Charm of Ancient Towns

Haiwozi Ancient Town in Pengzhou, Chengdu, is a thousand-year-old town built along the Jianshui River Valley. It was once one of the centers of the ancient Shu Kingdom's Kaiming Dynasty, sharing a common heritage with the Sanxingdui and Jinsha Ruins. This hidden gem of an ancient town combines rich history with stunning natural scenery. Name Origins There are two theories about the origin of the name: One suggests that because the ancient Shu King of the Bai clan established his capital here, the ancients used the phrase "dragon dwelling in the sea" as a metaphor for the emperor's residence. The other theory posits that because the Jianshui River forms a bend and a "haizi" (lake) here, it was named "Haiwozi." Haiwozi Ancient Town was first built in the fifty-fifth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, which corresponds to 1790 AD. It served as a crucial passage for travelers going from Chengdu to Bailu Town and Longmen Mountain via Pengzhou. The main street of the ancient town, Qushang Old Street, stretches for 1,500 meters and is said to be the longest ancient street among the ancient towns surrounding Chengdu. Paved with blue stone slabs, the street is lined with simple wooden buildings and blue-brick houses, showcasing the high and low, staggered arrangement of Ming and Qing Dynasty-style western Sichuan dwellings, exuding a rich historical charm.