Zhenyuan, located in southeastern Guizhou, is surrounded by mountains and winding rivers, making it the oldest and most renowned city on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau.
With a history spanning over 2,000 years since its establishment as a county in the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, Zhenyuan has been known as the “Key to Dian and Chu” and the “Gateway to Eastern Guizhou.” The ancient town of Zhenyuan, well-known among experienced travelers, is the first 5A-level scenic spot in Qiandongnan Prefecture and has been awarded the title of “Top Ten Best Tourist Ancient Towns in China.”
However, you may not know that Zhenyuan, which combines historical culture, natural scenery, and ethnic customs, has also been rated by the World Tourism Fund Organization as one of the world’s top ten best tourist destinations for “returning to simplicity and nature.” The United Nations World Tourism Organization has even called it the “last home for the weary human soul.”
Tourist Guide Map
Cultural Landscapes
Zhenyuan Ancient Town – 5A Scenic Area
Zhenyuan has a long history. Since the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty (202 BC), it has had a history of more than 2,200 years. It was the location of the Dao and Fu governments for over 700 years during the Yuan and Qing Dynasties, accumulating a long and rich historical culture, numerous splendid cultural relics, and colorful ethnic cultures.
The ancient town has nearly 200 famous historical sites, including eight guild halls, four caves, eight ancestral halls, nine temples, twelve docks, ancient city walls of the prefecture and guard, Wuwang Cave, four palaces, ancient wells, and ancient opera stages.
Qinglong Cave Ancient Architectural Complex
The Qinglong Cave Ancient Architectural Complex was first built in the twenty-first year of the Hongwu reign of the Ming Dynasty (1388) and has a history of more than six hundred years. On January 13, 1988, the State Council announced it as a national key cultural relic protection unit. In July 2004, UNESCO designated the Qinglong Cave Ancient Architectural Complex as a “World Cliff-side Ancient Architectural Complex and Architectural Garden.”
Shiping Mountain Scenic Area
Shiping Mountain is located on the east side of the Wuyang River in Wuyang Town, Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province. It features towering peaks and precipitous cliffs, stretching 2.2 kilometers from east to west, with an altitude of 668.1 meters and a relative height difference of 204 meters from the Wuyang River surface. There are two main attractions on Shiping Mountain: the Four Officials Palace and the Prefecture City Wall.
Ancient Residences and Alleys
Zhenyuan has a saying of “six rows and ten alleys,” which is a true portrayal of people living and working in peace and contentment in the southwestern metropolis during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It also expresses the commercial concept of merchants’ prosperous financial resources.
The most remarkable feature of Zhenyuan’s residential buildings is the “skewed doors and slanted alleys.” The doors of each house opening onto the small alleys are never directly facing the main hall but are intentionally turned at an angle, slanting towards the street, hence the so-called “oblique” alleys. According to old residents, this “skewness” and “slant” follow the advice of feng shui masters: “Taking the south as the noble direction” is a sign of wealth and prosperity, and it also allows “wealth to be concealed.”
Tianhou Palace
Tianhou Palace is located at the west gate of the prefecture city, now known as Xinzhong Street. It is situated north of Shiping Mountain and south of the Wuyang River. In coastal areas, Tianhou Palace is called “Mazu Temple,” and it is uncommon to find Tianhou Palaces inland. According to research, there are only three above the Wuxi River: in Zhijiang, Hunan; Zhenyuan, Guizhou; and Jiuzhou, Huangping. However, Zhenyuan’s Tianhou Palace is the most perilous, highest, and has the most beautiful architectural craftsmanship.
Zhenyuan Museum
The Zhenyuan Museum was originally a memorial temple built to commemorate Zou Sizhong, a general of the Qing army’s elite camp, and is a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit. In 1998, it was used as the Zhenyuan Exhibition Hall. In 2011, it was renamed the Zhenyuan Museum and listed by the Ministry of Culture as a free-admission unit open to the public.
