• Longmen Ancient Town
Post At 2018-01-25 14:17:30
Hangzhou’s Longmen Ancient Town is the hometown of Sun Quan, Emperor of East Wu during the Three Kingdoms period. The ancient town has a long history and a rich cultural heritage and its scenic area covers 2 square kilometers. The township has a population of 7,000 residents and more than 90% of its residents have the family name Sun. This is the largest settlement of descendants of Sun Quan. With a strong clan atmosphere and unique folk customs, the ancient town had been built on a defensive layout comprising of diverging streets and alleys. Several grand Ming and Qing dynasty buildings remain standing. Described as "Longmen of the Three Kingdoms, a mysterious ancient town", the township is made up of connecting halls and alleys, as well as crisscrossing streets, making visitors feel like they are walking in a maze. Such a layout is rarely seen in China. The renowned Chinese scholar and essayist He Manzi once made the following comment on Longmen: "This is where the great descendants of the Wu Emperor flourished over thousands of years, accumulating rich Chinese cultural heritage. Examine this town carefully and one shall understand China.” The ancient town of Longmen can be regarded as a gem which combines the beauty of nature and humanities. It is a renowned cultural heritage town in China, a National AAAA Tourist Attraction, a National Environment Township, a non-heritage scenic spot in Zhejiang Province, as well as cultural heritage protected district in Zhejiang Province.