Spring Outing in Jianghuai: Witness the Ancient City of Shouxian Protected by Its City Walls

🛣️ On the southern bank of the Huai River, standing against the Ba Gong Mountain, there is a chessboard-like Song dynasty city, which is the ancient city of Shouxian. Unlike other ancient cities that have undergone major reconstructions, this one seems to have grown freely with time. In the ancient city, you can drive cars and find continuously renovated buildings without demolishing and rebuilding the entire city. What's more, scattered throughout the city are century-old ancient buildings and the ubiquitous sense of daily life. Of course, the most worthy of attention is the ancient city wall of Shouxian, which has a history of over 900 years. 🧱 About the Ancient City Wall: 1️⃣ Shouxian was once the capital of the Chu state in the late period, Shouchun, located on Ba Gong Mountain. The famous historical battle of the Battle of Fei, known for its victory with fewer troops over many, took place here. 2️⃣ The existing ancient city wall was built during the Ming dynasty, with a complete military defense system. It has a circumference of 7 kilometers and is one of the well-preserved Song dynasty city walls in China. Today's Shouxian city wall is like an open city wall park, with good cultural heritage protection. Shouxian is also among the first batch of national historical and cultural cities. 👉 Must Experience: 1️⃣ Check in from multiple angles at the four city gates. The ancient city wall has four gates: the east gate is Binyang, the south gate is Tongbi (also the most frequently visited gate), the west gate is Dinghu, and the north gate is Jinghuai. Each gate has its protective urn city and towering gate towers, and the city walls stretch on, making this ancient city a heavy historical tome. 2️⃣ Seek out the scattered ancient buildings in the city. As you walk, you will unexpectedly encounter Anhui's largest existing Confucian temple, the largest mosque in East China during the Ming and Qing dynasties, the thousand-year-old Bao'en Temple, and the rebuilt gate of the Shouchun Town General Military Office, among other ancient buildings. ↪️ Recommended Route: 1️⃣ It is recommended to first climb the south gate (Tongbi Gate), which is also the main thoroughfare within the city area, where you can overlook the scenery inside and outside the city from atop the gate; 2️⃣ Then, walk along the city wall or ride a bike along the inner ring road to visit Binyang Gate; 3️⃣ Continue forward to reach the north gate, Jinghuai Gate. Not far from the north side of Shouxian ancient city is the Huai River, hence the name Jinghuai. Climbing the north gate, you can take in the beautiful scenery of Ba Gong Mountain. The final stop is the west gate, Dinghu Gate. The overall tour takes about 2 hours. 🎟 Ticket: Free admission. There are almost no charges for the internal attractions. 📍 Address: Inner Ring Road, Shouxian, Huainan City. There is a dedicated parking lot on the city square outside the south gate, with free parking, which is sure to win visitors' favor.