The Zhenyuan Museum originally had more than 400 sets of cultural relics. Later, some of the relics were exhibited in the Qinglong Cave Ethnic Architectural Museum, the Heping Village Memorial Hall, and the Zhou Dawen Memorial Hall. The current warehouse has 216 sets of cultural relics, and the annual number of visitors exceeds 200,000.
Renshou Palace
Renshou Palace was first built in the Ming Dynasty, implying “peace in the world and longevity for the people.” In its early days, it served as a place of worship for the Jiangxi Guild Hall. During the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, after the guild hall moved to the Wanshou Palace on Zhonghe Mountain, it was handed over to the people of Linjiang Prefecture for management.
It was later demolished to build the People’s Bank of China and has been in use until today. It currently serves as the county’s intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall.
Eight Great Guild Halls
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, merchants from fifteen provinces of China’s top ten merchant guilds flocked here, rubbing shoulders and trading a wide range of goods. To protect their interests, merchants from various regions successively built the “Eight Great Guild Halls.”
They are the Jiangxi Guild Hall, Sichuan Guild Hall, Fujian Guild Hall, Guizhou Guild Hall, Jiangnan Guild Hall (Jiangsu and Anhui), Two Lakes Guild Hall (Hunan and Hubei), Qin-Jin Guild Hall (Shaanxi and Shanxi), and Two Yue Guild Hall (Guangdong and Guangxi).
Ancient Docks
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Zhenyuan had as many as 25 ancient docks, a rarity in the world. They were divided into merchant guild docks, tax collection docks, official docks, military docks, worship and sacrifice docks, rice docks, and other specialized commercial docks.
Currently, 12 docks remain, namely Yumen Dock, Daheguan Dock, Prefecture City Dock, Chenghuang Temple Dock, Chongzikou Dock, Rice Dock, Tianhou Palace Dock, West Gate (Panlong Bridge) Dock, Upper North Gate Dock, Yangliuwan Dock, Jixiang Temple Dock, and Guard City Grand Dock.
Natural Scenery
Wuyang River 4A Scenic Area
The Zhenyuan section of the Wuyang River Scenic Area covers an area of 121 square kilometers and contains 33 attractions, which are classified under the Wuyang River Scenic Area based on their regions. The scenic spots are densely distributed and exquisitely beautiful.
The main features of the scenic area include deep gorges, flat lakes, waterfalls, flowing streams, and karst landscapes. The scenery of mountains and water is enchanting, combining the beauty of strength and gentleness, grandeur and elegance, simplicity and ingenuity, as well as danger and ease.
Gaoguo River Scenic Area
Located in Yangchang Town, Zhenyuan County, the Gaoguo River Scenic Area is 38 kilometers away from the ancient town. The rafting route is 5 kilometers long, taking about 3 hours to complete, with 11 rapid beaches. It is an excellent place for summer retreats and leisure rafting.
Tiexi Scenic Area
The Tiexi National Key Scenic Area is located 4 kilometers away from the urban area of Zhenyuan. It is a tourist destination that integrates a long history, beautiful and magical legends, primitive forest vegetation, and a pleasant holiday atmosphere.
The literary masterpiece “The Scholars” has a total of 50 chapters, but it dedicates 3 chapters to describing Zhenyuan. In the forty-third chapter, Wu Jingzi wrote, “The general of Yeniutang fought a great battle, and the local tribal chief raided the camp with singing and dancing.” He used vivid and wonderful writing to depict the place where the “Dragon God married his sister” – Tiexi.
Red Tourism
Heping Village
The former site of “Heping Village” in Zhenyuan, also known as the “Work Team of the Anti-War Revolutionary League of Japanese People in China at Heping Village, Zhenyuan,” was originally the Second Model Prison of the Nationalist Government of Guizhou Province.
Zhou Dawen’s Former Residence
Zhou Dawen’s former residence, also known as “Zhou Gonguan,” is located on the south side of Heping Street in the guard city of Zhenyuan County. Zhou Dawen (January 3, 1903 – April 13, 1938) was born in Zhenyuan County, Guizhou Province. He was one of the important early figures of the Communist Party of China and one of the founders of the Communist Youth League of China.
