Huizhou Ancient City, rated by 'National Geographic' as the most beautiful ancient city in China—I regret going there too late

Huizhou Ancient City is one of the four great ancient cities in China, preserving a large number of residential houses, ancestral halls, and archways from the Ming and Qing dynasties. Apart from the Huizhou Prefecture Yamen which charges an admission fee, the rest of the city can be visited for free. Located in Huicheng Town, She County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, it was historically known as Xin'an County and was established during the Qin dynasty. Since the Tang dynasty, it has been the administrative center of Huizhou. Huizhou Ancient City is one of the four well-preserved ancient cities in China and was listed as a National Historic and Cultural City by the State Council in 1986. Must-see attractions: Xu Guo Stone Archway: The only existing octagonal archway in China, with a four-pillar three-story soaring structure, it represents the pinnacle of archway construction skills. It has been standing since the Ming dynasty's Wanli era and is known as the 'Eastern Arc de Triomphe'. The wealthy Huizhou merchants, with their attachment to their homeland, built archways not only to 'glorify their ancestors' but also to 'instruct future generations'. Doushan Street: The Wang family residence, the Wang family former residence, the thousand-year-old 'toad' well... Some are not open to the public, but the archways are the most worth seeing. Every chastity archway tells the tragic story of a woman. The wooden 'Ye Family Chastity Archway' also has a story about Zhu Yuanzhang taking refuge. Zhongshan Lane: The place where Ye Ting was imprisoned during the Southern Anhui Incident. Ascend the steps to the Wu Family World Scholars Archway, symbolizing rising step by step. At the top is the Changqing Mountain Middle School. (Enter on the left side facing the bell tower) Nanqiao Tower (museum entrance): A rare square gate tower from the Song dynasty, reinforced with the 'bar-grating method'. The central gate hides two of its bars, showing only twenty-four. Anhui Huizhou Historical Museum: Five sections provide a better understanding of Huizhou's history, including the southward migration of the Central Plains gentry and the introduction of river channels. Dongqiao Tower (main street entrance), Corner Bell Tower, Huang Binhong Memorial Hall, Tao Xingzhi Memorial Hall, No.1 Grand Auditorium on West Street (Exhibition hall open from 08:30 to 17:00) Food: For lunch, go to the alley on the right side of the octagonal archway; further down the main street, enter the alley where the Mixue Bingcheng is located, where you can also find specialties like hairy tofu, bamboo shoot and pork strip noodles, and stinky mandarin fish. Accommodation: Available both inside and outside the ancient city, not very expensive. Transportation: Public buses, coaches, and self-driving are all available in Yi County and She County. Many natives live here, and this street is where they go about their daily lives. So you will see bicycles parked next to century-old attractions, families pushing strollers passing under the archways, and in the evening, there is square dancing in front of the yamen. ✨Things to avoid: Tangyue Archway Group, with three archways built during the Ming dynasty and four during the Qing dynasty, representing loyalty, filial piety, chastity, and righteousness. The ticket price of over 100 is not worth it; students, seniors, and others with free admission policies can consider visiting.