Xingcheng Ancient City is one of the must-visit attractions in Huludao. It is where Yuan Chonghuan’s historical stories happened, and it is also a good place to learn about history. So, what are the fun attractions in Xingcheng Ancient City? Please see the details below, and let’s take a look at the friends who are planning to go on a trip!
1. Main Attractions
The ancient city of Xingcheng in Liaoning Province has experienced 570 years of wind and rain erosion and war damage. The outer city is no longer in existence, while the inner city has been repaired many times and basically maintains its original appearance. It is a famous tourist destination and a filming location for TV series. The ancient city wall has four gates in the east, south, west and north, with a bell and drum tower in the center of the city, a semi-circular barbican outside the city gate, and ancient scenic spots such as two ancestral stone archways, the Confucian Temple, the City God Temple, the General’s Mansion, and the Zhou Family Residence inside the city.
2. Travel Guide
Xingcheng Ancient City was built in the early Ming Dynasty and is located in the west of Xingcheng City. It is one of the four well-preserved Ming Dynasty ancient cities in China (the other three are Xi’an Ancient City, Jiangling County Jingzhou Ancient City, and Pingyao Ancient City in Shanxi Province). In the ancient city, you can see ancient relics such as the barbican, the bell and drum tower, the gun platform, and the archway, and you can also visit buildings such as the Jiliao Governor’s Mansion and the Xingcheng Confucian Temple. Climbing the city wall allows you to overlook the whole city. The ancient city was once an important frontier defense area, and Ming general Yuan Chonghuan stationed troops here and repeatedly defeated the Qing army. Today, strolling through the ancient city, you can vaguely feel the smoke and fire of more than 500 years ago.
Xingcheng Ancient City is square in shape, with gray city walls. There is a city gate on each of the four sides of the city wall. Entering from the south gate of the ancient city (Yanhuimen) and going all the way to the bell and drum tower is a pedestrian street, with various small shops on both sides, selling everything. Climbing the mottled and thick city wall from one side of the city gate, you can overlook the semi-circular barbican outside the city gate and the whole city inside. Each side of the city wall is about 800 meters long, with gun platforms built at the four corners of the city wall, where you can see the mighty red-skinned cannons.
Walking from the south gate to the bell and drum tower to the north, you will pass two stone archways built by Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty for the Zu brothers, the generals of Liaodong. The bell and drum tower is located in the center of the ancient city. Climbing the bell and drum tower allows you to overlook the ancient city in all directions. In the unearthed relics exhibition hall on the second floor, you can visit local relics. Walking east from the bell and drum tower towards the east gate (Chunhemen), you will pass the Jiliao Governor’s Mansion, a must-visit attraction in the ancient city. This was the official residence built by Yuan Chonghuan when he was appointed governor of Jiliao and stationed in Ningyuan (present-day Xingcheng). Inside the mansion, you can see the restored main hall, garden, general’s platform, as well as official documents, weapons and other exhibits.
There are also other scenic spots in the ancient city, such as the Xingcheng Confucian Temple, the oldest Confucian Temple in the three northeastern provinces, as well as the City God Temple, the General’s Mansion, the Zhou Family Old Residence, the Xingcheng Museum, etc. If you are interested in history, you can buy a combined ticket to visit them all. Xingcheng Ancient City is not big, and most of it is made of brick and tile houses, most of which are shops selling small commodities, as well as restaurants and seafood restaurants. If you don’t look at the attractions, you can finish the tour in about an hour.
3. Accommodation
There are various high-, medium- and low-grade hotels and guesthouses in the Xingcheng seaside scenic area. The Electric Power Guest House and the Navy Guest House are good and affordable places to stay. Double rooms with TV and bathroom cost only 30-40 yuan per bed during peak season and 10-20 yuan during off-season. You can also find your favorite guesthouse on travel websites.
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