first among the five National Historical and Cultural Cities in Yunnan Province. Currently, Jianshui Ancient City is home to three 4A-level tourist attractions: the Confucian Temple Scenic Area, the Zhu Family Garden Scenic Area, and the Xuezheng Examination Hall Scenic Area.