Live Your Best Lives
As someone who travels frequently, Changsha is a missing point for me. I feel incredibly familiar with it, with countless attractions to my name. I also know it's a place where countless celebrities and great figures have emerged, and it's home to the nation's most famous Mango TV station. So, in my mind, Changsha is a place where I can casually eat stinky tofu, bump into celebrities filming their shows on the street, and lazily turn on the TV at home to "Happy Camp" and "Day Day Up." I don't know since when, but the Changsha dialect phrase that sticks with me most is "Meituo, hehe hao?" Unfortunately, I've never had the chance to hear a single authentic Changsha dialect on the streets of Changsha.
Finally, in this late summer and early fall, when school starts, I decided to go to Changsha. Hey, don't get excited, this time, I'm just passing through, just to start a journey across the Tan River.
The three and a half hours on the high-speed train from Shenzhen North to Changsha South were long enough for me to have a good dream. Perhaps because I didn't quite understand the plot of "Investiture of the Gods" as a child, I'm now particularly curious about what the scenes were like during that period. With this inquisitive spirit, my imagination ran wild throughout the journey, a trance-like experience. The 11:08 a.m. high-speed train arrived in Changsha South at 2:34 p.m. Upon exiting the station, I saw a "high-speed rail canteen" in front of me, so I went there to fill my stomach. After all, it was a taste of Changsha. The three-dish and one-soup set meal cost 30 yuan. I only chose two dishes that seemed to suit my taste and asked the waitress to give me more of each. It tasted okay, but the rice was cold and hard.
After dinner, I took the subway directly from Changsha South Station and took Line 2 to Wangchengpo Station, which cost 5 yuan one way. The journey took about 50 minutes, with quite a few stops along the way, including May Day Square and Orange Island. If I had more time, I would definitely visit these places. However, my main destination this time was Tanhe, so I had to pass by Changsha.
After exiting Wangchengpo Station, I arrived at Changsha West Bus Station. After crossing all the way there, it was already 5 PM. I went to the ticket office to ask if there were any direct buses to Huangcai, but they said they were sold out. I had no choice but to take a bus to Ningxiang first, then transfer from Ningxiang to Huangcai. The ticket cost 10 yuan and took about an hour and a half. If I wanted to catch a direct bus to Huangcai, I had to get there early.
It was almost 7 p.m. when we arrived in Ningxiang. A light drizzle was still falling. Lugging my suitcase, I asked passersby if I could get on a bus to Huangcai. Language proved a major issue. Having never experienced any communication barriers abroad, I was now struggling to communicate. It was only 7 p.m., but the supermarkets were already closed, and the bus station was also shuttered. After a long drive, I finally managed to find the No. 118 bus to Huangcai. It departed at a fixed time, costing 10 yuan, and it finally departed at 7:30 p.m. The bus was quite crowded, and since Huangcai was the final stop, I wasn't worried about missing it. After another hour or so, we finally arrived.
It was already 9 PM when I got off the bus. I'd expected Huangcai Town to be deserted at this hour, but surprisingly, it was bustling with late-night snacks. The street vendors and barbecue restaurants were all busy. I walked along the main road and found a hotel called "Beautiful Life" where I stayed. The price was 108 yuan, and the room was clean and tidy—pretty good for a small town. The hostess told me that Tanhe Ancient Town was very close and within walking distance.
After putting down my luggage, I went out for a walk, had some barbecue, and went back to the room to rest and prepare for the next day's trip to Tanhe Ancient City.
The next day, I woke up and opened the curtains, only to be greeted by a bucolic landscape. Sparrows chirped in formation on the telephone poles, creating a lively atmosphere. I couldn't help but hum Jay Chou's "Rice Fragrance." In his poem "I Often Envy the Jade Carver in the World," the Song Dynasty poet Su Shi wrote: "I wonder if Lingnan is a bad place, yet I say, 'This place is where my heart is at peace,'" which roughly translates to "where my heart is at peace, that's my hometown." I suddenly understood that "Ningxiang" means a peaceful place. Setting foot in Ningxiang, you're greeted by the feeling of "scenery everywhere, everyone a guide." Whether you're a tourist, a wanderer, or a native Ningxiang resident, the moment you step out of your home, you're in a scenic area, and everyone can recite the verse: "I wonder if this place is a bad place, yet I say, 'This place is where my heart is at peace,'" Huangcai Town in Ningxiang dates back to the Western Zhou Dynasty and was rebuilt in the late Sui and early Tang dynasties. It boasts abundant Huangcai resources and beautiful scenery. From the very beginning, I felt like I was in a paradise.
