Starting from Pu 'er on South Yunnan Province, we transfer to Dali, then north to Lijiang and Shangri-La, and pass through the Tibet Corridor from Diqing and Deqin to Tibet, reaching Tibetan areas directly. This is probably the trade channel route of Yunnan's "Ancient Tea Horse Road" and the Dian-Tibet Road.

On this trade channel, there are ancient city market towns of large and small, and rows of ancient tea-horse towns. Some are famous at home and abroad and have been labeled as popular tourist destinations, attracting tourists to gather and visit; some are still hidden in the public. Beyond the recognition, they are passed down by word of mouth only through a few travelers who dare to pursue and capture fragments of old time.

Shaxi Ancient Town in Jianchuan is the slightly mysterious market town that travelers call it.

On the thousand-year-old post road that the tea-horse exchange has traveled, it is a prosperous town carrying goods and hordes. In the hoarse and bustling sound of horse bells, it is a prosperous town with half-inch hoofs. With the changes in trade exchanges, after the disappearance of the horse gangs, the "remoteness" here will relatively completely preserve the legacy of the ancient town that has been baptized and accumulated by tea-horse culture.

What attractions can I check in to play in Shaxi Ancient Town? Please follow the guide and don't miss it.

1. Ancient stage

Architecture is the most direct symbol of whether an ancient town has been preserved and inherited for hundreds of years. When you come to Shaxi, the most eye-catching thing is the ancient stage located on the west of Sifang Street. This is the most representative landmark among the ancient buildings.

The wooden components of the ancient stage fully demonstrate the superb skills of Jianchuan carpenters. Dougong is carved, layered, and gorgeous and complex. No matter what angle you view it from, you can feel the beauty of the geometric space of the architectural community.

The ancient stage is a platform for the vigorous bloom of Shaxi local culture. During festivals, Bai people dressed in costumes will play dragon heads and three strings and sing and dance here.

In the heyday of the tea-horse exchange market, it was a place where horse gangs from south to north traded with merchants. Here, goods that need to be transported are loaded on horseback here, while goods that are transported here from afar are unloaded and waiting for the quotation from merchants.

2. Xingjiao Temple

On the west of Sifang Street is the ancient stage, and on the east is Xingjiao Temple. According to records, in the 13th year of Yongle of the Ming Dynasty, the temple was expanded and named Xingjiao Temple. It has a history of more than 600 years.

After the formation of the ancient tea-horse road market centered on Xingjiao Temple, Sifang Street in the ancient town became known as Sideng Street.

It is no accident that the ancient stage and Xingjiao Temple in Shaxi Ancient Town appear in both the west and east directions in the core area of the ancient town, echoing each other from afar. They are the "refuge" for the soul and spirit of the horse gangs and businessmen who travel through mountains and canyons, trek through rapids and dangerous shoals, and struggle in virgin forests on the ancient tea-horse road.

Sit down under the ancient locust tree on Sifang Street, drink a cup of Shaxi craft wine or sip a pint of fragrant tea. Perhaps you can imagine that there was once an endless stream of horse gangs shuttling past. On the stage, the ancient music of the Dongjing and the Bawang Whip Dance took turns. The incense smoke of Xingjiao Temple cannot hide, and the scene of its prosperity lingered around.

3. Ouyang Courtyard

The Ouyang family was once a prominent family on Sideng Street. According to the family tree, their ancestors moved from Luling, Jiangxi Province during the Ming Dynasty. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Ouyang Jing, who was born in Maguotou, became the richest man in Shaxiba, so he built this most magnificent Ouyang Courtyard.

Ouyang Courtyard is slightly unique in the residential courtyards of Shaxi Ancient Town. It transcends the single traditional Bai ethnic architectural form of three squares and one curtain wall. On the basis of following tradition, it cleverly brings the dual functions of residential houses and horse shops to the extreme.

