Songpan's charm lingers and shines in modern times

Statues of ancient Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo and the princess guard the old city gate of Songpan in Sichuan province.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Ernest Henry Wilson visited Songpan, an ancient city in Sichuan province, a few times beginning in 1903 to take back with him seeds to the United Kingdom.

Back then, Songpan used to be an important source of biodiversity because of its location near the origin of Minjiang River, between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Sichuan Basin.

During his visits, the late British botanist took many photos of the city and praised its weather, landscape, ethnic food and culture in eulogies.

Multiethnic Songpan in Southwest China retains its charm today.

The local government has installed a statue of Wilson to honor his contributions in making Songpan known to the world by way of photos and writings. They have also served as ready references for the authorities while rebuilding parts of the ancient structures other than the city's well-preserved wall.

Songpan was a hub for trade in tea, herbs, salt and cattle between western China and Central Asia, as well as a base for imperial China's military forces since the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).

The city's profile rose further in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), when a general from northern China built a wall with many gates and watch towers.

The wall of black bricks, made from rocks of a nearby mountain, is more than 6 kilometers long and 12 meters high.