[2024 Shizhu County Attraction] Travel Guide for Xituo Old Town (Updated Sep)
Ancient Towns
Address:
Xituozhen, Shizhu, Chongqing, China
Recommended sightseeing time:
2-3 hours
Xituo Ancient Town | A Quiet Corner in Time
| A Quiet Corner in Time.🏮 Xituo Ancient Town, like a pearl lost in the river of time, exudes a unique charm.
Stepping into the ancient town, the winding bluestone road connects one quaint house after another.🏠 The years have left mottled marks on these buildings, yet they have also endowed them with an irreplicable charm.
The ancient town is built along the mountain, with tiered stilted buildings arranged in an orderly manner. Standing at a high point and looking out, the spectacular view is breathtaking.💖
Strolling through the alleys of the ancient town, the local residents you encounter always have a friendly smile, warming your heart.👨👩👧👦
The food here is also exceptional!🍜 Especially the traditional handmade sour and spicy noodles, with smooth and chewy noodles paired with special sour and spicy seasoning, each bite is intoxicating.
In the evening, the afterglow of the sunset spills over the rooftops and streets of the ancient town, dyeing the entire town golden, a sight to behold.🌇
Xituo Ancient Town, without the hustle and bustle of the city, only that tranquility and simplicity, makes people linger and forget to return.💗
OasisOfSerenity
Xituo Ancient Town ~ Away from the hustle and bustle of the city
Why not indulge in a long journey,
Stroll to those ancient towns that preserve historical marks,
Let your soul immerse in the tranquility of ancient alleys,
And feel the stories told by the stone pavements.
In Xituo Ancient Town, time seems to slow down its pace,
Leisurely shuttling between history and modernity,
Savoring the sediment of years, enjoying a moment of peace and profundity.
The charm of water in Xituo, the call of the salt transport ancient town
Xituo Ancient Town, originally named Xijietuo, is located in Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing City. It is one of the first batch of "Chinese Historical and Cultural Towns".
This place was once the starting point of the ancient Bay Salt Road and a famous salt transport hub and trade distribution center in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.
Stepping on the land of the ancient town, it seems that you can hear the echoes of history.
Buildings from the Ming and Qing Dynasties are built by the mountains and rivers, with Tujia stilted buildings scattered in an orderly manner.
Through the mist of time, it seems that you can see the merchants gathering, and the salt gangs shuttling through every corner of the ancient town.
Folk customs, the magic of intangible cultural heritage
In Xituo Ancient Town, folk customs are like magic.
The boatmen's chant, the fishermen's song, the sailboats stirring up waves on the river.
Wearing embroidered clothes of the Tujia ethnic group, holding sachets, it feels like becoming a part of the ancient town.
At this moment, I felt the profound heritage and pride of a thousand-year-old civilization.
Gourmet specialties, a dance of taste buds
The food in Xituo Ancient Town is a dance of taste buds.
The fresh fragrance of salt gang cuisine, the rich flavor of Zhang Fei beef, every bite is an extreme tease to the taste.
The diet of Xituo Ancient Town is mainly salt gang cuisine, with special foods such as rice tea, oil money cake, oil twist, handmade fried mushrooms, and Zhang Fei beef, all of which are not to be missed.
The ancient town is also actively creating the "Xituo Fresh" town brand, guiding shops to sell original ecological fruits and vegetables, farmhouse honey, chili sauce, and other agricultural and sideline products, so that tourists can take away a piece of their heart while tasting the food.
Historical culture, a deep journey of the soul
The Ladder Street in Xituo Ancient Town is like a lively vein through the historical mist, quietly lying at the starting point of the Bay Salt Road, witnessing the vicissitudes of the Sichuan salt aid to Chu.
This Ladder Street, with its unique architectural style and geographical location, has become the heart of the ancient town, flowing with long-standing historical culture.
Walking on Ladder Street, it seems that you can hear the echoes of history, the steady and firm steps of salt merchants carrying salt grains step by step.
On the bluestone slabs, there may still be their footprints, which are heavy histories and glorious labors.
On both sides of Ladder Street, cultural relics and historic sites are scattered, arranged along the winding street, telling thousand-year-old stories.
