Heshun Ancient Town

Heshun Ancient Town is located 4 km west of Tengchong County. It was first built in the Ming Dynasty and was originally named “Hesun” because a small river flowed around the village. Later, scholars and literati renamed it “Heshun,” meaning “harmony among scholars and prosperity for the people.” Heshun Ancient Town is a famous hometown of overseas Chinese in Yunnan Province, and it is also an important town on the Tea Horse Road and a must-pass on the Southwest Silk Road. Heshun Ancient Town is built around the mountains, gradually ascending from east to west and stretching for two to three kilometers. The town is dotted with ancestral halls, memorial archways, and ancient residences from the Ming and Qing dynasties. In front of the town lies a vast plain, with clear streams winding around the village and weeping willows brushing the banks, creating a harmonious pastoral landscape. The main attractions in the town include: the Dian-Myanmar Anti-Japanese War Museum, Zhongtian Temple, Wanlouzi, the Liu Family Ancestral Hall, and the Ai Siqi Memorial Hall.Wenchang PalaceHeshun Library. Along the winding alleys of the ancient town, you can explore old houses, old streets, and ancient ancestral halls. The Wanlouzi Residential Museum will open your eyes to how unique architecture can be. No wonder the hit TV series “Beijing Love Story” specifically came here to film. The Cun Family Ancestral Hall and the Former Residence of the Jade King will leave you marveling at the exquisite architecture of the ancient town. If you get tired, you can sit in the teahouse within the Liu Family Ancestral Hall and enjoy a cup of tea brewed with local Longtan water and chestnut charcoal fire, leaving a lingering fragrance. At the Heshun Library, you can also see artisans making Xuan paper using traditional methods, which is one of the three treasures of Tengchong (Tengchong Xuan paper, Tengchong medicine, Tengchong weaving). If you’re interested, you can buy some to take home. If you’re tired and hungry, the various snacks in the ancient town will not only fill you up but also allow you to savor its long and storied history. Cunshi Doufen (bean jelly) and Aunt Lin’s Songhua Gao (pine flower cake) both offer a taste of time. Alternatively, find any restaurant, sit down, and order local specialties like “San Di Shui” (three drops of water), “Tou Nao” (a traditional dish), or “Tu Guo Zi” (earthen pot stew). The food alone will make your trip worthwhile. Heshun Ancient Town covers a considerable area with numerous attractions, making it impossible to explore everything in just one day. We recommend staying overnight in town, not only to have ample time for sightseeing but also to experience the charm of guesthouses converted from ancient residences. The town boasts a variety of inns, mostly renovated from traditional homes, including spacious courtyards with two or even three sections, all at affordable prices. Find a guesthouse you like, sleep in lazily, then stroll to the snack stalls at the town entrance for a bowl of the famous local dish, Dajiujia. Afterward, bask in the sun at a riverside laundry pavilion and soak up the leisurely pace of Heshun like a local.