Luodai Ancient Town, Chengdu

Luodai Ancient Town is located at No. 999, Sanejie Street, Luodai Town, Longquanyi District, Chengdu. It is a national AAAA-level tourist attraction and a famous historical and cultural town in China. Here is a detailed introduction: History and Culture - Origin of the name: One theory suggests that it is named after the jade belt of Liu Shan, the last emperor of the Shu Han Kingdom, which fell into the Bajiao Well near the town. Another theory posits that the town is surrounded by the "Luoshui" River, shaped like a jade belt, hence the name "Luodai." A third theory proposes that the old street of the town, winding for one kilometer, resembles a jade belt floating down from the sky, hence the name "Luodai," later changed to "Luodai." - Cultural heritage: Built during the Three Kingdoms period (Shu Han), the ancient town has a rich history. It is one of the most well-preserved Hakka ancient towns in the suburbs of Chengdu. Over 90% of the town's residents are Hakka people, who still speak the Hakka dialect and follow Hakka customs. It is known as the "No. 1 Hakka Town in Western China." Architectural Style - Overall layout: The ancient town mainly features Ming and Qing Dynasty architectural styles, with well-preserved ancient streets and Hakka dwellings. The old street follows a "one street, seven alleys" layout, offering a variety of spatial changes, with shops lining both sides of the street. The "one street" consists of an upper street and a lower street, about 8 meters wide and 1,200 meters long, sloping from east to west, paved with stone slabs. - Guildhall architecture: The Luodai Guildhalls are national key cultural relics protection units, including the Guangdong Guildhall, Jiangxi Guildhall, Huguang Guildhall, and Chuanbei Guildhall. Each guildhall has a unique architectural style, with carved wooden arches depicting theatrical scenes, painted lintels, and carved beams, ceilings, and ridges adorned with dragons, phoenixes, flowers, birds, and theatrical figures. Main Attractions - Blog Town: A "town within a town," Blog Town integrates museum clusters, cultural and commercial streets, art studios, corporate guildhalls, and a five-star hotel. The landmark Blog Building is the only large-scale Hakka Tulou in Southwest China, housing the Hakka Culture Museum and the Buddhist Museum. - China Art Center: Located in the core area of Luodai Ancient Town, covering an area of 200 mu (approx. 33 acres) with a construction area of nearly 200,000 square meters, it integrates original art creation, exhibitions, auctions, transactions, business incubation, international performing arts, derivative product development and sales, glass and ceramic art research and development, handicraft experiences, art hotels, and culinary culture. - Luoshui Wetland Park: Adjacent to Luodai Ancient Town, with a planned area of about 2,360 mu (approx. 390 acres) and 258 mu (approx. 42 acres) already completed, it includes a lawn sports area, water areas, and green areas. Greenways, boardwalks, and small bridges connect three islands of varying sizes. The park features various tree species, aquatic and wetland plants, and flowers. Folk Culture and Cuisine - Folk activities: Luodai boasts 11 intangible cultural heritage items, including Hakka dragon dance, Hakka wedding customs, Hakka Water Dragon Festival, and Luodai Hakka folk songs. The Hakka Water Dragon Festival is a unique cultural custom in Luodai, evolving from a rain prayer ritual involving dancing with a water dragon. - Local delicacies: Luodai offers unique Hakka cuisine, such as Sad Jelly Noodles, Maohua (fried dough twists), Swan Eggs, Lei Cha (pounded tea), and Smoked Oil-Scalded Goose.