灌県古城

Guanxian Ancient City is the historic core of modern Dujiangyan city and the urban quarter that grew up around the Irrigation System over the centuries. The name Guanxian, meaning "Irrigation County," was the official name of the city before it was renamed Dujiangyan, and the old district preserves the street layout, the vernacular architecture, and the atmosphere of the settlement that served as the gateway to one of the most important engineering works in Chinese history. For travelers visiting Dujiangyan, the ancient city is both a destination in its own right and the natural setting for the Irrigation System itself.

The historic quarter traces its roots back to the Northern and Southern dynasties period, and in particular to the later Wei era, more than a thousand years ago, though most of what stands today reflects the rebuilding and expansion of the Ming, Qing, and early Republican periods. The streets are lined with traditional Sichuan shop-houses, tiled roofs, wooden facades, and small courtyards, many of them now housing teahouses, noodle shops, souvenir stores, and small museums. The layout follows the logic of an old Chinese county town, with narrow lanes branching off the main streets and a series of small temples, gates, and memorial archways marking the major intersections.

The atmosphere of the old city is most enjoyable in the early morning and in the evening. In the morning, the streets are quiet, the teahouses are filling with local residents, and the light is at its best on the tiled roofs; in the evening, lanterns are lit along the main lanes, the food stalls come to life, and the area takes on a festive, crowded mood that lasts well into the night. The South Bridge and the riverside food street sit at the edge of the ancient city, and most visitors drift naturally between the old streets and the riverfront over the course of an evening.

Guanxian Ancient City forms the eastern gateway to the Dujiangyan Irrigation System and is visited by nearly every traveler who comes to Dujiangyan, usually without needing a separate plan. Allow an afternoon or an evening to wander the lanes, eat, and soak in the atmosphere, ideally the evening before or the evening after a full morning at the Irrigation System.