Drive to Jishou Qianzhou Ancient City, then go to Fenghuang Ancient Town in the afternoon
Morning: Take a 1-hour drive to Jishou Qianzhou — today's Qianzhou Ancient City presents a new look with its new tourism layout of "one city, one park, one workshop."
"One City" refers to Qianzhou Ancient City. As a folk saying goes: "Qianzhou's city, Fenghuang's soldiers." Since ancient times, Qianzhou has been a twin city on the Southern Great Wall, as famous as Fenghuang Ancient Town, with a ten-mile basin, two rivers encircling the islet, and three landmasses lying across, shaped like the Qian hexagram. Inside the city there is a ten-mile ancient street, a ten-mile river channel runs through the city, and a ten-mile wall surrounds the outside. It was an important commercial port and wharf during the Qin and Han dynasties, and a key military command center on the Southern Great Wall defense line during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Within the ancient city, there is Hujiatang, known as "small bridge, flowing water, and households," covering 2,800 square meters. The "Anlan Well" in the pond is the water source of the pond. The families living around the pond have well-preserved Ming and Qing ancient buildings with white walls, black tiles, and upturned eaves and ridges, uniquely styled. Inside the ancient city, there is the unparalleled Three-Gate Opening in the history of Chinese ancient architecture, composed of the South Gate, Tongji Gate, and Moon City (also called Ear City). It is a landmark building integrating transportation, defense, water access, and fire prevention, and an important military defense facility of the cold weapon era. There are also many precious cultural relic buildings here, such as the North Gate built during the Jiaqing period of the Qing Dynasty; Qianzhou Confucian Temple, built during the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty and one of the best-preserved Confucian temples in Hunan Province, and so on.
"One Park" is the Xiangxi Intangible Cultural Heritage Park. Xiangxi Prefecture is a treasure trove of intangible cultural heritage. To date, the prefecture has more than 3,200 intangible cultural heritage projects of various categories, 24 of which are included in the national protection list. The Baigong Workshop in Qianzhou Ancient City is a grand garden that centrally displays Xiangxi's intangible cultural heritage. Among the masters settled here are Ye Shuiyun, an outstanding Chinese Tujia brocade inheritor; Shi Shunmin, the Miao Drum King of Xiangxi, China; Zhang Guangming, a national-level Tujia Hand-Waving Dance inheritor; Peng Lin, a Xiangxi paste painting craft artist, and 17 others in total. Here, we can see the masters' live demonstrations.
"One Workshop" is the Xiangxi Workshop. Taste the most authentic and distinctive Xiangxi cuisine, and buy one or two gifts with the most Xiangxi characteristics. As a Hunan Provincial Ethnic Tourism Commodity Demonstration Site and Hunan Provincial Tourism Shopping Demonstration Site awarded by the Hunan Provincial Tourism Bureau, it gathers various specialty commodities, local food, and leisure culture of Xiangxi. Among the displayed famous, high-quality, and special tourism commodities of Xiangxi, Qianzhou Pressed Duck, Jiugui Liquor, Xiangxi Mushroom Oil, palm weaving crafts, Xiangxi aromatic vinegar, etc., are all excellent gifts for relatives and friends. Wandering here, what you see, hear, and feel allows you to truly experience "Greater Xiangxi."
Afternoon: Take about a 1.5-hour drive to Fenghuang Ancient Town: enjoy Xiangxi folk customs along the way (Fenghuang Ancient Town, a national historical and cultural city, once praised by the famous New Zealand writer Rewi Alley as China's most beautiful small town). After arriving at the ancient town, enjoy the night view on both banks of the Tuo River. When thousands of lights on both banks of the Tuo River are lit one after another, everywhere is dazzling, placing you in a scene of golden splendor. Step into a bar in Fenghuang Ancient Town and experience its noisy yet romantic atmosphere. You can also choose a lotus lantern to make your best wish and put them together into the long Tuo River...
Accommodation: Fenghuang
Recommended optional activity: Xiangxi Miao Folk Performance 180 RMB/person