With a happy heart, we set off for Tanhe Ancient Town. The hotel owner drove me there on a small electric scooter. The road leading to Tanhe Ancient Town from Huangcai is wide and very clean. The houses on both sides are well-planned and built. Hotels, restaurants, shops, and other daily necessities can be found here. There are even Taobao stores here.
When you come to Tanhe Ancient Town, you don't have to worry about food, accommodation, and transportation. It's not far from this street to Tanhe Ancient Town. If you don't want to walk, you can take a motorcycle for five or six yuan and arrive in a few minutes.
Tanhe Ancient City, located in Huangcai Town, Ningxiang County, is China's first Zhou Dynasty theme park. The Zhou Dynasty, the source and heyday of Chinese civilization, created a splendid and magnificent cultural spectacle. Over 3,000 years old, this ancient city is one of the few remaining Western Zhou city ruins discovered in China, a rare find in southern China, and the earliest and only one currently discovered in Hunan. It has been recognized with honors and titles such as "Top Ten National Archaeological Discoveries," "National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit," and "National Major Site." It is also known as the "Hometown of Southern China's Bronze Artifacts," having unearthed treasures such as the Four-Ram Square Tripod and the Human-Faced Square Tripod. It was also a center of Chinese ritual and music culture, and its cultural heritage has been passed down through the generations, influencing the present day.
The fast-paced modern life has made society restless. Occasionally, stepping out of the house allows us to temporarily escape the worldly worries and find peace of mind. Everyone has their own life, and that's what makes life wonderful. Some wander the world: the cries of monkeys on both sides of the river ceaseless, while the boat sails past thousands of mountains. Some cherish the warmth of family: they love the playful sight of children lying by the stream, peeling lotus pods. Some enjoy basking in the idyllic countryside: picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, leisurely gazing at the southern mountains. There are a hundred ways to live, a hundred ways to be beautiful... and in the ancient city of Tanhe in Ningxiang, there's the one hundred and first way: travel back to the Western Zhou Dynasty and experience Chinese civilization. Even before entering the ancient city, a massive sculpture looms in the distance, creating a powerful visual and sensory impact. From the very beginning, I was filled with curiosity about Tanhe Ancient City.
Walking towards the gate of Tanhe Ancient City, you'll see pillars carved with totems on both sides, hence the name "Totem Avenue." The closer you get, the more sacred it becomes.
The 40-meter-tall, 35-meter-wide Four-Ram Square Tripod statue of the goddess is the patron saint of Ningxiang, a spiritual totem for the people of Ningxiang and the embodiment of a great Ningxiang woman. This sculpture evolved from two other nationally renowned artifacts unearthed in Tanhe, the Four-Ram Square Tripod and the Human Face Square Tripod. Everyone who visits this statue will be deeply moved.
The ticket office is right after you enter the gate. You can buy your ticket here and enter the scenic area. There are also various types of tickets, and you can buy tickets according to your needs.
After checking in, the first place you pass is the "King Wu Square", where a group of sculptures recreates the scene of the Battle of Muye. King Wu stands on a chariot, commanding his troops to attack King Zhou.
After passing King Wu Square, the Western Zhou Dynasty Street comes into view. The uniquely styled houses, built of wood or mud brick, are a feast for the eyes. Blacksmith shops, umbrella and fan shops, taverns, and inns convey the atmosphere of a distant era, recreating the society, culture, production, and life of the Western Zhou Dynasty three thousand years ago. Your journey through time begins.
The Xizhou Style Street is bustling with activity, and the old streets are filled with the ancient music of chimes and the poetry and rituals of the Zhou Dynasty, as if the time three thousand years ago has been revived again, all of which convey the atmosphere of civilization from distant times.
The strong ethnic style of the Western Zhou Dynasty permeates the entire ancient city.
The Four-Ram Square Tripod, chime bells, ancient coins and other objects in the Bronze Family give us a more intuitive and close understanding of life in the Western Zhou Dynasty.
The most interesting one is Zhougong Street. We always say "date with Zhougong". Here, we can see what kind of surprises Zhougong will bring us.
Friends who like taking photos can take interesting photos from various angles here, which are quite three-dimensional.
There are all kinds of strange houses. There are horizontal houses, where all the objects in the house are placed horizontally.
There are upside-down houses, and everything inside is upside down.
There is also a slanted house. I walked around the slanted house and felt dizzy.
This is a truly bizarre street full of interesting things. The eaves of the houses on this street are covered with all kinds of "meat" hanging from them.
