Langzhong Ancient City Travel Guide + Attraction Recommendations

Langzhong Ancient City is a small town full of ancient Shu cultural characteristics. It has a very long history and a large number of ancient buildings have been perfectly preserved. It has now become a famous tourist scenic spot, attracting tourists from all over the world. Come for a sightseeing trip, let me share with you the detailed travel guide to Langzhong Ancient City.

Langzhong is a place with many stories.

An uncle of mine once lamented when visiting Langzhong: "Although Langzhong is not a big place, it has such rich historical and cultural resources."

Indeed, since the Qing Dynasty, Sichuan Gongyuan, North Sichuan Province, Confucian Temple, Zhangfei Temple, Zhongtian Tower, Huaguang Tower, Zhuangyuanfang, Tengwang Pavilion, White Pagoda, Dafo Temple, Jinping Mountain, and Tiangongyuan. Everywhere you go, you can hear interesting Langzhong past.

Langzhong Ancient City

1. Remembering Zhang Fei in Zhang Fei Temple

In Langzhong, the most common and resounding name must be Zhang Fei. That's right, it was Zhang Fei who was sworn to Liu Guan and Zhang in Taoyuan during the Three Kingdoms period.

There is a Han Huanhou Temple in the ancient city of Langzhong, commonly known as Zhang Fei Temple, with a history of more than 1,700 years. In the Tang Dynasty, it was called Zhanghou Temple, in the Ming Dynasty, it was called Xiongwei Temple, and in the Qing Dynasty, it was changed to Hanhuanhou Temple. Zhang Fei's tomb is built inside the Zhang Fei Temple. It has an oval brick shape, 25 meters wide from east to west, 42 meters long from north to south, and 8 meters high. The first time I saw such a big tomb, I thought it was a wall. Zhangfei South Road, one of the main arteries in the center of Langzhong, is the only way to the east gate of the ancient city. The General Square, not far from the Tengwang Pavilion, has statues of nine generals from past dynasties. The tallest one in the middle is the equestrian statue of Zhang Fei. There is also an indispensable local product to buy, Zhangfei beef, one of the three treasures of Langzhong. Everything has to do with Zhang Fei, which shows that the people in Langzhong love Zhang Fei very much.

The main entrance of the Han Huanhou Temple

The Enemy Tower in the Han Huanhou Temple

"Ten thousand men are invincible" praised him for his bravery and often galloping on the battlefield

"Lingpu Xieyi" praises his heroic spirit who still protects him after his death

Zhang Fei's tomb in Han Huanhou Temple

Zhang Fei South Road

The statue of Zhang Fei in the center of General Square

Signs of Zhang Fei’s beef are all over Langzhong Ancient City

Most people know Zhang Fei through the novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" or film and television works. Luo Guanzhong gave Zhang Fei has the image of a brave man. Among Liu, Guan, and Zhang, he is always the "Butcher Zhang" who is the most impulsive, has the most bad temper, and loves to be greedy and get into trouble. But is Zhang Fei really like this in history?

In fact, although Zhang Fei was a military general, he was an educated military general. It is said that he was both civil and military, rough on the outside and fine on the inside. One of the examples that Zhang Fei is educated is that his calligraphy is very good, especially "Han Bafen", which is a type of official script in the Han Dynasty. Some people in later generations commented that his attainments even surpassed those of the famous calligraphers during the Three Kingdoms period. How good is Zhang Fei's calligraphy? You can go to Zhang Fei Temple in Langzhong to see with your own eyes the ancient stele "Li Ma Inscription" written by Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei, who is known as a man of both civil and military skills, cannot just write big characters and draw pictures of beauties. He must also be able to manage a land well when he is not fighting. After Liu Bei pacified Yizhou, he asked Zhang Fei to be the governor of Brazil and stationed in Langzhong. Zhang Fei's greatest contribution to Langzhong was to protect the environment and the people. Even Emperor Yongzheng said, "Zhang Fei of the Shu Han Dynasty guarded Langzhong with his chariots and cavalry generals, and he was able to protect Langzhong." But that was not all. Zhang Fei had relevant knowledge and skills in agriculture and handicrafts. As soon as he arrived in Langzhong, he began to guide the people to develop agriculture and handicrafts, and also taught the technology of planting mulberry and raising silkworms. Langzhong under the leadership of Zhang Fei showed unprecedented prosperity. Until his death, Zhang Fei was stationed in Langzhong for more than seven years. Seven years is not a long time in the history of a city, but Zhang Fei, who loved the people like a son and managed the county well, was loved and commemorated by Langzhong people from generation to generation. It has even become the spiritual symbol and patron saint of the city. The Zhang Fei in Langzhong’s memory is very different from the image we thought he had.

