The ferry in the Phoenix Town

I first heard of the "town of Phoenix" during my campus days when I read the famous novel "The Boundary Town"(Biancheng) written by renowned author Shen Congwen.

In the novel he depicts vividly and colloquially his beloved hometown, the diverse and picturesque scenery and the lives of all sorts of people. I was completely absorbed by the exquisite writing and the fascinating story. So, when I was given a choice of three different tour destinations, I immediately picked out the one to Hunan Province which gave me the chance to visit the town that I had long dreamed of as a kind of fairy land, Phoenix town, with its ancient and mysterious beauty.

When we arrived in Phoenix, the unique curved eaves on the roofs of the attics of buildings built right into the hillsides immediately attracted my attention. I had heard the streets were peaceful, but instead they were hustling and bustling with the energy of the high tourist season. A gravel path zigzagged between two rows of the distinctive local houses, which had been converted into all sorts of shops tended by hordes of vendors soliciting customers. The main item on sale was the local specialty ginger candy, a snack made from ginger and sugar. Our tour guide persuaded us to buy some from the renowned "Jia" brand, which is famous for its scrupulously clean production processes and pure ingredients.

The shopping street in the town

After visiting several former residences of famous people that line the street, we reached a fortified pass. Passing through the gateway, we could reach the quay on the Tuojiang river. The Tuojiang was once the primary access to the outside world, as well as providing water for the rice paddies and for the citizens' daily life. Nowadays, river transportation has been gradually replaced by railways and highways running in all directions, but numerous ferries are still busy with passengers and cargo.

Near the quay, many locals washed their clothes on the banks of the river, pounding their laundry in the traditional way with wooden sticks.

Boarding a ferry, we drifted down the river. Beautiful houses facing the Tuojiang River and hanging off the hills slide by us quickly. The houses are all three or four stories, supported by a pair of pillars. Their eaves astonishingly protruded and curved upwards like the wings of flying birds. Red lanterns hung high from the eaves.
The old and decaying houses have endured through hundreds of years and their timbers have become gray and loose. There supporting pillars now rot into the river. However in my mind, it is these old houses that ooze elegance and a lingering charm that outshines the newly built dwellings with blaring air conditioning and pop music.

It's said that when night falls, Phoenix becomes even more mysterious and brilliant. Unfortunately our itinerary prevented us from admiring the town by moonlight. But it does not rob me of the chance of imagining it that way, and the fairyland that is Phoenix will always linger deep in my heart.