The Salt Shop, Yu Wang Palace, and Yongcheng Trading House are built in sequence, with the South Dragon Eye Bridge and the North Dragon Eye Bridge like two dragons playing with pearls,
The Civil Pavilion, Wantian Palace, and Ziyun Palace are like jewels inlaid, the bell of Nancheng Temple and the heroic posture of Zhang Fei Temple together paint the historical scroll of Ladder Street.
hemeralQuintess
A perfect Dragon Boat Festival destination for ancient town enthusiasts: Self-driving to Chongqing's Xituo Ancient Town
For those who always seek a hidden gem during holidays, let me introduce the impressive Xituo Ancient Town.
❶ The town's characteristic is that of a mountain city
This ancient town is located in Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing. Its features are consistent with those of a mountain city, being a town that stretches from the clouds on the mountains down to the riverside. The 'Cloud Ladder Street' with a vertical drop of nearly 160 meters and a total of 1314 steps runs through the town, with many Ming and Qing buildings, including but not limited to temples and residences, lined up along this long staircase.
❷ The town's trading past
Down by the river, we find that Xituo Ancient Town's Cloud Ladder Street directly faces the Yangtze River's backflow. This place has been a bustling trading town since ancient times, with its prosperity peaking during the Qing Dynasty. In the Qin and Han dynasties, the main trade goods in the town were salt, which gradually diversified over time.
❸ Contemplation above the river and clouds
Xituo Ancient Town was once the western boundary of Ba Prefecture, hence its original name 'Xijie Tuo'. Today, the town is still separated by a river from Zhong County. If visitors come to the ancient town at sunset, whether standing by the river or on the high Sky Street Corridor Bridge (which divides Cloud Ladder Street into upper and lower sections), they can feel moved by the majestic scenery of the Yangtze River's banks, with the changing days and surging waves.
🚙 Practical tips for self-driving
📱 Navigation: Set 'Xituo Ancient Town'.
🛣️ Road conditions: Generally good. Some sections may experience traffic jams at certain times.
⛽ Fuel: Convenient to refuel in Xituo Town. No charging stations seen.
🅿️ Parking: There is a parking lot in the ancient town scenic area.
🎫 Admission: No tickets required.
⏳ Time spent: It is recommended to allocate 2–3 hours to visit Xituo Ancient Town.
▶️ All photos are originally taken and produced by Mr. Dog and Cai Cai Juan Er.
▶️ The above content is based on personal travel experience, please forgive any omissions.
▶️ Due to the timeliness, some scenes may have changed, subject to the current situation.
🔸🔹🔸
If you like self-driving and prefer the road less traveled, listen to the stories from Cai Cai Juan Er.
ROY MEDINA
Discover the Charm of a Millennium-Old Town: A Complete One-Day Tour Guide to Chongqing's Xituo Ancient Town
🌟👏 As a shining star among China's historical and cultural towns, Xituo Ancient Town boasts its unique geographical location—'one foot in three counties'—like a pearl lost along the banks of the Yangtze River. Here, you will immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the Ming and Qing dynasties, walk on the ancient Ba Salt Road, 🍃🌿 and feel the tranquility and simplicity that transcends time and space.
🎯🗺️ **Specific Itinerary:**
📍🏠 **Morning Starting Point** - Depart from Shizhu High-speed Train Station, take the convenient and fast Shuttle directly to the ancient town, and unveil the wonderful beginning of the day🚀💨.
⅓☕ **Morning Schedule** - Follow the 1314 steps of the Yunlai Old Street staircase, check in at the 'Ba Mountain Back Second Brother' sculpture along the way, 👏 and delve into the profound cultural background of the locals. Then step into the ancient Ba Salt Road, 🚶♂️ experiencing firsthand the hard work and wisdom of the ancient salt merchants.
🍴🍲 **Lunch Recommendations** - Foodies must try the delicious Shizhu Chicory Soup, 😋 as well as the town's specialty smoked bacon and 🍜 hot and sour noodles, allowing your taste buds to enjoy the delicacies that have been refined over a thousand years!
🔍📚 **Afternoon Exploration** - Discover the closely arranged traditional architectural complex within the ancient town, such as the Yuwang Palace, 🏢 Xia Salt Shop, and other historical relics, deeply appreciate the exquisite wood carving art and the unique charm of the Tujia people's houses. 🎨 Try your hand at making the town's handicrafts, a meaningful inheritance of craftsmanship!
