A Fragrant Journey Through the Land of Crabapples: Two Days Exploring Rongchang's Pottery, Fabric, and Ancient Bridges

The morning mist cast a soft glow over the Laixi River, its ripples gently swaying the reflections of weeping crabapple trees along the banks. As I stepped into this ancient town with a thousand years of history, a light summer rain was falling, immersing the entire city of Rongchang in an ink-wash painting. This small town, historically known as "Changzhou," earned its reputation as the "Fragrant Land of Crabapples" from a Song Dynasty poem: "Though no crabapple in the world bears fragrance, only those in Changzhou bloom with intoxicating scent." Today, it quietly shines in the heart of the Chengdu-Chongqing region with its intangible cultural heritage—"a piece of pottery, a bolt of fabric, and a folding fan." **Morning in Wanling: The Wrinkles of Time in a Water Town** Through the misty haze of the Laixi River, the outline of Wanling Ancient Town gradually came into view. This 4A-level scenic spot, known as the "Immigrant Water Town," is a living fossil of the "Huguang Migration to Sichuan." Passing through Taiping Gate, the bluestone pavement underfoot, polished smooth by time, led to rows of stilted houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties lining the river, resembling a frozen Jiangnan melody. The Darong Bridge spans the river, showcasing the wisdom of ancient builders—flat for pedestrians, arched for boats—still serving as a vital passage for locals today. Walking along the river, the high-pitched tunes of Sichuan opera drifted from the Huguang Guild Hall, while steam rose from teacups on octagonal tables. Around the corner, the Violin Museum housed over 300 rare instruments, and a private concert revealed the magical harmony of Western strings and Chinese wooden beams. As dusk fell, I boarded a rowing boat. The oars shattered the reflections of lantern lights, and the boatman's chants echoed in the damp air. Looking back at Darong Bridge, its eleven arches, lit by lanterns, resembled a string of pearls lost in the mortal world. **Clay and Fire: A Millennium of Craft in Anfeng Pottery Town** The next morning, I headed to Anfeng Street, where the scent of clay filled the air. Rongchang pottery, alongside Yixing purple clay, Jianshui pottery, and Qinzhou Nixing pottery, is celebrated as one of China's "Four Great Pottery Traditions." Anfeng Pottery Town is where this thousand-year-old craft thrives. In a workshop on Taobao Ancient Street, I wrestled with red clay on a spinning wheel. The potter smiled and advised, "Let the clay follow your heart, and your touch flow like water." Under my fingertips, the clay moved like silk, gradually shaping into a cup. Behind the praise of "red as dates, thin as paper" lies decades of dedication. Next door, a young man played a clay ocarina, its clear notes piercing the morning mist and intertwining with the rising kiln smoke. At the Rongchang Pottery Museum, over 4,000 pieces narrated an epic of earth and fire—from the simplicity of Han Dynasty gray pottery to the brilliance of Song Dynasty tricolor glazes. The "Belt and Road" ceramics exhibit was particularly striking, with vibrant Iranian pottery, elegant Korean celadon, and Rongchang pickle jars standing side by side, silently telling stories of cultural exchange. In a corner, an elderly craftsman shaped clay with deft fingers, lamenting, "Young folks find it too hard; this craft might end up in museums." The setting sun gilded his profile, turning him into a living monument. **Threads of Poetry: The Blue-and-White Dream of Xiaobu Fabric Town** In the afternoon, I entered Xiaobu Fabric Town, where traditional courtyard complexes were surrounded by water. Home to China's only dedicated Xiaobu (grass cloth) museum, it preserves the miracle of turning ramie into fabric. Running my fingers over the fibers on a loom, I tried weaving with a traditional shuttle. The ramie, smooth yet resilient, easily tangled with the slightest misstep—revealing the patience behind its title as the "King of Natural Fibers." As twilight fell, the Yimeng Covered Bridge lit up, its indigo-dyed curtains fluttering in the breeze. The Piglet Market buzzed with activity, the aroma of leaf-wrapped glutinous rice cakes mingling with the sweetness of brown sugar jelly. At the Yiqiu Tang studio, under a master's guidance, I tie-dyed Xiaobu fabric into lotus patterns. As the cloth dipped into the vat, the indigo bloomed like ink—an ancient blue from the *Book of Songs*, now reborn in my hands. **Flavors of Rongchang: Intangible Heritage on the Tongue** Rongchang's culinary heritage shines brightest. Spiced goose is an unmissable icon—at Huang Er's stall, 38 spices simmered in dark broth. Sliced goose, its marbling like amber, paired with a dipping sauce of chili and Houttuynia cordata, unleashed a burst of rich, spiced flavor—earning the "Spiced Goose Brother" fame at the 2025 Food Festival. Luo's yellow bean jelly at Lotus Square was unforgettable—tender pea cakes drizzled with chili paste, while Qiu's version added crushed peanuts, best enjoyed with chilled plum tea. Late at night, in a back alley, an old master stretched dough into quilt-sized sheets, tossing them into boiling water to create the hearty "Quilt Noodles" for just twenty yuan. During festivals, the spectacle of Zhong'ao's Fire Dragon Dance lit up the night—molten iron sprayed into the sky at 1600°C, creating a golden rain as the dragon twisted through the fiery cascade, met by roaring crowds. **Mountains and Rivers: From Ancient Buddha Mountain to Laixi's Bridges** On my last day, I climbed Ancient Buddha Mountain. Though only 711 meters high, the view from "Rulai Peak" stretched across rolling hills like a green scroll, clouds weaving through the trees like a fairyland. Descending, I wandered into Laixi River Wetland Park, where egrets skimmed over 914 hectares of reeds, and cyclists sped along ecological trails. Following the river, I discovered Rongchang's bridges—the Northern Song-era Shiji Bridge, moss-covered yet dignified; the Qing Dynasty Xiaotan Bridge, a dragon resting on waves; and Guanyin Bridge, standing firm for centuries. At Liansheng Covered Bridge, modern pavilions blended with blooming crabapples, elders played chess, and children chased petals—a timeless scene of prosperity. As my train departed, the clay ocarina in my backpack hummed softly, and the Xiaobu fabric felt cool to the touch. Looking back at Rongchang, the Laixi River mirrored millennia—the arches of Darong Bridge, the kiln's smoke, the threads of Xiaobu weaving an unbroken legacy. This city's charm lies in its blend of everyday life and cultural elegance—waiting patiently for you to read its landscapes in a bolt of fabric and hear its stories in a clay teapot. *The Laixi River flows past seven ancient bridges,* *Clay leaves a red date's mark in my palm,* *In the warp and weft of Xiaobu,* *Half the city's smoke, half its poetry.* —Rongchang District, Chongqing