The gate of Ouyang Courtyard is carved with the unique red sand stone of Shaxi. The gate pier and facade are carefully carved and full of changes everywhere, showing the atmosphere while being stable.

The compound cleverly combines the dual functions of residential houses and horse shops, creating the legend of a "five-star luxury horse shop" on the ancient tea-horse road. If you had come 100 years earlier, you might have personally felt the five-star treatment of this horse shop.

4. Ancient Town Zhaimen

There are three Zhaimen in Shaxi Ancient Town, east, south and north, which respectively guard the main roads entering the ancient town. Unlike other ancient towns, Zhaimen has a strong local original ecological meaning.

The Dongzhai Gate, a rammed earth building, retains traditional local architectural techniques. The adobe wall door, which only allows two horses to pass through at the same time, is also called the "Street Gate" by the villagers.

Nanzhai Gate is the most accessible entrance to Sifang Street from the outside world. Nanzhai Gate connects Nanguzong Lane, which is the place with the most old houses in the ancient town. Every evening, when the sun shines in the west, a homesickness of "ancient roads, west winds, thin horses" will arise spontaneously in your heart.

5. Street Alley

From Dongzhai Gate, you stroll through the bluestone road. On both sides of the long and narrow alley are old shops standing quietly. There are two "streets and alleys" like this, which connect the north and south Zhaimen respectively.

In Nanguzong Lane, such mottled old walls seem to have been baptized by a century of time.

Allowing an alley to stroll into the residential buildings, the years of history in the ancient town will leave a layered mark on the residential buildings.

6. Black River

It originates from the mountainous areas in the west of Lijiang, flows through the southeast of Jianchuan County in the west, and is called the Heiyan River after passing through Jianhu Lake.

The Heiyan River, which flows from north to south, is adjacent to Shaxi Ancient Town, an important town that rose through the tea-horse exchange market. The horse-caravan trade brought the former prosperity of this ancient market and has been integrated into this never-ending river and flows deep into history.

Whether it is the bustling caravan business travelers at that time, or the tourists who come to find the beauty of the quiet town today, the breeze and mist on the Heiyan River are an unexpected gift from nature to travelers for those who visit this town. gift.

In the early morning, the mist rising from the river surface disturbs the rising mist around, covering the surrounding farmland, cottages and distant mountains. The ancient trade town located in the plateau and mountainous areas exudes the flavor of life like a water town in the south of the Yangtze River. Only then will you sigh with emotion about how prescient the Ouyang family's decision to settle here hundreds of years ago.

7. Yujin Bridge

The Heiyan River and Yujin Bridge are actually inseparable in Shaxi. The mist dissipated and the ancient bridge was visible. This is a wonderful sight of the ancient town.

The history of this arched stone bridge dates back to the Kangxi period. It is said that this was an important passage for horsemen to enter Shaxi Ancient Town from Dali.

After hundreds of years of training and passing through the stormy war years, the sound of the waves of the Heiyan River is still the same, and the arched Yujin Stone Bridge is still silent.

Strolling along the Yujin Bridge and riding horses along the Heihe River are the best choice to visit scenic spots outside the ancient town.

As a traveler, whether you drive there by car or arrive by public transportation, the journey in Shaxi Ancient Town is "difficult", which is not only reflected in the road conditions in the real world, but also reflected in the reason why it has become the "only surviving ancient tea-horse ancient road." Among the reasons for the market.

It is too remote. Due to the decline of trade between the caravan and the trade, it has been forgotten. It has preserved as much as possible the historical traditions that have not been invaded by modernization and has become a secret ancient town; it is too prosperous because "the only surviving ancient market" The concept of "ancient market" has brought heat and attraction to the ancient town in the spread of tourism culture, and has made it open to welcome travelers who want to come here to pursue the beauty of ancient style, ecology and tranquility.

I hope that travelers can evoke the unique feeling that this ancient market brings you during their journey to find the prosperous Shaxi of the past.