Skip to content
Site Tools
Increase font size Decrease font size Default font size default color blue color green color
Home Travel in Hunan The Disapearing History Ⅳ -- Fenghuang
The Disapearing History Ⅳ -- Fenghuang
Travel in Hunan

Fenghuang
Fenghuang (fèng huáng 凤凰) is found on the western boundary of Hunan (hú nán 湖南). It is a place of natural beauty, and also historical interest. This town has a history of over 1300 years and some of the old gardens, residential buildings, bridges and pagodas date back as far as the Ming (míng 明) and Qing (qīng 清) Dynasties (1644-1911). The scenes in this town will remind you of the landscapes you see in traditional Chinese paintings.


altThe majority of Fenghuang residents are Miao ethnic minority (miáo zú 苗族) people. Their lifestyle remains reasonably traditional. Walking around the town you will see the women washing their clothes by the river and the men fishing with their nets. Some of the women wear their customary blue clothes with intricate floral embroidery.

In Feng Huang, tourists can also have a glimpse of the Great Wall. This section of the Great Wall was built in the Ming Dynasty (1573-1620) to defend against the local Miao minority ethnic group, which defied the central government at that time.

In the shops you will find examples of the Miao people's special crafts: hand-made silver jewelry, tie-dyes, printed and batik cloths. And in the restaurants you will find local dishes which are famous for their large numbers of pickled red peppers. So be prepared! Fenghuang also has many local snacks. Ginger candy is by far the most popular.

altFenghuang a place to stroll the alleyways, to take a boat ride along the Tuojiang River (tuó jiāng 沱江) (further down the river if you want to avoid the hoards of tourists), to sit and observe the local people going about their business, and to imagine what China was like before the onset of modernization.




                                                             alt

alt

Travel Guide:

1. Traffic:

(1) Travelers arrive first in Jishou (jí shǒu 吉首) Hunan by train, and then go to Fenghuang by bus. 8 yuan/p, 6 bus/hr, one hour driving distance.

(2) Travelers can also travel by air to the Daxing (dà xīng 大兴) Airport in Tongren (tóng rén 铜仁), Guizhou (guì zhōu 贵州), and then go to Fenghuang by bus, one hour driving distance.

alt2. Tourist attractions:

(1) Besides the Fenghuang Ancient Town, Fenghuang County is also famous for its Huangsiqiao Ancient Town (huáng sī qiáo gǔ chéng 黄丝桥古城), its Ancient Great Wall in the South (nán cháng chéng 南长城), and its Qiliang Cave (qí liáng dòng 奇梁洞). Tourists can take a bus from the County Long-Distance Bus Station to all these scenic spots.

(2)The way to save time is to visit Huangsiqiao Ancient Town and the Ancient Great Wall in the South at first from Tongren and then go to Fenghuang by bus from the Ancient Great Wall in the South, 3 yuan/p.

(3) Fenghuang County is a place inhabited by national minorities such as the Miao and Tujian, so it features strong ethnic charm. Tourists can enjoy the Miao customs by visiting the Shanjiang Miao Village. If you are lucky, you may have a chance to experience the Miao's local fair in Allaying.

alt3. Accommodation and food:

(1) Tourists are recommended to stay in the houses on stilts along the riverside. A night stay costs 20 to 30 yuan per person. The hotel Home on the Tuojiang River is the best choice. Miao can entertain you by singing folk songs.

(2) Fenghuang has many local snacks, of which the sugarcoated ginger is a must for tourists. There is a snack store beside Shen Congwen's former residence (shěn cóng wén gù jū 沈丛文故居). The sugarcoated ginger this store offers is the best of its kind, so it is sold at a higher price. Another local delicacy is meat fried with mushrooms.

alt