Travel prose about the ancient city: Fenghuang Ancient City

Fenghuang, this small town in western Hunan full of humanistic charm, has long been famous in China for Mr. Shen’s works, and I have been fascinated by her for a long time. Our group arrived at Fenghuang Ancient City at midnight. After a quick dinner, we immediately entered the streets of the ancient city.

At midnight, the ancient city looks like a sleeping beauty, with neon lights twinkling under the quiet night. Walking along the Tuojiang River, the sound of karaoke and rhythmic tambourine sounds can be heard from time to time in the bars on both sides of the river. The few tourists coming and going suddenly felt the graceful and ethereal singing. Along the Tuojiang River, seven or eight of us walked through the ancient city. On the riverside plank road, we listened to the slow flow of the Tuojiang River at close range.

Staying in the ancient city in the middle of the night, due to the fatigue of the journey and looking forward to the scenery of the ancient city during the day, I fell asleep soundly. When I woke up, the rain could be heard outside the window, and I turned on the live TV news. It rained heavily in the ancient city last night, and the river surged. The plan to take a boat trip to the ancient city was shelved. For safety reasons, the boat was anchored in the ancient city on that day and we started walking to the ancient city in the rain. The small ancient city is a gathering of humanities: the former residence of Xiong Xiling, the former residence of Shen Congwen, the former residence of Huang Yongyu... there are too many to mention. From ancient times to the present, the ancient city has been a place where dignitaries gather, with outstanding people. I feel that the ancient city is like a museum of modern Chinese history.

The rain in the ancient city did not stop the tourists. On the rainy day, the ancient city was crowded with tourists. Walking along the bluestone road of the ancient city, you can see the scattered high and low stilted buildings built on both sides of the Tuojiang River according to the mountains along the river. The stilted buildings built near the water and the wind and rain bridges built along the river are probably suitable for people from rainy areas in the south. Flower sellers wearing raincoats and hats walked along the street, carrying flower baskets and selling garlands. We took the opportunity to buy one and put it on our heads. The Phoenix City of Misty Rain probably comes from this. The narrow mountain roads, how many local people in western Hunan have passed by, how much time has passed through the winding Tuojiang River, how many years of baptism, how many tourists have enjoyed it. The people standing on the bridge become the scenery for the people on the plank road under the bridge. The people on the plank road under the bridge are not the scenery in the eyes of the people standing on the bridge! The scenery has a graceful air because of the people, and the people have a light and graceful charm because of the scenery. I feel that there is a sense of stagnation in the ancient city of Fenghuang, as if I should go back to the past, swim slowly, and walk slowly.

I wish I could wait until the rain comes and the weather clears, and take a boat to roam the ancient city, because of collective action and because the return ticket has been booked. I can only leave Fenghuang Ancient City and Xiangxi with regret. Just as we were about to arrive in Changsha, the headline news on the second day was that Fenghuang Ancient City stopped accepting tourists due to heavy rains, the rivers swelled, and the Fengyu Bridge was flooded. Fortunes and misfortunes are hard to predict, so be grateful when you meet them, cherish the moment, and face them with a smile. I will definitely visit my old place again if I have the opportunity, and slowly take a closer look at the beauty in my heart? Fenghuang Ancient City.

Author: Liu Lianhong

Public account: Hongluoshan Academy