Zhenyuan Revolutionary History Museum
The Zhenyuan Revolutionary History Museum consists of five sections: “Zhenyuan’s First Advocacy in the Xinhai Revolution,” “Smiling Faces after the Red Army’s Passage,” “The Spark that Ignited Eastern Guizhou,” “The Major Rear Support Hub during the Anti-Japanese War,” and “The First Stop of the Southwest Liberation.”
The museum’s collection of more than 280 rich historical relics and detailed historical materials comprehensively and vividly record the great journey of the Chinese Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army and the Zhenyuan underground party in carrying out revolutionary struggles in Zhenyuan.
Special Recommendations
Ancient Town Water Tour
The “Ancient Town Water Tour” in Zhenyuan offers water sightseeing and leisure tourism in the ancient town. The pleasure boats are luxuriously equipped and provide sightseeing services for tourists, allowing both Chinese and foreign visitors to fully appreciate the ancient river channels, water and land city gates, walkway bridges, and fully experience the two-thousand-year history and era of Zhenyuan Ancient Town while enjoying the water scenery.
Ethnic Culture
Zhenyuan is a “museum” of multiple ethnicities (mainly Han Chinese, with Miao, Dong, Tujia, and other ethnic minorities living together; merchants from various regions settled here, bringing in different cultures such as Jingchu culture, Bashu culture, and Wuyue culture), multiple religions (Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism coexist harmoniously), and multiple societies (a small number of primitive ethnic minority villages still exist in remote areas).
Dragon Boat Festival in May
Baojing “March 3rd” Valentine’s Day
Aihe “June 6th” New Food Festival
Shangzhai “August 8th” Suona Festival
Yongxi “September 9th” Bullfighting Festival
Unique Accommodation
Quanjia Courtyard
The courtyard is ancient, quiet, and has a strong cultural atmosphere. The classical Chinese-style decoration is antique, and the facilities have a stable and calm tone. Immersed in it, you can faintly smell the scent of books, and you feel relaxed and happy. Open the carved wooden window in the room and see the clusters of slender bamboo swaying in the wind in the courtyard. It is the best place for retro tourism, meeting friends, and spiritual journeys.
He Family Courtyard
He Family Courtyard is a building from the Ming Dynasty. It is located in the Chongzikou alley of the ancient town of Zhenyuan. The inn has a total of 16 rooms, and the style incorporates elements of Chinese and Western fusion. There are 4 private rooms in the backyard, 1 reception room, and it can accommodate 50 people for dining. The courtyard is ancient, quiet, and is a great place for leisure, meeting guests, dining, and accommodation.
Food Recommendations
Zhenyuan cuisine includes the famous Miao sour fish soup, smoked meat, Miao pickled fish, communal meal, Dong black beef, dry pot chicken, smoked meat with fern root cakes, and other specialty dishes. There are also various delicious snacks that make people linger: fried rice cakes, gray water rice cakes, yellow rice cakes, noodles with various flavors, iced jelly… The delicious food is too numerous to mention, waiting for you to open your taste buds and embark on a journey on the tip of your tongue. For more details → Zhenyuan Famous Snacks | Only by eating well can you travel well~
Bar Culture
Zhenyuan Ancient Town is known by Chinese and foreign tourists as the “Oriental Venice,” with “rivers in the city” and “cities in the river.” Mountains, water, city, pavilions, and bridges are integrated into one. When the lights are first lit, the ancient town is dyed with a golden light and shadow, revealing the upturned eaves, corridors, pavilions, columns, roof tiles, and gutters. The ancient alleys and winding paths lead to tranquility, with stone bridges and residential houses scattered in a picturesque manner, displaying countless charming postures.
The reflection of the ancient town in the river is like a dazzling and enchanting painting. There are bars with clinking glasses and rising waves of music; quiet bars with people sitting and chatting to soothing music; snack shops with a wide variety of fragrant aromas; and ancient alleys that are peaceful, tranquil, and filled with flickering lights…
If you want to let loose, here you can find the song in your heart; if you want to forget, here you can find the wine that makes you forget; if you want to satisfy your cravings, here you can find the taste of delicacies; if you want to make friends, here you can find a place to sit down.