As a military general, if he cannot die, the most ideal destination is to die in battle. However, before Zhang Fei went out to send troops, he was secretly assassinated by people around him, and he died in a very aggrieved manner. It is said that the two men who killed Zhang Fei, Zhang Da and Fan Qiang, cut off Zhang Fei's head and took a boat to flee to Soochow to surrender. On the way, they heard that Sun Quan was suing Liu Bei for peace. The head was thrown into the Jialing River. Zhang Fei's head drifted with the river to Yunyang, Chongqing, where it was picked up by a fisherman and later buried in Fenghuang Mountain in Yunyang. This is the well-known legend that "Zhang Fei was buried with his head in Yunyang and his body in Langzhong".

It is a pity that a famous general of a generation died at the hands of assassination. It is even more regrettable that his head is in a different place after his death and his body is not recovered. Zhang Fei's hometown is 1,500 kilometers away in Zhuozhou, Hebei Province. Neither Yunyang nor Langzhong is where he returns to his roots. But after eighteen hundred years of changes in the world, I hope his soul has returned to his hometown.

The mighty statue of Zhang Fei in the Temple of Marquis Huan of the Han Dynasty

2. Prince Teng’s speech in the Pavilion of Prince Teng

The Pavilion of Prince Teng in Langzhong is located on Yutai Mountain to the north of the ancient city. The poet Du Fu He has visited Tengwang Pavilion many times, and left behind the poem "The King's Pavilion rests on Bashan Mountain, and the ten thousand-foot-long elixir ladder is still climbable". The weather was a little gloomy on the day we climbed to Tengwang Pavilion, and Tengwang Pavilion was much higher than it looked. When I see the three words "Tengwang Pavilion", I naturally think of Wang Bo's "Preface to Tengwang Pavilion", but Wang Bo describes Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang, Jiangxi, not Langzhong Tengwang Pavilion. So, how many Tengwang Pavilions did King Teng build?

Langzhong Tengwang Pavilion

In the early Tang Dynasty, there was a second generation emperor. His father was once the emperor, his brother was the emperor, and later his nephew He became emperor again, and his name was Li Yuanying.

Li Yuanying is different from his elder brother Li Shimin. He has never experienced the second-generation official period and was born a royal child. Because he was born 12 years after the founding of Li Tang Dynasty, 4 years after the Xuanwu Gate Incident, which was the fourth year of Zhenguan reign of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. As the emperor's younger brother, Li Yuanying would naturally be crowned king and given a fiefdom. In the thirteenth year of Zhenguan, he was granted the title of Tengzhou in Shandong Province, so he was called King Teng. Come to think of it, he was only nine years old at the time.

After some online encyclopedia research, it turns out that the title "King Teng" is not exclusive to Li Yuanying. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, today's Tengzhou area in Shandong Province was one of the vassal states, Teng State. Therefore, the title "King Teng" has been given since the Northern Zhou Dynasty. In history, there have been 16 "Kings of Teng" in various dynasties and generations, but Li Yuanying is undoubtedly the most famous one.

