In Chinese, the Phoenix Old Town is called “Fenghuang Cheng”. Fenghuang means phoenix in Chinese. The mythical bird of good omen and longevity is consumed by fire to be re-born again from the flames. The Phoenix Old Town is so called as legend has it that two of these fabulous birds flew over the town and found it so beautiful that they hovered there, reluctant to leave.
The town is a wonderful example of what villages were like prior to the onset of modernization. Here dozens of alleys paved with flagstones run between the houses, each showing wear and tear caused by the fleet of generations of local people who have used them when going about their daily business. For visitors, these alleys are the way to see the typical high gabled wooden houses built on stilts along the banks of the Tuo River at close quarters.
The Miao ethnic minority is predominantly settled here and a visit to a Miao village is a must when going to this place. The town was home to the famous writer Shen Congwen (1902-1988) who contributed greatly to the development of modern Chinese literature. Venerated by the local residents, the one time home and the tomb of this famous writer have become tourist attractions. In short, the Phoenix Old Town offers visitors both from home and abroad a quite different view of China from anything experienced in the modern cities and large conurbations that are more widely known.
Name:Zhangjiajie Phoenix Old Town (Fenghuang Gucheng)
City:Zhangjiajie
Address:South of the Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Minorities Autonomous Prefecture, Phoenix County
Admission:CNY98
Hours: 07:00 am-06:00 pm
Tel: 0086-0086-743-3223315