When it comes to Shaanxi tourism, many people first think of popular tourist cities such as Xi'an and Xianyang, in fact, in the northeast corner of the Guanzhong Basin in eastern Shaanxi, there is also an ancient city that is also worth visiting - Hancheng Ancient City. As one of the six most complete preserved ming and qing ancient cities and 4a-level tourist attractions in China, there are many monuments, food everywhere, and most importantly, most of the attractions are free.
According to records, the ancient city of Hancheng was founded in the eighteenth year of the Sui Kai Emperor (598), with a history of more than 1400 years. The existing city wall was built in the thirteenth year of Ming Chongzhen (1640), which was approved by the imperial court of the chancellor Xue Guoguan and proposed that local officials and gentlemen donate funds to build it. The entire ancient city is bordered by Liangshan Mountain in the west and Lianshui in the south, up to 1,000 meters from north to south, more than 800 meters from east to west, and an area of about 0.8 square kilometers.
The ancient city of Hancheng is the hometown of the world's historical and cultural celebrity Sima Qian, and is also the place where the stories of "Da Yu Zhi Shui Chisel Dragon Gate" and "Carp Leaping Dragon Gate" take place. In the Ming and Qing dynasties alone, the ancient city had more than 1,400 people who had entered the city, lifted people, and paid tributes, "Yu Kai Liang Ridge led to the Yellow River, Xia Yang Qin Guan Dragon Vein Soul." Bu Shang Yi passed on the praises of the world, and the sub-chief history of Han Wen Theory" can be called the best description of the ancient city of Hancheng.
The streets in the ancient city are sparse and clear, a north-south street that leads from the south gate to the north gate, which is about 1000 meters long, and is the main street of the ancient city. The seventy-two alleys on both sides of the main street are taken from the seventy-two sages of Confucius's disciples, which means that the sages and good men are all over them. There are more than 770 buildings from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties in the streets and alleys, including 16 Yuan Dynasty buildings, which is the most concentrated place in China.
Yu Qiuyu praised Hancheng as "a place I have always wanted to go but dare not go to because its culture is too deep and broad." The famous writer Jia Pingwa also said that "Hancheng is one of the three places in his heart that are worth walking." Walking in the crisscrossing streets and alleys, the courtyards of ancient buildings are lined up one after another, and the glazed decorations are golden and brilliant, and the historical heritage and grand scale presented by them are breathtaking, known as "Little Beijing in the Land of the Three Qins".
Located on the west side of Jincheng Avenue, Zhuangyuan Mansion is the residence of the first Shaanxi Zhuangyuan Wang Jie since the founding of the Qing Dynasty. Wang Jie entered the cabinet in the fifty-second year of the Qianlong Dynasty as a university scholar and rebbe Shangshu, Jiaqing was the first assistant to the cabinet after he was succeeded by He Yan in the fifth year, and the two dynasties were officials for more than forty years. The "Zhuangyuan Mansion" where he lived has now been converted into a museum, with a collection of more than 300 famous calligraphy and paintings from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the Republic of China, and more than 1,000 stone carvings and woodcuts.
Speaking of "The Orphan of Zhao", one of the "Four Great Tragedies" in China, it can be said to be a household name, but few people know that this story took place in Hancheng. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Zhao Dun, the Shangqing of the Jin Dynasty, was framed by the general Tu Anjia, and more than 300 members of the family were killed. The Zhao family's guest Cheng Bao and the old minister Gongsun Pestle hugged the Orphan Zhao Wu of the Zhao clan for 15 years, and finally took revenge on Xue Hate.
After his death, Zhao Wu was buried in Hancheng, Shaanxi Province, accompanied by Cheng Bao and Gongsun Pestle, and the story of the Qitun Mountains and Rivers performed by these three people has also been passed down through the ages. When Sima Qian was young, he often accompanied his grandfather Sima Xi to the Tomb of Sanyi to visit the tomb of Sanyi to pay homage, and after listening to the story of the orphans of the Zhao family, he vividly reproduced this story in "Zhao Shijia", "Jin Shijia" and "Han Shijia".
The food street next to the ancient city of Hancheng is also not to be missed, lamb wonton noodles, lamb paste, sesame cake, spicy garlic and sheep blood, Hancheng wontons, etc. are all the characteristics of here, if you come to Hancheng may wish to try it. Transportation: Hancheng Ancient City is 240 kilometers away from Xi'an, and you can take a train from Xi'an Station, the whole journey takes 2 hours. The self-driving tour takes about 3 hours on the Beijing-Kunming Expressway.