Heshun Ancient Town
和顺古镇
A 600-year-old overseas Chinese town 4 kilometres west of Tengchong, with volcanic-stone lanes, washing pavilions, the Heshun Library and the former home of philosopher Ai Siqi. White-walled, grey-tiled houses surround lotus ponds and fields, making it the most liveable ancient town in western Yunnan.
Heshun Ancient Town lies about 4 kilometres southwest of Tengchong city. Descendants of soldiers stationed here during the early Ming dynasty settled in the town. Because of the mule caravan trail to Myanmar, it became famous as a hometown of overseas Chinese. The town's architecture and layout, more than 600 years old, are well preserved. It is a national 4A scenic area and ranks first among China's top ten most charming towns. The town sits with Heilong Mountain at its back, facing fields and the Xianhe wetlands. A small river winds around it, and along the river stand six washing pavilions that shelter the women who did laundry from sun and rain, a distinctive feature of Heshun. The main highlights are as follows. Heshun Library was built in 1928 with donations from overseas Chinese and holds 70,000 volumes, making it China's largest village library. Ai Siqi's former residence is a Sino-Western courtyard house belonging to the philosopher Ai Siqi. Yuanlong Pavilion is a Ming-dynasty Taoist temple that combines Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist teachings, and it is reflected in Longtan Pool. The Wanlouzi Folk Museum features the three-courtyard compound of the Yongmaohe trading house. There's also Wenchang Palace, the Dian-Burma Anti-Japanese War Museum, Shuanghong Bridge, the Centenarian Archway and eight major ancestral halls, including those of the Cun and Liu clans. The recommended route runs from the entrance archway to Shuanghong Bridge, Heshun Library, Wenchang Palace, the Dian-Burma Anti-Japanese War Museum, Wanlouzi, Ai Siqi's former residence, Yuanlong Pavilion at Longtan, the washing pavilions and finally Yeya Lake wetland. The walk takes about 3 hours, and electric carts can be flagged down anywhere in town. Admission is 55 yuan for a pass covering all the sights, with some attractions requiring an 80-yuan ticket. You can re-enter multiple times on the day of purchase. Opening hours are 07:30 to 22:00. Getting there: take bus No. 6 from Tengchong city to the Heshun Ancient Town stop, or take a taxi, which takes about 15 minutes. From the airport, the trip takes about 30 minutes. Note: the town has many guesthouses, making it the best place to stay in Tengchong. The lanes are steep and have many steps. Try the local sweet rice wine and egg soup, known as tounao, along with songhua cake and Heshun tofu at the town entrance. Mornings and evenings are quieter and ideal for photography.
Opening hours
07:30–22:00
Nearby sights
- Laifengshan National Forest Park
- National Heroes Cemetery & Western Yunnan Anti-Japanese War Memorial
- Dieshui River Waterfall
- Tengchong Museum
- Baofeng Mountain & Temple
- Rehai Hot Sea Scenic Area
- Simola Wa Village
- Mayugu Hot Spring Town