Why is Teng Wang Li Yuanying the most famous? Let’s start with one of his hobbies, which is “civil engineering”. Li Yuanying was originally granted the title of Tengzhou, Shandong Province. Later, he imposed excessive taxes and indulged in extravagance and debauchery in Tengzhou, which caused great public outrage. His nephew Tang Gaozong had to demote him to Suzhou and then to Hongzhou, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province. Later, when Tang Gaozong saw that he did not want to repent, he issued another warning and transferred him to Longzhou, which is Langzhong, Sichuan. Li Yuanying may have been an optimist at heart and had no consciousness of the emperor's nephew's warning. Instead, he built a Tengwang Pavilion in Tengzhou, Hongzhou and Longzhou, the three places where he had stayed. His Royal Highness Prince Teng's palace annex. It was Wang Bo's "Preface to the Pavilion of Prince Teng" that has been passed down through the ages, which made this second-generation emperor who made no contribution to the country or society leave his name in history. In fact, both Nanchang Tengwang Pavilion and Langzhong Tengwang Pavilion were built by Li Yuanying in memory of his hometown, Tengzhou. Unfortunately, Tengwang Pavilion in Tengzhou no longer exists.

The palace that King Teng mobilized to build for himself would certainly not be a random building or pavilion. He was a prince after all, so from site selection to construction, it was extremely laborious and costly. Tengwang Pavilion in Nanchang is located on the bank of Ganjiang River, high in the sky. Langzhong Tengwang Pavilion is built on the bank of Jialing River and on the mountainside of Yutai Mountain. It is large in scale. Li Yuanying grew up in the prosperous age of Zhenguan. He was not in time to open up territory and establish a country, and it was not his turn to govern the country. All of his royal education was reflected in art. It is said that Li Yuanying had high artistic accomplishment and was especially good at painting butterflies. His personal preferences and artistic aesthetics are also reflected in his Tengwang Pavilion. Surrounded by such beautiful scenery and beautiful pavilions every day, it is no wonder that King Teng lived in Langzhong for five years and did not miss Chang'an.

Tengwang Pavilion has now been restored and has become a tourist attraction, allowing tourists to linger in the embrace of its beautiful scenery. However, over the thousands of years, they have suffered more infamy, perhaps on behalf of their masters. How many people's blood and sweat were sacrificed for "The King's Pavilion rests on Bashan Mountain" to make the "Ten Thousand Zhang Dan Staircase Climbable"!

Langzhong Tengwang Pavilion

From the Tengwang Pavilion Observation Deck See the beautiful scenery of Jialing River

3. View Feng Shui in Feng Shui City

The most heard word in Langzhong is "Feng Shui". Langzhong is known as the first Feng Shui ancient city. It is surrounded by water on three sides and is in the "water hug" of the Jialing River. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides. The mountains are in the shape of the four elephants of South Suzaku, North Xuanwu, East Green Dragon and West White Tiger, guarding the residents. The center of the ancient city. The ancient city of Langzhong is centered on Zhongtian Tower, which is distributed in a chessboard pattern with nine horizontal and nine vertical directions. Zhongtian Tower is the highest point of the ancient city and is the acupoint of the "Longsha Water Cave Image". The ancient city is completely in accordance with the Feng Shui of the Tang Dynasty. built.

If you are interested in Feng Shui, you can visit the Feng Shui Museum in the ancient city and listen to the explanations.

Zhongtian Tower, the first floor of Lang Fengshui

Night view of Zhongtian Tower

The Tai Chi Bagua compass on the top of the first floor of Zhongtian Tower

Overlooking the ancient city of Langzhong from Huaguang Tower

Feng Shui Museum

The Bagua Pond in front of the Feng Shui Museum

When it comes to Feng Shui in the Tang Dynasty, we have to mention two Figures related to Feng Shui, Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng. These two people are both famous astronomers and calenders in history, and they are also Feng Shui masters.

Yuan Tiangang was from Sichuan. Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty recruited him to his side after hearing that he was a metaphysician who was good at fortune-telling and divination. Unexpectedly, more than a year later, in the eighth year of Zhenguan, Yuan Tiangang had a premonition that he would be in trouble if he continued to accompany the emperor, so he resigned and returned to his hometown to become a county magistrate. As a result, in the summer of the same year, as he calculated, he died in his hometown of Huojing County.

Li Chunfeng was not only an astronomer, but also a mathematician and meteorologist. He was the first person in the world to classify winds. Li Chunfeng stayed with Taizong for a much longer time. When Taizong was still the king of Qin, he assisted him by serving as a clerk and joining the army. In the first year of Zhenguan, he joined the Taishi Bureau and worked there for 40 years.