Exiting Weird Street, you'll arrive at the "Meat Forest Restaurant." The branches are covered in chickens, ducks, fish, and meat, and the sight of them immediately brings to mind the extravagant lifestyle of King Zhou of Shang. Hanging meat like a forest, he indulges in pleasure.
Since this is a time-travel journey, it's inevitable that you'll have all sorts of magical experiences. High-tech experiences like Daji's Haunted House, the Prince's Ghost Listening Room, the Western Zhou Cinema, Daji's Charm, Jiang Taigong's Rain-Calling Magic Hall, the Harem Experience Hall, and the Wine and Meat Forest offer endless surprises. For the brave, the "Howling Ghosts" experience takes you back to the Western Zhou era and reveals what truly happened there.
While there are eerie ghosts and spirits, there are also sweet moments. The Love Bridge embodies this happiness. In his youth, King Wu of Zhou met Ning'er, the daughter of a bronze craftsman, by the banks of the Tan River. They fell in love at first sight. To commemorate the place where Ning'er and King Wu sealed their love, later generations named this suspension bridge over the Tan River the "Love Bridge." Thousands of tourists visit the Love Bridge to make their best wishes.
At the end of the Love Bridge, there's a stall selling prayer pendants. Various blessing bells, purses, and totem ornaments are imbued with the devout hearts of those praying, and they carry their best wishes. The bridge is festooned with red wishing ribbons, densely inscribed with earnest wishes from the deepest hearts.
At the turn of the Love Bridge, there's a "Heavenly Incense Burner," a symbol of love and strength. It's said that since its construction, the fire within has been burning continuously. Add some fuel to the fire, hoping for a prosperous future. Make a wish and pray for happiness and well-being.
Tanhe Ancient Town also offers a variety of activities. Be sure to check the schedule and participate in them. Performances include "King Wu's Military Training," "Bell Music and Dance," "Bao Si's Bath," "Ball Throwing from the Colorful Pavilion," and "Time Travel Flash Mob Show."
Throwing the ball of embroidery from the colorful pavilion.
Guozhuang performance.
You can also play in the "Wine Pool." This is a meticulously designed water play area for visitors, featuring over a dozen water rides, including water swings, floating bridges, single-log bridges, hanging ring bridges, and rope bridges. Visitors can enjoy a joyful time splashing, playing, and being close to the water. Many children have had a blast playing there.
If you feel tired, you can play chess or look at various clay sculptures.
Children also have their own exclusive "Children's Paradise", which has dozens of children's amusement projects, such as the jungle carousel, Ferris wheel, mini roller coaster, flower park, mountain climbing car, frog jump, jungle adventure, naughty castle, happy collision, magic projection, magic building blocks, etc., which can not only allow children to enjoy the fun of adventure, but also allow parents to bring their children to share the family happiness.
The beach recreation area offers a different experience.
In Tanhe Ancient City, besides various attractions, you can't miss the various food. Walking inside, in addition to the various houses, you can see realistic food hanging in every corner.
Don't worry, there's a wide variety of food available. The snack plaza has a variety of Hunan-style snacks with a variety of names, including "Hongqi Chicken Steak" and "Ningfei Steamed Dumplings."
The layout of the snack square is also unique, with plaques with the names of dishes hung on the beams, and meat and various ingredients hanging on the walls.
Barbecue, stinky tofu, everything is available.
There are also sugar-coated cakes, hand-drawn sugar threads, and sugar figures in various animal shapes painted by the master.
If you're thirsty, there's a fruit bar and a water bar. The water bar has a pagoda-shaped lounge area where you can relax, enjoy snacks, drink juice, and watch the cascading waters of the Tan River. Wine lovers can also visit the winery to smell the aroma and satisfy their cravings.
A must-see for any visitor to Tanhe Ancient Town is the "Tanhe Eternal Love" performance. Set against the backdrop of the splendid history and culture of the Western Zhou Dynasty, "Tanhe Eternal Love" recreates a story of love and hatred from three thousand years ago, centered around the legendary "Four-Ram Square Tripod," a treasured national artifact. Utilizing cutting-edge sound, light, and electrical technology, as well as stage machinery, hundreds of actors perform a moving, three-dimensional tale of Tanhe across water, land, and air. This story unfolds, capturing the allure of a beautiful woman, the poignant sorrow of life and death, the grief and anxiety of family feuds and national hatred, and the heroic spirit of King Wu's conquest of King Zhou. This performance condenses the culture of the Western Zhou Dynasty from three thousand years ago into a large-scale live-action stage play, recreating the extraordinary era of charcoal fire and bronze, allowing audiences to experience the splendor and enchantment of the Western Zhou era. This celebration offers a cultural feast themed around Western Zhou and bronze culture. "Eternal Love of Tanhe" is also hailed as a must-see performance in a lifetime.
