Fenghuang Ancient Town

Fenghuang stands on the Tuo river in the mountains of western Hunan, in country largely Miao and Tujia, and its defining image is the diaojiaolou: timber houses built on stilts over the riverbank so they appear to stand in the water, packed along both banks below a Ming and Qing town with a wall, gate towers and stepping-stone crossings. The writer Shen Congwen was born here and set much of his work in the region, which is what first made the town known nationally. At night the buildings are lit and reflected in the river, which is when most photographs are taken and when the bars along the water are loudest.

History

The old town of Fenghuang was built in 1704 and keeps many buildings in Ming and Qing styles, laid out in its mountain setting along the Tuo river, and over half its people are Miao or Tujia. It was called Zhen'gan until it took the name Fenghuang after 1913, the New Zealand writer Rewi Alley called it the most beautiful town in China, and on 28 March 2008 it was added to UNESCO's tentative list (Wikipedia, Fenghuang County).

The main sights

• The stilt houses - timber diaojiaolou standing over the riverbank.
• The stepping stones - the stone crossings over the Tuo river.
• The night reflections - the lit town mirrored in the water.
• The Miao and Tujia culture - dress, silverwork and food of the region.

When to go

April to June and September to November; the town is crowded year-round and severely so at Chinese holidays. Evenings are the point for the lighting, and early mornings the only quiet time. Summer brings heat and heavy rain that can flood the river.

Things to know

Fenghuang is heavily commercialised, with bars along the river making evenings loud, and the attraction pass covers museums many visitors skip. Flooding has hit the town repeatedly. Crowds can be overwhelming.

Nearby

Dehang Miao village lies north; Furong is northeast.