Military Creation - The Epic of Defense Built with Stones
The sines and bones of Qingyan are a three-dimensional defense symphony about stones, city walls and terrain.
The Majestic City: Wisdom in the Age of Cold Weapons
The ancient city walls of the Ming and Qing Dynasties: The soul of the ancient town. The city wall follows the terrain of the mountain and is built with huge square stones, winding along the mountain ridge. Climbing the city wall (especially from Dingguang Gate to Beimen) is a must-experience activity. Underfoot are mottled and hard stone slabs. Looking around, within the city, blue-tiled stone houses stand in close rows, and outside the city, the fields are vast and open. In an instant, one can feel the military momentum of "One man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot break through". Photography Tip: Climbing up the city wall at dusk, the setting sun casts a golden glow on the dark blue stones, making it an excellent opportunity to capture the panoramic view of the ancient city and stunning light and shadow scenes.
The Four Gates of the ancient town: The ancient town originally had four city gates, namely the east Gate, the west Gate, the south Gate and the north Gate. Among the existing ones, the most magnificent one is the south gate "Dingguang Gate". The heavy city gate openings and towering city towers tell of the former grandeur. This place has served as the filming location for numerous historical-themed TV dramas and films, and it is also a popular landmark for tourists to take commemorative photos.
The Maze Lane: The Veins of Urban life
- Back Street: The most charming alley in Qingyan, without a doubt. This narrow and quiet alley has its road surface and walls all built with layers of rubble stones. After hundreds of years of rain erosion and shoe sole polishing, the stone slabs are as smooth as mirrors, with a bluish-black luster. The stone walls on both sides stand tall, with a ray of light above. The alley is winding and quiet, as if one could hear the echoes of history. The film "Searching for a Gun" was once shot here, which made it famous far and wide.
The crisscrossing streets and alleys: The main streets, represented by Ming and Qing Streets and Zhuangyuan Streets, are bustling and prosperous, while the over a hundred crisscrossing alleys, like capillaries, penetrate the texture of the ancient town. Just turn into an unnamed alley at random, and you might come across an ancient well, a broken stele or a quiet handicraft workshop. The joy of exploration is endless.
Humanistic Craftsmanship - A Faith Scroll of Diverse Coexistence
The temples and churches here are not merely buildings; they are also direct manifestations of the inclusive spirit of the ancient town.
- Harmonious coexistence of multiple religions: Within the core area of less than 3 square kilometers, there are the Buddhist "Longquan Temple", the Taoist "Wanshou Palace", the Catholic "Catholic Church" and the Christian "Gospel Church". This spectacle of the coexistence of the four religions is extremely rare among ancient towns across the country. They live close to each other, with the interweaving of incense and bell sounds, vividly interpreting the collision and integration of cultures in the history of Qingyan.
- Residences of famous people and historical Sites:
- Zhao Zhuangyuan Mansion: The former residence of Zhao Yijiong, the top scholar of Qingyan in the late Qing Dynasty. Zhao Yijiong was the first literary top scorer in the history of Guizhou Province. His former residence is a typical quadrangle courtyard of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with exquisite and elegant architecture. It displays his life story and adds a literary atmosphere of a "scholarly family" to the ancient town.
The place where Zhou Enlai's father once lived: During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Zhou Enlai's father briefly resided here. This simple residence adds a touch of red memory to the ancient town.
- Intangible Cultural Heritage Workshops and time-honored brands: In the streets and alleys, one can see everywhere the century-old handicraft workshops that have been passed down: the rose sugar workshop exudes a sweet fragrance, the traditional method of brewing sauce-flavored liquor is filled with the aroma of liquor, and there are also stores selling handicrafts such as silverware and wood carvings. These are not merely commodities; they are living cultural memories.
Photography Secrets:
The Dingguang Gate Tower is a classic vantage point for capturing the iconic panoramic view of the ancient town.
The back street is a sacred place for shooting humanistic, portrait and artistic conception films. Narrow alleys, light and shadow, and stone-paved roads are all very likely to produce good photos.
At the winding section of the ancient city wall, one can capture the magnificent scene where the city wall combines with the ancient town's architectural complex.
In the early morning or after the rain, the stone-paved roads reflect the light of the sky and are shrouded in mist, making it the golden time to capture the serene beauty of the ancient town.
