There is a historical portrait of China that is still prevalent in the Western consciousness. Old men with long, wispy beards, and often smoking a pipe. Red lanterns hanging from low, layered, trapezium-shaped ceilings. And of course dragons. The archetypal, red dragon that looks like it could freelance as a loop the loop rollercoaster.

And then you visit modern cities like Shanghai and that image is smashed into pieces. Mood inducing lanterns are replaced by endless traffic lights, and the old, low slung buildings have been torn down, and in their place huge, glass-fronted symbols of modernity. Any remnants of “ancient” have been demolished and removed under the guise of “city planning” and “gentrification”.

Even the relics of ancient China in urban centers are often not much older than the cities metro systems. The grand Jing’an Temple for example in Shanghai was completed in its current form in 2010. And although water towns between Shanghai and Suzhou such as Luzhi offer an opening into China’s ancient past, they are mostly restricted to a few overcrowded and underwhelming key streets, filled with Chinese domestic tourist tat.

Fenghuang is by no means immune to some of these pitfalls. Apart from the famous bullhorns and ginger candy, much of the stuff sold is similar to things you find all of China (e.g. endless pictures of Mao). And despite being considerably bigger than many of the water towns, its tourist density felt very similar.

Fenghuang is popular primarily with domestic tourists

The town itself has 1,300 years of history and was the first time it felt like I was exploring a long-forgotten era of China’s past. From the bridges that cross the river, to the low-level wooden housing lining it’s banks, and the antique walls circling the old town, if you want a place that embodies your childhood image of Ancient China, this is it.

There were moments when walking through the streets and staring at the lanterns and dragon imagery didn’t fit right. It all felt internally a little bit voyeuristic as my pre-conceptions of the Orient played out in the front of me. Taking photos of old men and their beards, momentarily forgetting that China in many ways is a powerhouse of modernity and thinking of it more as an old man smoking a pipe.

But it is important to remember that Fenghuang does not exist for foreigners. In my 24 hours there I could count the number of foreign tourists on one hand. It is domestic tourists that are fueling the demand for towns that provide an insight into China’s ancient past. It is the domestic interest in dragons, lanterns, and everything that connects the Chinese to their long history that that is fueling the popularity in “Ancient Towns”.

The 1000-year-old buildings sit either side of the river

While the town itself has recently abolished its entrance fee, certain sites cost 148 RMB for a two-day ticket. This includes a boat trip and entrance to the museum. If you are just looking to take photos and soak up the atmosphere for a day, then the ticket is not necessary. However, if you want to better understand the history of the place, both of the town itself and its most famous residents (including one of China’s most famous modern writers Shen Congwen), then get one.

At night, the town becomes almost a strip. The bars open with live music pouring out of them and the whole town is illuminated. Clearly, there is no regulation to minimize light or noise pollution. Personally, I felt it created a festival atmosphere, but numerous Trip Advisor reviews complain of too much of a carnal vibe. If you are expecting silent, romantic walks by the river at night, prepare to be disappointed.

The town comes alive at night

Logistics

Most tourists do Fenghuang as part of a trip to Zhangjiajie. I personally felt a day and a night is ideal visiting time, so would look to tie it in with the national park. There are frequent buses between the two and it takes just under four hours. The schedule can be found here and the bus costs 80RMB. A private taxi is around 1,000 RMB. There are daily buses to the backpacker hub of Guilin. It cost 160RMB and takes 6 hours. You can also do the less common option which is to fly in directly to Tongren airport which is 40 minutes from Fenghuang.

We stayed at The House of Hemu. It was a very nice, budget hotel with an English speaking owner. Beware of the two, slightly over friendly labradors who patrol the reception area, as well as the squat toilets. The hostel actually recommended a very good restaurant which had its own berry homebrew. Both the food and homebrew are worth trying.

Trying the local homebrew

Summary

Overall Fenghuang Ancient Town is a beautiful representation of ancient China with 1300 years of history. For the chance to see that and the photos alone, it is well worth a visit. On the other hand, like so many places in China, come with the expectation of crowds.

This place also definitely plays up to historical stereotypes and symbols, but it is important to remember that these symbols are part of a reclamation and celebration of China’s long history by the Chinese themselves. It is not being put on for Westerners to fulfill their Mulan fantasies, and that is distinctly different.