No doubt many people like ancient town tours and hot spring baths. Today, we are bringing you a route themed ancient heritage in Banan District. Without the bright lights and the urban bustle, these places are brimming with a laid-back vibe that is rooted in Bayu history and culture. So if you are looking for a winter getaway to recharge your batteries, do praying, or have some meditation, these places are definitely the very spot.

Ancient towns in Banan district

Fengsheng Ancient Town

Fengsheng Ancient Town is not only one of Chongqing’s ten famous historical and cultural towns, but also a national AAAA tourist attraction and a national historical and cultural town.

Fengsheng Ancient Town

Built during the Song Dynasty, the ancient town rose to fame at the turn of the Ming and Qing dynasties by virtue of thriving commerce, emerging as the best-known land port in the past Ba County. For this reason, Fengsheng Ancient Town has long enjoyed the laudatory title of “Number One Land Port by Yangtze River”.

Rambling in this tranquil, genteel ancient place feels as if you were waking up a  millennium-old town from a dream. When you look around, shops featured by column-and-tie wood structures, black bricks, and tiles as well as maroon doors and windows will strike the eye, lending a unique quality to it. Among them, there are quite some bamboo and wood crafts shops, indicating that local folk crafts are handed down from generation to generation.

Fengsheng Watchtowers

Fengsheng Watchtowers

At Fengsheng Ancient Town, there still exists a Qing-era watchtower building group with ancient Bayu characteristics. These watchtowers were originally built for guarding against thieves and protecting commerce, but now their exterior walls are full of bullet holes as a witness of the past wars. Some are located at key roads, and some near grand mansions, giving the impression of being unable to navigate.

Shiquantang House

Shiquantang House

Shiquantang House is a prime example of traditional Chinese Siheyuan following the pattern of front halls and rear courtyard. When you cross the high stone door sill and push open the exquisite engraved wooden door, you could seem to feel the lively atmosphere that ever filled the century-old house. When you look around, you can see a handmade wooden headboard, a large wooden chest decorated with colored drawings, small wooden armchairs with traditional Chinese characteristics, bringing the past to life. When you walk around the courtyard, you can also enjoy the beauty unique to South China brought by exquisite bridges and gurgling brooks.

Renshou Teahouse

Renshou Teahouse

Renshou Teahouse is steeped in a late-Qing-era style, with seats on the first floor and private rooms on the second floor. In the late Qing Dynasty, it used to be a popular venue for business meetings and information exchange. Every element inside, from desks and chairs to decorative patterns and knickknacks, is strongly reminiscent of the bygone days.

Yuwang Temple

Yuwang Temple

Built to worship Yu the Great and pray for the safety of boats, Yuwang Temple is another landmark of Fengsheng Ancient Town. On its exterior wall, there is a giant Chinese character 寿 (Chinese Pinyin: Shou; English meaning: longevity), and people who pass by it would come up and touch it, praying for longevity.