Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City (hóng jiāng gǔ shāng chéng 洪江古商城) lies in the south part of Huaihua City (huái huà shì 怀化市), which is in the west of Hunan Province (hú nán shěng 湖南省). Originated from the Spring and Autumn Period (chūn qiū shí qī 春秋时期) in China, took shape in the prosperous Tang Dynasty (táng cháo 唐朝), and flourished in Ming (míng 明) and Qing (míng 清) dynasties, Hongjiang was the economic, military, religious and cultural center of Southwest Hunan (xiāng xī 湘西). Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City is the oldest, biggest and the most integrated ancient commercial city in China.

It covers an area of more than 200,000 square kilometers, with a population of 80,000 people, and is administratively divided into four street offices and three village demotic governments. All the houses there are all with capital, grey tile and plastered wall, and lie in undulation within the “seven flatlands, eight alleys, and nine streets”(qī chòng, bā xiàng, jiǔ tiáo jiē 七冲，八巷，九条街). The houses are engraved with dragon on the beam and painted with phoenix. There are couplets, tablets, and carved stones of Ming, Qing and Republic Period (míng guó shí qī 民国时期). Nowadays, there still keeps more than 380 ancient architectures, such as guest house, temple, and residential houses. They are either built at the high slope, or at the deep alley, or by the riverside, being connected through the winding bluestone slabs or seesawing stone step piers. One by one, patch by patch, with the mountain as the frame, the river as the blood vein,

Though Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City is not so big, its convenient transportation made it rather prosperous and thriving in the reign of Ming and Qing dynasties. It is famous for the assembling and distribution of tung oil (tong yóu 桐油), opium, and white wax. It has been reputed as “thoroughfare of seven provinces”(qī shěng tōng qú 七省通衢), "small Chongqing”(xiǎo chóng qìng 小重庆), "small Nangjing”(xiǎo nán jīng 小南京), "Pearl of West Hunan”(xiāng xī míng zhū 湘西明珠) and “Metropolis of the Southwest”(xī nán dà dū huì 西南大都会). The businessmen, tourists, and migrant citizens from the 18 provinces, 24 prefectures, and over 80 counties in the country flooded here to conduct their businesses to and fro for many times. The businessmen stayed there for a long time and left a thriving group of descendents. Later business circles were formed to constitute an unprecedented prosperous commerce and economy.

Just like the a vivid “Qingming Festival by the Riverside”(qīng míng shàng hé tú 清明上河图), Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City is a “real-life textbook introducing the early history of capitalism and a living museum integrating the data of politics, military affairs, economy, religion and cultural history". It is reputed as “top ancient commercial city in China”, and attracts people all over the world.

Hongjiang Ancient Commercial City
Location: Huaihua City, Hongjiang, Xiongxi Road (xióng xī lù 雄溪路)
Admission fee: RMB 120
Opening hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Traffic: you can take train from Changsha Railway Station to Huaihua, and then take a bus or taxi to get there.