<The Malingshan Ancient Trail: A Corridor of Exquisite Scenery Shaped by the Passage of Time>

The Malingshan Ancient Trail is an ancient path established during the Yuan Dynasty, located at the junction of Pujiang, Jiande, and Tonglu in Zhejiang Province. It starts from Malingshan Village in Yuzhai Township, Pujiang County, and extends to Lücibu in Tonglu, featuring peculiar peaks, strange rocks, and ancient towering trees. The trail is about 1.2 meters wide and has been repeatedly recognized as one of the 'Top Ten Classic Ancient Trails in Zhejiang' and 'The Most Beautiful Forest Ancient Trail in Zhejiang Province'. The Malingshan Ancient Trail was the main route for ancient officials to transmit documents, transport materials, and for merchants and villagers to travel between the six counties of Pujiang, Yiwu, Dongyang, Lanxi, Jiande, and Tonglu. The trail was built using locally sourced river pebbles, with half of the route constructed along the foothills. The area is rich in gorges and streams, hence the abundance of bridges. The ancient bridges on the trail are of significant importance for studying the types and evolution of ancient bridges. The terrain of Malingshan is treacherous, and it has been a strategically contested location in central Zhejiang since ancient times. There are still checkpoints on the trail, also known as 'General's Caves', which are remnants of former sentry posts. At the end of the Northern Song Dynasty, the peasant uprising leader Fang La used this ancient trail to attack Jinhua. In the 1970s, the construction of a road cutting across the mountains divided the ancient trail into several sections. After the opening of a tunnel in 2008, the trail was finally abandoned. However, with the development of the Malingshan Ancient Village and the rise of outdoor activities, the trail has been revitalized and now attracts numerous outdoor enthusiasts to explore.