Fenghuang Ancient City
Fenghuang Ancient City, located in Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture in the southwestern part of Hunan Province, China, is an ancient city with a history of nearly 1,000 years, famous for its unique ethnic customs and well-preserved ancient buildings.
It is situated on the bank of Lianyuan River, and the whole city consists of three mountains in the east, south and west, which are shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings and wanting to fly, hence the name Fenghuang. Most of the buildings in the ancient city are wooden structures from the Ming and Qing dynasties, preserving a rich historical and cultural heritage. The streets and alleys are crisscrossed with winding green stone roads, lined with traditional foot-hanging buildings and exquisite wood carvings, showing the elegance and unique flavour of the ancient western Hunan style.
In addition to architecture, it also attracts tourists with its rich cultural heritage and folk activities. Every year, during traditional festivals such as the Miao New Year Festival and Qingming Festival, Phoenix Ancient Town holds grand celebrations, such as Lusheng, Song Stomping, Dragon Boat Rowing and other ethnic cultural performances, which allow tourists to experience the authentic Tujia and Miao customs and living practices.
Overall, with its long history, unique architectural style and strong ethnic cultural atmosphere, Phoenix Ancient Town has become one of the major tourist attractions in China. Visitors can feel the quietness and flavour in the vicissitudes of time, explore the profound heritage of ancient culture, and enjoy the unique humanistic style and natural landscape of western Hunan, which is an unparalleled tourist attraction.
