Surrounded by the Xiaoshui River, with rows of black-tiled roofs and ornately carved beams reflected in the water, the cobblestone streets blend ancient charm with modern vitality. Recently, the Daximen (Great West Gate) Historical and Cultural Block in Lingling District, Yongzhou City, officially reopened to the public after a renovation. As the core area of this ancient town, the block holds a thousand years of history and now stands as a new cultural and tourism landmark, presenting Lingling's new cultural calling card to visitors from near and far.

The block stretches from Renmin Road in the north to Qicengpo Street in the south, and from Zhongshan South Road in the east to the east bank of the Xiaoshui River in the west. Covering a total area of approximately 201,300 square meters, the block has been the core area of Lingling Ancient Town since the Han Dynasty. Historically, a pontoon bridge connected this block to the west bank of the Xiaoshui River, making it a strategic land transport hub along the Hunan-Guangxi Corridor and a thriving center of commerce and trade. The block has fully preserved the street grid pattern of "two main avenues, seven cross streets, and eighteen alleys" dating back to the Qing Dynasty. It currently houses seven cultural heritage sites including the Great West Gate city wall and Chunquan Well, as well as 29 historic buildings. In August 2024, the block was selected as part of the second batch of Hunan Provincial Historical and Cultural Blocks. In December 2025, it was successfully designated as a provincial tourism and leisure block, creating a synergy with the Liuzi Street National Historic and Cultural Block.

The newly opened block covers a total floor area of approximately 4,000 square meters and features a diverse range of businesses. The "Memories of Lingling" historical exhibition hall, located in the southern wing of the ancient residential complex on Waihe Street, captures a thousand years of history in the ancient town, while the "Yongzhou Traditional Architectural Construction Techniques Exhibition Hall" in the double-roofed residential building on Neihe Street showcases the craftsmanship of ancient architecture. The "Lingling Huagu (Flower-drum) Opera" Intangible Cultural Heritage Hall, housed in a renovated residential building on Waihe Street, preserves the cultural heritage of local opera. The specialty dining area offers a variety of Yongzhou delicacies; and the Daximen Stage hosts scheduled folk performances.

This article is from Hunan Provincial Government. www.enghunan.gov.cn.  

Translator: Xiao Juan

Chinese source: hunan.gov.cn