Highlights:
Located in northern Sichuan Basin and the middle section of Jialing River, with the history of more than 2300 years, Langzhong Old Town was an important town in ancient Sichuan. It is a good place for cultural tourism, is an old town with thousands of years’ history, is national 4A scenic spot, and is the lead of refine tour routes in Sichuan. It is the most reserved old town till today in China, covering 2 square KM, with hundreds of lanes and old streets, hundreds of old houses and dozens of tourist attractions. The architecture style of this old town is still the layout of Tang and Song Dynasty, and appearance of Ming and Qing Dynasty, which is regarded as “the treasure box of architecture in China”. This old town is surrounded by mountains and rivers, centering on mountains, water and town, which is famous for the title of “fairyland in Langzhong” and “the first mountain in Jialing”. Due to the history of more than 2300 years, there are Hanyuanhou Temple (Zhangfei Temple), Gongyuan (examination house in Qing Dynasty, which is the biggest and the most reserved), Huaguang Hall (the first hall in Langyuan), and other places of interests with local characteristics.
Day 1: Chengdu—Langzhong
At 8 AM tourists start from the hotel, and go to Langzhong Old Town along Chengnan highway.
After breakfast
After lunch, tourists step on the clean and tidy quartzite path, relaxingly experience the culture with thousands of years’ history in Langzhong, and go to visit national heritage conservation unit—Hanhuanhou Temple (Zhangfei Temple) for 50 minutes, where they can follow Zhangfei’s footprints. After that they can visit the imperial resort and the biggest museum in China—Sichuan Gongyuan (the examination house in Qing Dynasty) for 50 minutes. Under the help of the guide, they can learn the development of ancient imperial examination, can see sculptures of Wu Mingwan, the famous sculpture in China, and learn the profound meaning and culture of his products. When they step on the stairs, they arrive at the landmark of the old town—Zhongtian Hall (for 20 minutes). They can closely view Langzhong’s geomancy layout of “Tianxin Shidao” (a term from geomancy, which means with the core of Langzhong, there are symmetry mountains surrounded). They can experience the mysterious geomancy culture. They can visit the cocoon workshop, Shu embroidery workshop, and experience the process of Millennium brand production. They can climb to the highest building in north Sichuan—Huaguang Building (for 20 minutes), to give a bird view of the town of over 2300 years of history.
After dinner they can go to the unique Vinegar Bar, to experience the foot massage culture and listen to the original folklore from northeast China in the old town.
Accommodation: Langzhong or Cangxi
Day 2: Langzhong—Chengdu
After breakfast tourists go to visit West Wudang Mountain, the starting place of West March for the Forth Red Army. It is the important forefront of Red Army when they cross Jialing River. It is combined by five parks, which are Red Army Memorial Park, Wudang Mountain Forest Park, Chines surnames tracing Park, West Wudang Taoist Cultural Park, and native trees plant Park. After lunch tourists go to visit Tengwang Pavilion, built by Li Yuanying in Tang Dynasty when he guarded Langzhong. At the same time there is also Yutai Hall, and both them are called Tengwang Pavilion since Qing Dynasty. When Dufu stayed in Langzhong, he went to visit Tengwang Pavilion, and created two poems for it, Tengwang Pavilion and Yutai Hall. Both poems praised the charming scenery and unique features of Tengwang Pavilion, among which there are two lines that have been spread for thousands of years, “clean river, tidy path, beautiful; rich flowers, tender heart, complicated”. After that they will go to Culture Park of Three Kingdoms for 40 minutes, to see the making process of vinegar in Langzhong and taste local Zhangfei Beef, and finally they will return Chengdu and finish their trip pleasantly!