From this point of view, Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng did not have sex with Emperor Taizong for a long time, but they left behind an ancient book "Tui Bei Tu" that they jointly created. 》.

There is an interesting legend about the origin of the name "Tuibei Tu". It is said that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty asked Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng to predict the national destiny of the Tang Dynasty. Li Chunfeng used the Zhouyi Bagua to predict. Unexpectedly, he became addicted to the calculation and continued to predict more than 2000 years after the Tang Dynasty. Until Yuan Tiangang pushed him on the back and stopped him from saying, " The secret cannot be revealed again" is considered as giving up. Therefore, this strange prophetic book co-authored by the two people is called "Tuibei Tu".

The antique version of "Tui Bei Tu" bought for 20 yuan in the ancient city

In addition to "Tui Bei Tu", Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng have another connection point, which is the legend. After their death, they all chose to be buried in Langzhong. It was probably Yuan Tiangang who first discovered the geomantic treasure of Langzhong. He once observed the sky at night and discovered that there was a king's aura thousands of miles away in the southwest, which indicated that the country would change hands, so he reported it to Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. Taizong was shocked and ordered him to personally inspect the southwest. Yuan Tiangang searched all the way to Langzhong, Sichuan, and saw the Big and Small Panlong Mountains like two dragons coiling behind the city, so he ordered people to cut off the joint between the two mountains to break the dragon veins.

Today, Langzhong still has the remains of "Jiaoshan Pass". Although Langzhong has produced many talents since then, it has never produced an emperor. Perhaps it was from that time that Yuan Tiangang took a fancy to Langzhong's Feng Shui and decided to bury himself here. Thirty-five years later, Li Chunfeng also chose Langzhong as his residence. It is said that Yuan Tiangang was buried in Guanjiashan in the south, and Li Chunfeng was buried in Wulitai in the north. The two tombs faced each other from a distance, in the shape of two phoenixes facing the sun. In the middle is the Langzhong Tiangong Courtyard built in memory of them.

Langzhong Tiangongyuan (reprinted Internet picture)

4. Zhuangyuanfang Xiashizhuangyuan

The Confucian Temple, Gongyuan and Zhuangyuanfang are cultural symbols of the ancient city of Langzhong. The Confucian Temple is a Confucian institution of learning and a temple for the inheritance of Confucian culture. Gongyuan is the examination room for the imperial examination in Sichuan Province that remains from the Qing Dynasty. It is the most complete and largest imperial examination culture museum in the country. Zhuangyuanfang, located at the east gate of the ancient city, separates the ancient city and the new city. The names of the four number one scholars in Langzhong are engraved on the beams on both sides. They are Yin Shu, Yin Ji, Chen Yaosou and Chen Yaozi.

Zhuangyuanfang in the ancient city of Langzhong

The beautiful saying of "seven Jinshi from one school, father and son to three talents" is by no means rare in Chinese history. The four number one scholars in Langzhong are two pairs of biological brothers.

During the reign of Emperor Dezong of the Tang Dynasty, Du Huangshang, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, served as the examiner. After passing the three examinations of poetry, fu, and policy theory, Du Huangshang uniquely said to the more than 500 candidates present: "Everyone They are all well-educated and talented people, but there are only thirty places for Jinshi. It is really difficult to choose who should be selected. Who among you is willing to help me write a comment and evaluate the admission list?" All the officials looked at each other, no one dared. superior. At this time, an old man volunteered: "Yin Shu is not talented, so dare to give it a try." This Juzi named Yin Shu was already over seventy years old at the time. He read the articles of the Juzi and wrote comments while finishing one comment. He read it aloud to everyone, and everyone praised it for its fairness and accuracy, and they were all sincerely convinced. Yin Shu completed the task quickly, but when Du Huangshang saw that the list included the second and third overall picks, but lacked the top pick, he asked Yin Shu who could be the top pick.

