Ancient business buildings endured the ages with some wear, but they remain vivid reminders of their glory days.

Walking down that winding lane, things suddenly became very quiet, thanks to the surrounding stone walls, heavily mottled and covered with lichen.

For the most part seeming to live a tranquil and comfortable life, local residents are honest and remarkably hospitable.

During a recent journey through Hunan, perhaps what most impressed me was my two-day stay in the southwest part of the province, in Hongjiang City – a place no wandering photographer should pass by.

Preserved for posterity, a former house of courtesans.

A lane in drizzling rain.

In the garb of an official guard in days long past.

A small city, Hongjiang is where the Yuanjiang River, the Wushan River and the Wuyang River converge and form a broader waterway known as the Hongjiang River – “The Mighty Torrent,” in Chinese. The waters pass through Dongting Lake on the way to join the Yangtze. In ancient times, the waterway was an important conduit for personal transport and cargo, and the strategic location of then Hongjiang Town brought the place great prosperity. Hongjiang became such a flourishing city that it was referred to as “Small Nanjing,” Nanjing being the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) capital. Historical records reveal that during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), Hongjiang was home to thousands of households, having grown into a fairly large town with a well-developed network of roads.
It took us a couple of hours to reach Hongjiang City by car, driving from the well-known ancient Fenghuang (Phoenix) Town. At first, travel fatigue and my reluctance to depart Fenghuang Town lessened my enthusiasm for our arrival in this small city. After about 10 minutes driving the busy streets, we parked by a small lane. Walking down that winding lane, things suddenly became very quiet, thanks to the surrounding stone walls, heavily mottled and covered with lichen.
The lane led to an open market. The locals there informed me that what once was a prosperous commercial town is now a dwelling community. Years ago, archeologists found the place and unearthed the town.
Excavation projects in the ancient town played an important role in the research of historical commerce in China. The town boasts more than 380 intact ancient structures erected during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, covering an area of 100,000 square meters. The buildings endured the ages with some wear, but they remain vivid reminders of the luxurious lifestyle of wealthy merchants. Time-honored temples, restaurants, hotels, piaohao (a brokerage for the exchange and transfer of money), biaoju (professional guides providing armed escort), tea houses, and once festive taverns provide a sense of that lively past. We visited the old site of Baoqing Guild Hall. Head of the 10 most important guild halls in China, it functions as a leading economic and political organ in ancient China, infused with a strong traditional style. Walking along the crisscrossing lanes for about eight kilometers, I marveled at the 40 large interspersed fire-prevention water vats, decorated with delicate designs.
The ancient town is something of a time machine, harkening back to glory days of yore. Deep lanes paved with flagstones, old walls, relics and distinctive architecture all evidence the profound business culture of the town.
Walking by myself in a drizzling rain, ensconced in the surrounding mist, gazing at those stained relics, I felt some melancholy. But it seemed that I was in tune with the past and in sync with the heart of this ancient town. If ancient Fenghuang Town is like a delicate and pretty young girl, ancient Hongjiang Town is like an elegant and beautiful young lady.
For the most part seeming to live a tranquil and comfortable life, the local residents are honest and remarkably hospitable. In the courtyards, carefree children play the same games I played as a child, and seniors nap in the warm sunshine. It is so peaceful that visitors may fret about disturbing the scene with their foreign presence.
In the light rain, the town takes on a solemn yet graceful ambience. Hongjiang City is a beautiful place, projecting harmony, as well as contradiction. Downtown, a Mercedes Benz drives alongside a horse cart, and ultra-modern skyscrapers tower over the river, upon which fishing boats and cormorants stay busy. These elements seem to contradict, yet blend harmoniously; and Hongjiang City is a place at peace.