JIANSHUI Old Town is famous for its abundant historical and cultural attractions: remarkable ancient temples, ubiquitous ancient wells, countless exquisite old residences, and manifold delicacies. It’s no wonder that, the moment I set foot in this ancient town in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, I was totally captivated by its charms.

City of “Water” sans Water

Cities known for their waters, such as Hangzhou, Nanjing and Venice, all exude touches of romance and easily evoke tender emotions. The name “Jian-shui” naturally gave me the sense of a city built beside a river – for shui means water in Chinese. I became so excited that I decided to see Jianshui for myself. However, arriving at the old town, I found no such river – yet still discovered a charming town, with the serenity of a hermit, beckoning exploration.  

Spotting a simple inn, I hurriedly stored my luggage, and then plunged into the city’s ancient alleyways. The zigzagging long alleys are crisscrossed with blue flagstone pavements worn smooth and glazed under centuries of wear. Traditional old houses line the alleys, subtly revealing local people’s poetic qualities and penchant for culture in the engravings and paintings of natural scenery on eaves and doors, and verses and odes in different styles of calligraphy on the walls.

A light drizzle gave the little town’s scenery even more clarity and charm. Strolling amid the bustling tourist throngs, I heard a line from The Orchid Pavilion sung by Jay Chou in his distinctive Chinese style, “On the blue flagstone street, when you glanced back and flashed a smile, you looked so gentle and graceful.” At that moment, I became totally mesmerized by the city’s beauty.

Historical Sites Everywhere

Before my departure for Jianshui, I heard this about the ancient town: within three throws of a stone a temple would appear, five stone-throws away a shrine, and two miles away stands a bridge, three miles away a tower. The statement does indeed tally with the reality.

Undergoing the vicissitudes of 12 centuries, the ancient town still preserves over 50 ancient buildings, once known as the “Ancient Architecture Museum” and “Residences Museum.” Due to its remote location and difficult access, the town remains fairly secluded. Despite successive wars and social upheavals, numerous ancient buildings have survived, including the thatch- and bamboo-roofed houses of the Hani people, the bungalows of the Yi and the Dai people, and the tile-roofed one-storey houses of the Han.

Ancient Chinese architecture emphasized symmetry. The Jianshui Confucius Temple may be taken as an example of this ancient obsession with balance. The temple features palace architecture with a north-south axis. On its east and west sides, multiple individual buildings stand, majestic and orderly. Similar to the Qufu Confucius Temple in Shandong Province, the Jianshui Temple also houses one pool, two main halls, two side halls, two principal rooms, three pavilions, four gates, five kiosks, five shrines, and eight memorial archways – all well preserved.

The Jianshui Confucius Temple Park is scenic, with pines and bamboos shading the temple complex, through the spiraling smoke of burnt incense. The temple’s stone carving of Confucius, reciting to the accompaniment of a string instrument, is unique. The carving, placed at the altar, commemorates Confucius lecturing his followers. Confucius sits on the ground, his thick beard drooping to his chest, seeming to chant or sing in sedate tones. His disciples, all wearing loose robes and hemp headcloth, sit on his either side listening, with extreme reverence, to Confucius’ teachings.