Yin Shu said in surprise: "This number one scholar must be me!" Du Huangshang was shocked when he heard this, and looked over the other moves. Some people nodded, some remained calm, but no one objected. Du Huangshang was also convinced, so he asked Yin Shu to write his name on the column for number one scholar. This is the story of "Self-released Number One Scholar" recorded in "Tang Zheyan". Yin Shu became the first self-released Number One Scholar in the history of Chinese imperial examinations with the approval of the chief examiner, and he was also the oldest number one scholar. 22 years later, his younger brother Yin Ji also won the first prize. The two Yin brothers were honored as the "Wutong Shuangfeng".

In the Song Dynasty, Chen Yaosou and Chen Yaozuo, the Chen brothers in Langzhong, passed the Jinshi examination together, and the eldest brother Chen Yaosou became the top scholar in high school. Eleven years later, Chen Yaosou's other younger brother, Chen Yaozi, also won the top prize in high school. The Chen family produced two champions, one Jinshi, two prime ministers and one Jiedushi. It was another family of talented people.

According to records, from the beginning of the imperial examination system in the Sui Dynasty to the abolition of the imperial examination in the third year of Guangxu in the Qing Dynasty, during the intervening period of more than 1,300 years, there were millions of people who took the exams, but only 672 people were awarded the top prize in liberal arts. There are only 15 people in Sichuan Province, and Langzhong accounts for 4 people. There are 17 places in the country where brothers have produced number one scholars, but only one place in Langzhong has produced two pairs of brothers.

The fully preserved Gongyuan of the Qing Dynasty

The examination room for the imperial examination

The candidates had to eat, drink and sleep in this small grid, which was closed for several days and nights. It's like going to jail

It's a bit like the entertainment items at the Spring Festival temple fair. I wonder if the martial arts examination room is really like this

Respect the teacher and pay homage to Master Confucius first

5 , Generals in the General Square

The General Square, located near Tengwang Pavilion at the foot of Yutai Mountain at the north gate of Langzhong Ancient City, is lined with nine generals from the Qin and Han Dynasties to the late Qing Dynasty. The tallest sculpture in the center is Zhang Fei, the favorite of Langzhong people. The other eight are all well-known generals from Langzhong in the past dynasties.

The name of Chen Yaozi, who I just mentioned, is not only engraved on Zhuangyuan Square, but his statue also appears in Jiangjun Square. That is because he later transferred from a civil servant to a military official, and from Hanlin Bachelor to Youjian. Yi Dafu and direct bachelor of Longtuge were changed to Wu Xinjun Jiedu Envoy and Tianxiong Army Jiedushi Envoy. How can a champion become a general? "History of the Song Dynasty: Biography of Chen Yaozi" records: "Chen Kangsu Gong Yaozi was good at shooting, unparalleled in the world." He once defended the Song Dynasty against the invasion of Khitan and Xixia and guarded the border towns. It can be seen that his versatility in both civil and military affairs is indeed unparalleled in the world.

There is also Fan Mu, the leader of the Ba people in Langzhong, who conquered the Three Qin Dynasties in the north and became Liu Bang's help in unifying the world. During the Three Kingdoms period, Ma Zhong, an important minister of the Shu Han Dynasty, everyone familiar with the Three Kingdoms knows this name. Zhang Xian, Yue Fei's favorite general and son-in-law in the Southern Song Dynasty, fought against the Jin Dynasty with Yue Fei and his son, but was killed by Qin Hui together. Zhang Chaoliang, a descendant of Zhang Xian, made great achievements in fighting against the Junggar rebellion during the Yongzheng period. He was praised by Emperor Yongzheng as "the famous generals in ancient times are nothing more than this." and so on. Langzhong is a strategic and important military town in Bashu. These generals whose names are written here are all Langzhong people, and they were all battlefield heroes who protected their homes and country.

General statues in Jiangjun Square: Fan Mu, Ma Zhong

General statues in Jiangjun Square: Chen Yaozi, Zhang Xian, Zhang Chaoliang

General statues in Jiangjun Square: Meng Ying Rui, Ma_Zhao, Han E

6. The legend of the White Pagoda is complete

The Langzhong White Pagoda is located in Baita Mountain in the southern suburb of Langzhong. The White Tower is on the thirteenth floor. The access to the tower is extremely narrow, allowing only one person to go up and down. If someone comes down on the way to the tower, only one person can duck into the tower to avoid them. Climbing to the top floor, you can have a panoramic view of Langzhong. However, you have to get down quickly after taking a look, because there are already many people waiting in line behind.