The performance will be held in several sessions, and you can choose the session you selected when purchasing your ticket. The Eternal Love Theatre seats nearly 2,000 and features a state-of-the-art water stage, a lifting stage, and a revolving stage, all equipped with hundreds of mechanisms to create a high-quality, indoor live performance. The performance is divided into five chapters.
The first scene is "The orioles are singing on the island in the river. The beautiful lady is the ideal match for the gentleman."
The call of the 雎鉄 carries us through millennia, to the banks of the beautiful Tan River, where the ancient Book of Songs is sung and young girls dance gracefully amidst verdant mulberry trees. It is here that the young King Wu and the beautiful Ning'er meet and fall in love, and the first act, "On the River Island," slowly unfolds. As time passes, "Tan River's Endless Love," "Daji's Erotic Dance," "The Battle of Muye," and "Love in Ningxiang" unfold across the magnificent visuals, and the legend of the Four Sheep Square Tripod is also revealed.
The second scene: The Endless Love on the Tan River
At Daji's instigation, King Zhou cooked and murdered King Wu's brother and, threatening the survival of the Zhou dynasty, coerced King Wu into casting the Four-Ram Square Tripod. To save her lover and the people of Zhou, Ning'er sacrificed in her husband's stead, staging a poignant and moving tale of a tragic love story on the Charcoal River. The front stage was movable, with the sides opening to reveal a group of soldiers emerging from the central passage. This interactive design not only enhanced the experience but also broke through traditional spatial performances. The audience was deeply moved by the vivid characters and the complex story.
Scene 3: Daji's Erotic Dance
On the day of the completion of the Deer Tower, King Wu presented King Zhou with the Four-Ram Square Tripod, a treasure that protected the palace. King Zhou was delighted and set up a feast in the Deer Tower, complete with a pool of wine and a forest of meat, for the princes from all directions. On the stage, the enchanting Daji led the dancers, intoxicated by the wine and the meat.
The fourth scene: The Battle of Muye
The Battle of Muye is a famous example in Chinese history of a preemptive strike, a victory of the weak over the strong, and a small minority. It ended the 600-year-long Shang Dynasty, established the rule of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and paved the way for the flourishing of ritual and music civilization during the Western Zhou period. During this battle, Jiang Ziya's soaring appearance was a spectacular sight.
Epilogue "Love in Ningxiang"
The long, flowing Tan River has been a place where stories of heroes and beauties have been told for three thousand years. Truth, goodness, and beauty, perseverance and persistence, devotion, and great love have influenced generations of Ningxiang people to this day.
The entire performance was tightly plotted, without excessive embellishment or foreshadowing, leaving everyone captivated from beginning to end. The stunning lighting, backgrounds, music, and costumes completely transported us back to that period, allowing us to personally experience this story that has been passed down for thousands of years.
If you have spare time, you can visit the "Tanheli National Archaeological Site Park" opposite the ancient city, which houses a Bronze Museum with a rich collection of cultural relics. Among them, there are more than 200 national-level precious cultural relics unearthed in Ningxiang with particularly important historical, artistic and scientific value.
Many information shows that the business hours of Tanhe Ancient Town are from 10 am to 5 pm, but it actually closes at 6 pm.
My transportation route this time is: take Metro Line 2 from Changsha South High-speed Railway Station to Wangchengpo Station, and then take a bus to Changsha West Bus Station.
There are two ways to board:
(1) Take a direct bus to Huangcai from the West Bus Station. The ticket price is 23 yuan, but you have to get there early. When I arrived at 5 pm, there were no direct buses.
(2) Take bus No. 301 from the West Bus Station to Ningxiang, the ticket is 10 yuan. Then take bus No. 118 from Ningxiang to Huangcai, the ticket is also 10 yuan.
A Four-Ram Square Zun (a type of vassal sanctuary) astonished the world; a Human-Faced Square Ding (a type of cauldron) unveiled the mysteries of an ancient state, shrouded in dust for millennia. Entering the ancient city of Tanhe is like stepping into a tunnel of time and space. While its former prosperity has been lost to the passage of time, the brilliant Western Zhou culture it harbors remains, like aged wine, its fragrance only deepens with age.
