Always enchanting, no matter the season

With its many scenic sights, historical attractions and vibrant culture, Fenghuang has become a must-see destination in China.

Fenghuang Ancient Town in the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Central China's Hunan province, is renowned for its beautiful scenery, rich cultural heritage and diverse ethnic customs.

The town, which is mainly inhabited by ethnic groups such as the Miao and Tujia people who account for more than 73 percent of its total population, is designated as a national historical area.

Shen Congwen (1903-88), one of the most influential modern Chinese writers, who was born in Xiangxi, once said that the place is fascinating and enchanting in any season.

Since the beginning of summer, Fenghuang Ancient Town has received an average of more than 30,000 visitors per day.

Fenghuang boasts a long history and numerous cultural relics. It is home to two city gates and walls built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), as well as five frontier passes of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911).

In addition, there are 88 ancient buildings, such as ancestral halls, temples, shops and guild halls, more than 120 ancient dwellings and the ruins of government offices, as well as the residences of many famous figures.

Fenghuang Ancient Town maintains intact the pattern of urban construction it had in the Ming and Qing dynasties and the historical appearance it had then.

The buildings on the more than 30 ancient streets and alleys, are integrated with the surrounding natural environment, presenting a harmonious scene of mountains, water and people.

Walking in the alleys, with green bricks and tiles, the mottled city walls are grayish-blue, as if stepping into the palace of the chieftain 100 years ago.

On the Tuojiang River outside Fenghuang, there are 17 bridges of various sizes, forming a natural gallery from the upstream Fenghuang Bridge to the downstream Yunqiao Bridge.

The most striking feature on both sides of the Tuojiang River are the rows of well-arranged hanging buildings. These are wooden structures hanging over the river, which face the water and the street at the same time.

In the past, they were the residences of lower-class artisans and small vendors. These hanging buildings are unique to Fenghuang.

With the rise of tourism, most of these hanging buildings have been transformed into hotels. Visitors can enjoy a drink by a window or sit by the riverside railing, enjoy the beautiful view of green mountains and blue water and watch the boats coming and going. Sometimes, the clear wind brings songs sung by the fishermen and women, which are both lively and distant, evoking a sense of timelessness.

When visitors come to Fenghuang, they can explore the deep alleys, visit the old brick mansions and experience the history of this 1,000-year-old ancient town.

They can also take a small boat and cruise on the misty Tuojiang River, viewing the hanging buildings on both sides and the vibrant night scene and enjoy art performances.

Due to the integration of Chu culture and the local indigenous culture over the centuries, Fenghuang has its own unique customs. Visitors can experience the singing, drinking and bamboo weaving of Miao families, participate in local festivals, watch local operas and feel the unique ethnic customs.

Every year, during the traditional ethnic festivals, there are wonderful performances such as suona blowing, Miao drumming, Miao singing, ladder climbing, plow stepping and costume exhibitions.

Nowadays, Fenghuang has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in China. During this year's Spring Festival, Fenghuang ranked second among the top 10 popular scenic spots in the country. Especially with the improvement of its transportation infrastructure, the popularity of Fenghuang has continued to rise.

In July last year, a 9.1-kilometer maglev line, which has a designed maximum speed of 100 kilometers per hour, began operations.

It connects the high-speed railway station with the ancient town and nearby scenic areas, making four stops. Fenghuang is the only county-level area and tourist attraction in the country with a maglev tourism track. On Aug 18, the Xiangxi Biancheng Airport began operations.

Since 2001, Fenghuang has embarked on a path of economic development with its unique characteristics and implemented various tourism-empowered plans focusing on such sectors as agriculture, industry, urban areas and poverty alleviation.

Over the past 20 years, the number of tourists has increased from 576,000 in 2001 to 20.11 million in 2019, a nearly 35 times increase.

The county has been ranked among the top 100 national tourism counties for five consecutive years. From January to June, Fenghuang county received a total of 12.45 million tourists, achieving tourism revenue of 11.93 billion yuan ($1.63 billion), an increase of 22.7 percent and 23.7 percent respectively.

Since the beginning of this year, Fenghuang county has introduced a series of supporting policies to promote the recovery of the tourism industry.

It has expanded the market for tourism sources, promoted the cultural tourism industry, created distinguished tourism products, and conducted tourism promotion and marketing, and festival and conference activities.