It was a cloudy day. Setting off from the University of Science and Technology of China, we arrived in the ancient town of Datong in Tongling city, Anhui province, after two and a half hours of driving.

Datong town, named Lanxi in ancient times, has thousands of years of history. It has been a world-renowned town of great importance along the riverbank and one of the four famous commercial ports in Anhui. There are two blocks on the banks of the river, Heyue block and Lanxi block, facing each other across the river.

We went to Lanxi block first. The first thing that caught my eye was the long flagstone roadway. On both sides of the road, white cats dozed and black dogs lay lazily in front of the doors of several traditional houses. A small group of people played cards around a wooden table. Some trade names of the old and famous shops and temples were still dimly visible. A newspaper office, jewelry shops and other buildings gave me an impression that I was in the early days of liberation. I suddenly felt that I was an outsider, and everything seemed so surreal when I was standing in front of the door to an old-fashioned barbershop, which could now only be seen on TV. I could still remember the pure eyes of a boy who was riding a bicycle in the center of the street while we took photos. His eyes, when he lifted his head, reminded me of my childhood for a moment. A sense of relaxation and comfort filled the air.

Before we noticed it, we had reached the ferry. In the far distance, several rows of cargo ships moored on the river. Across the river there was a grey-green island that resembled a turtle shell. We were heading to the Heyue block. Few people crossed the river, which made it hard to associate it with the key port in history where, years ago, a stream of people moved in the port and a forest of ships navigated in the river. The island was damp and looked somewhat desolate. It was said that the island was once flooded by the swollen water. The flagstone roadway was the same as that of Lanxi block. This block was different – filled with deserted houses. Looking ahead, the scene was quiet, lonely and depressing. However, the buildings retained the original flavor of the Anhui-style after years of difficult changes, which made me feel an odd sense of comfort. All of the houses had grey walls and dark green tiles with an arch-shaped door. The eaves had a certain radian and bending angles. These houses should have been beautiful, if they had not undergone the depredation of time. Under the roof of some houses, there were carvings of animals, although after years of water erosion and weathering their shapes were vague. But the careful and precise carving traces could still be seen, which seemed to indicate the affluent life of the master. The plants on the island were dense and vigorous. All kinds of small flowers blossomed, vying for beauty. The creeper had grown over the walls. The grey buildings and green plants reflected upon each other, forming what resembled an oil painting with far-reaching artistic conception.

When the light of the setting sun shined on the ancient town, we embarked on our journey home. A number of villagers were already waiting for the ferry when we arrived at the port. Each of them carried a shoulder bag filled with fresh cucumbers, cabbage and green beans. They gathered together, sat on a stone and played cards or chatted joyfully to kill the time. Seeing the scene, I suddenly felt that the whole world was so quiet.

The one-day tour flew by, but the simple and honest folkway and the ancient buildings left a lasting impression in my memory. After all of these years, the thriving and prosperous ancient city is gone forever. The foot of time is silent.

By Audrey and Wang Fan

Photo by Tianyi