🌍🌅 **Evening Time** - Pause by the Yangtze River, watch the sunset spread across the river, 🌅 enjoy the poetic and picturesque 'round sunset over the long river,' 🍃🍃 with the evening breeze gently brushing, indulge in the unique tranquility and soft beauty of the ancient town.
🚗(Route) **Transportation Guide**:
- 🚉Departure: Take a high-speed train from Chongqing's main city to Shizhu Station, then easily transfer to a direct bus to Xituo Ancient Town.
- 🚗Self-driving: Drive on the highway, with picturesque scenery along the way, stop at will, and enjoy the pleasure of driving as you please.
💡💡 **Travel Tips**:
1. 🔆🌞 Remember to bring sun protection, even though the ancient town is shaded by trees, the ultraviolet rays in sunny weather still need to be guarded against.
2. 📅⏰ Check the ancient town's opening hours and event dynamics in advance, such as the Lantern Festival during the Spring Festival, which is not to be missed!
3. 🛍️🎁 Browse the characteristic shops and markets along the street, there is always a souvenir that will touch your heart.
4. 🌳💖 Respect and take care of the local cultural heritage and ecological environment, let us protect this precious ancient town scenery together.
The above is a carefully planned complete guide for a one-day tour of Xituo Ancient Town. Prepare your camera, look forward to it, and embark on this journey marked by the traces of time! 🎈🎊
WorldWandererDiaries#333
Chongqing Shizhu Xituo Ancient Town | 1314-step Yunladder Old Street, carrying brother on Bashan, Ba Salt Ancient Road
Chongqing Shizhu Xituo Ancient Town, formerly known as Xijietuo, is located on the south bank of the Yangtze River, facing the famous Shibaobao across the river. Historically, it was a famous salt transportation hub in the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River.
Here is known as the "Ba Salt Ancient Road", the transportation in Xituo was inconvenient in the past, and the Yangtze River suddenly turned here, forming an important deep-water port in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Xituo Ancient Town is the starting point of the Ba-E Ancient Road in the Ba Salt Ancient Road. During the Qin and Han Dynasties, the salt industry in eastern Sichuan rose, and "Sichuan salt sold to Chu". By the Qing Dynasty, Xituo became a commercial heavy town in the southeast of Sichuan.
Across the Yangtze River from Xituo Ancient Town is Zhongxian Tubing, which had a large salt field in ancient times. Due to the dangerous waters and beaches of the Three Gorges, salt dissolves when it meets water. To reduce losses, salt merchants transported salt by land.
The entire town goes vertically up five miles from the river, all the way up to the flat terrain. The carrying brother who carried more than a hundred catties of tea and salt struggled to carry the load on the Xituo Yunladder Street with 113 platforms and 1314 bluestone steps.
For thousands of years, diligent salt carriers have transported Zhongxian's pot salt and Sichuan salt from other places to Hubei by land, carrying heavy salt bags, crossing mountains and ridges, and opened the Ba Salt Ancient Road from Xituo to Huangshui into Hubei Enshi, until the Xituo Highway was opened in 1958, ending the history of carrying salt.
Today, Xituo's salt carrying has become an intangible cultural heritage, and the interpretation of the hardships and history of the salt carrying workers has become a cultural symbol of Xituo Town. The Xituo Ancient Town salt carrying team, one of the few performance teams, has undoubtedly become the living fossil of the Bashan salt carrying workers today.
The scenic area has Yuwang Palace, Qingzhong Hall, Nanlongyan Bridge, Beilongyan Bridge, Xiayan Shop, Yongcheng Merchant, Taihehao, Embroidery Building, Xituo History Museum, Qingyi Garden, Zhang Fei Temple, One and a Half Mile Stone Bridge, Xiong Futian Former Residence Museum, Deshengxiang, Guan Temple, Qianjiao Spring, Ersheng Palace, Wannianqing Well, Shengji Inn, One Tree Covers Three Counties and other historical sites.
📍Detailed address:
Xituo Ancient Town: South bank of the Yangtze River opposite Shibaobao, Tujia Autonomous County, Shizhu Tujia Autonomous County, Chongqing
Ticket: Free admission