Huizhou Ancient City, situated on the north bank of the Lianjiang River in She County, was originally constructed during the Qin Dynasty and later became the seat of the ancient Huizhou Prefecture after the Tang Dynasty. The city’s charm is encapsulated in Tang Xianzu’s line, “A lifetime of infatuation with dreams, no dreams lead to Huizhou,” which has captivated many souls. The city gates, memorial archways, and unique government offices allow visitors to experience the legacy of the ancient Huizhou Prefecture.
Access to the ancient city is available through multiple routes, with the choice of path being of little consequence. The city is compact, allowing one to visit all the main attractions by walking around. Ticket offices can be found near the Renhe Tower in the north and at the Duojing Garden Service Center outside the city wall in the south.
Among the city gates, the Nanqiao Tower stands out, featuring 13 pairs of columns that form the gate frame, arranged inside to support the city tower. This ‘barrier column’ structure is believed to be an authentic city gate from the Northern Song Dynasty. Upon entering the Dongqiao Tower (Yanghe Gate), one encounters the Xu Guo Memorial Archway, which is considered the essence of the entire ancient city. Built in the twelfth year of the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty (1584 AD), the archway boasts eight columns with a cross-section shaped like a ‘mouth’ character, creating a three-dimensional structure visible from both the outside and inside.The Xu Guo Memorial Archway is a unique ancient structure that stands as a testament to the noble status of Xu Guo, a senior official from the three dynasties. It features twelve stone lions at its base and exquisite upper stone carvings. This archway serves as a central point from which many of the city’s attractions can be explored.
To the west of the archway, you can visit the Huizhou Prefecture Office, a modern reconstruction that emulates the appearance of a Ming Dynasty government office. Moving eastward, you’ll find the memorial hall of Tao Xingzhi, a native son of She County. North of the archway, the Hui Garden awaits, filled with ancient-style buildings that provide a glimpse into the past.
In the northeastern part of the ancient city, Doushang Street is a treasure trove of Huizhou-style ancient dwellings, memorial archways, and wells. The experience of walking on the ancient streets, paved with bluestone slabs and pebbles, is quite evocative of times gone by.
Exiting the ancient city through Wengcheng and crossing the ‘Taiping Bridge,’ a stone bridge constructed during the Hongzhi era of the Ming Dynasty, leads you to the south bank of the Lianjiang River. Here, you’ll find the Taibai Tower, built in memory of the poet Li Bai, and the Xin’an Stele Garden, which houses the Ming Dynasty’s ‘Yuqingzhai Tie’ and ‘Qingjian Tang Tie,’ making it a must-visit for calligraphy enthusiasts.
Traveling further east along the Lianjiang River, the Changqing Temple Pagoda, erected in the second year of the Xuanhe era of the Northern Song Dynasty (1119 AD), may be a lesser-known destination but offers a delightful surprise to those who take the time to visit.Each layer of the external tower body has colorful murals that have become blurred over time and are not visible from a distance. The last attraction, Yuliang, is located 2 kilometers east of the ancient city, with the entrance on the north bank of the Lianjiang River. After visiting the Changqing Temple Pagoda, one must cross the Taiping Bridge again to return to the north bank. If one approaches from the south bank, they must walk over the Yuliang Dam and around to the Ziyang Bridge to cross the river. The highlight of Yuliang is the Ming Dynasty Yuliang Dam on the Lianjiang River. Whether one can walk on the dam depends on the water level of the Lianjiang River; if the water is high and submerges the ancient dam, it is not possible to walk on it. When strolling along the dam, take note of the ‘ingots lock’, the small stones embedded horizontally between the long slabs, which serve to stabilize the dam; also, the water gate in the center of the dam is used for drainage. If you wish to take a boat ride on the Lianjiang River with the locals, the price can be negotiated. On the north bank, the old street of Yuliang still has residents living in it, who continue to air their bedding in front of ancient buildings as if time has stood still here. At night, the ancient city is illuminated, offering a view of the night scenery. Accommodation can be found at the Huangshan She County September Huizhou Inn next to the Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall within the ancient city, with more options outside the city walls.Restaurants are concentrated outside the Hui Garden. Local specialties such as Huizhou Yipin Pot (a large pot layered with chicken, duck, meat, and oil tofu, garnished with egg dumplings) are very appetizing. Other dishes worth trying include Mao tofu and stinky mandarin fish. If you come across vendors selling Mei Cai Baked Scones, you can buy some to enjoy while strolling as they are very fragrant.
The entire text is open all year round from 08:00 to 17:00. During New Year’s Day, Spring Festival, Qingming Festival, Labor Day, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and National Day, it is open from 07:30 to 17:00. Service facilities include a parking lot: [Huizhou Ancient City Parking Lot]. For vehicles with less than 7 seats, the first half hour is free. 10 yuan per vehicle per time. Every 4 hours (including 4 hours) counts as one time. An additional 1 yuan is charged for every hour over 4 hours. Any fraction of an hour is rounded up to a full hour. The daily charge per vehicle does not exceed 25 yuan.
Address: Hui Town, She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province. Parking Spaces: 100.