Langzhong White Pagoda

It is said that Langzhong White Pagoda is a Feng Shui tower, guarding a piece of land. Langzhong was also the hardest-hit area in the May 12 earthquake in 2008. The wooden pillars of the Tianlou in the ancient city were twisted and cracked by the shock wave, and the white tower of the Ming Dynasty, which was more than 400 years old, was broken in the middle during the shaking. People in Langzhong firmly believe that it was the White Tower that sacrificed itself to protect the safety of the ancient city of Langzhong. The White Tower we see today is a restored product of post-disaster reconstruction.

About the White Tower, there is an interesting legend related to Lu Ban, the originator of craftsmen. It is said that Lu Ban was invited to Langzhong to build a Feng Shui pagoda. Lu Ban took his apprentice Zhao Qiao to the ancient city to choose a site for the pagoda, and promised to build the pagoda before the Double Ninth Festival. However, as time passed by and there was no movement at the tower construction site, Zhao Qiao began to worry that the master would not be able to fulfill his promise. One night, Zhao Qiao woke up from his dream and saw that his master was not there, so he looked around for him.

He found that Lu Ban was busy at the construction site of the tower, so he came closer and quietly watched. Suddenly, he was surprised to see a group of pigs that could not be seen, walking neatly towards the construction site under Lu Ban's order. As soon as the pigs arrived at the construction site, they instantly turned into pieces of pecked bluestone, and automatically built an octagonal Xumizuo tower. It turns out that Luban was using magic to build a tower. Zhao Qiao curiously followed the line of pigs and saw that they had crossed the river from the north bank of the land water dock in Hexiguan, 30 miles downstream from the ancient city. At this time, some pigs had just entered the water. He knew that the master had a rule of finishing work when the rooster crows, so he wanted to play a prank and make things difficult for the master. He used an evil trick to turn the pigs crossing the river back into stone in advance. At this time, the tower on the construction site was almost capped, but Lu Ban found that none of the remaining pigs had come. Seeing that it was about to dawn, the secret must not be leaked, what should I do? In desperation, Lu Ban quickly took the iron pot for cooking and slammed it on the top of the tower. The top of the tower had just been sealed, and the east side began to show off. Lu Ban looked at the gradually brightening sky and the finally completed white tower, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. It is said that the group of smooth black stones left in the river on the north bank of Hexiguan Ferry has since been called "Pig's Stone". When the water level is low, they will show their heads.

I have never seen the "Pig's Stone" in the river with my own eyes. Luban's magic to build the White Pagoda is just an absurd folk legend. But the charm of legend is that it leaves us with a space that cannot be verified, allowing us to fill it in as we please.

The whole view of Langzhong White Pagoda (reprinted from the Internet)

Walking through the criss-crossing streets and alleys of Langzhong Ancient City, facing several main streets of Zhongtian Tower, there are many shops and tourists. It is busy, lively and noisy, just like many ancient Chinese towns that are becoming more and more commercialized. But when I turned a corner and entered the residential area preserved in the ancient city, I suddenly entered a quiet place, surrounded by the atmosphere of life. I instantly felt that that is what the ancient city should be like, that is where the real story is.

The older the place, the more stories there are to tell. Bricks, tiles, plants and trees are no longer ordinary "objects", but have thousands of years of "soul" condensed on them. Stories that have been refined over time may not be the most true, but they must be the most flavorful. Just like a pot of old soup, simmered over a slow fire for a long time, a sip is evocative and leaves a fragrant aroma on your lips and teeth.

There are various inns in Langzhong Ancient City

One of the landmarks of the ancient city, the Li Family Courtyard has also become an inn

Zhongtian sells tofu noodles downstairs The little brother

The alleys in the residential area are simple and quiet

The side streets without shop fronts look neater and cleaner

The breath of life captured in the ancient city< /p>

Baoning vinegar, one of the three treasures of Langzhong

I don’t know if it is a vinegar-making equipment or a gimmick by the store to attract customers