Qingyan Ancient Town

青岩古镇

A military garrison town built in the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, with stone city walls, four gates, the Zhuangyuan Mansion and famous local food such as braised pork trotters, rice cake porridge and rose candy. It is Guiyang's most important ancient town.

Qingyan Ancient Town lies about 30 kilometers south of Huaxi District in Guiyang. It was first founded in the 11th year of the Hongwu reign (1378) as a military fortress for Ming troops, and later grew into a trading market town. Surviving from the Ming and Qing dynasties are its stone city walls, four gates including Dingguang Gate, nine temples and eight shrines, and many flagstone lanes. It is one of Guizhou's four great ancient towns and a national 5A-rated scenic area. The town is best known for its stone: stone walls, stone-paved roads, stone archways and stone houses, all made from local bluish rock, which gives it its name. Main highlights include Dingguang Gate and the South Gate tower (climb the walls for views over the town and surrounding fields), three Qing-era stone archways including the Zhao Lilun Centenarian Archway, the Zhuangyuan Mansion (the former home of Zhao Yiqiong, Guizhou's first top scholar), Ciyun Temple, Yingxiang Temple, a Catholic church and a Protestant church (showing Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism and Christianity coexisting in one town), the former residence where Zhou Enlai's father lived, and the Qingyan Ancient Road outside the town. Food is another major draw. Braised pork trotter (the "Zhuangyuan hoof"), rice cake porridge, rose candy, jila jiao (a chicken and chili snack), and mi doufu (rice tofu) are all specialties, and the old shops on South Street are the most numerous. The ancient town is free to enter, and a combined ticket for climbing the walls and some sights costs about 60–80 yuan. Recommended route: enter by North Gate, walk North Street past the stone archway, visit the Zhuangyuan Mansion, eat snacks on South Street, climb the walls at South Gate, and finish at Dingguang Gate. It takes about 3 hours. Avoid midday on weekends, when it is most crowded, and go in the morning or evening for fewer people. Getting there: take Metro Line 3 to Huaxi Station or Tongmulin Station, then transfer to bus 210 to Qingyan. Alternatively, a taxi from central Guiyang takes about 50 minutes, and there is a tourist direct bus from Guiyang North Station. Notes: the stone paths are slippery, so wear non-slip shoes. Holidays bring large crowds. Snacks like pork trotter are priced clearly and the portions are generous, so two people can share. There are guesthouses inside the town if you want to stay overnight and see the lights at night.

Qingyan Ancient Town

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Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby