When it comes to Nanchong, people often think first of Langzhong Ancient Town. However, they may not be aware that Nanchong is not only home to Langzhong Ancient Town but also to Gaoping District, a treasure trove of ancient towns, fairy mountains, wetlands, local delicacies, and specialty snacks. Compared to the worldwide fame of Langzhong Ancient Town, the scenery of Nanchong Gaoping is more low-key yet full of cultural charm. A wetland park reminiscent of Europe, a simple and authentic ancient town, and a Taoist fairy mountain known for its mystical Feng Shui… As the gateway to the city, Gaoping is vibrant and full of life. Hidden within Nanchong Gaoping District are three travel destinations and three authentic Nanchong restaurants that captivate visitors, with those who have experienced them all praising them highly. Nanchong, a city of the soul, stands as the economic center of Northeast Sichuan and a silk city along the Jialing River. The Gaoping District is a region within Nanchong City with a rich historical and cultural flavor. Gaoping has been known since ancient times as the Fruit State and has long been renowned as the ‘land of fish and rice,’ ‘land of citrus,’ and ‘land of silk’ in Northern Sichuan. Impression Jialing River Wetland Park: As if stepping into Europe, experience this unique winter with superb photography opportunities. In Nanchong Gaoping District lies a treasure wetland park where one can appreciate the surging Jialing River, overlook the picturesque Xiazhongba Jialing River Bridge, and observe the waterfowl that reside there – it is the Impression Jialing River Wetland Park. Reeds sway with the wind along the riverbank, fishing boats forge ahead on the waves, with modern high-rise buildings on the left bank and a colorful wetland park on the right. The Jialing River, originating from Feng County in Shaanxi, flows through Shaanxi, Gansu, Sichuan, and Chongqing, with Nanchong’s section located in the middle reaches of the Jialing River, starting from Langzhong City and ending at Jialing District. This area is characterized by numerous meanders, diverse landscapes, and interspersed scenic spots. Impression Jialing River Wetland Park is one of the larger riverside parks in Sichuan, featuring fitness trails and opportunities to enjoy the sights of redwoods, elk, waterfowl, and river views. Undoubtedly, this wetland park has naturally become the favorite leisure travel destination for the people of Nanchong Gaoping District. As autumn gives way to winter, the banks of the Jialing River gradually fall silent, with only a few fishing boats occasionally moving forward. Along the tranquil riverbank, on one side, there are riverside dining bars filled with a rich atmosphere of life; on the other side stands the financial center of Northeast Sichuan, with towering skyscrapers that also reflect the rapid economic development of Nanchong. An arc-shaped long bridge spanning the Jialing River banks creates a picturesque ‘small Europe’ style, and if one visits at sunrise or sunset, taking a walk and enjoying the view, facing the morning glow or the afterglow, waiting for the pink light to bathe one’s face, the scene is so tender and romantic that it feels like being in a European and American urban movie. Yunshan Scenic Area, known as one of China’s most beautiful hilly secret lands and also as an Eastern Feng Shui treasure land, Nanchong Lingyun Mountain boasts unique geomorphological features with the left Azure Dragon, right White Tiger, front Vermilion Bird, and back Black Tortoise, making it a rare living specimen in the study of Eastern Feng Shui geography.
Lingyun Mountain is full of overlapping peaks. In four seasons, tens of thousands of mu of pine and cypress are lush and verdant. The peaks of Lingyun Mountain are surrounded by clouds and mist. At the foot of the mountain, the lake water is rippling. From time to time, the bell of an ancient temple can be heard in the mountain. The landscape is beautiful and the climate is pleasant, extremely beautiful in the world. Hiking on Lingyun Mountain, which has the reputation of ‘China’s most beautiful hilly秘境’, walking into the natural forest oxygen bar to wash away the complexity of body and mind and making a pilgrimage to Sanqing Hall. Taoist temples and Buddha statues coexist on the same mountain, fully showing the meaning of harmony between Tao and nature. At the mountainside, you can also experience the glass bridge, overlook the secluded beauty of Lingyun Mountain, and also see the spectacle of ‘two dragons playing with a pearl’. Longmen Ancient Town, the former ‘Little Hong Kong’, is also the origin of the legend of carp leaping over the dragon gate. It is said that the source of carp leaping over the dragon gate is in Longmen Ancient Town, Gaoping District, Nanchong. It is one of the three ancient towns in Nanchong. It has a history of thousands of years since it was built in the Song Dynasty. In the Northern Song Dynasty, ‘Yuanfeng Jiuyu Zhi’ recorded that ’30 li north of Guozhou there is Longmen’. It can be seen that Longmen Ancient Town has a long history. In August 2000, the State Post Bureau issued the special commemorative stamp of ‘Little Carp Jumping over the Dragon Gate’ for the first time in Longmen Town at that time, which also recognized Gaoping Longmen as the source of the folk legend of ‘carp jumping over the dragon gate’, so it is even more famous. In the past, Longmen Ancient Town was prosperous because it was close to the Jialing River. The incense in the Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples was strong. Nanchong’s largest silk textile factory and cotton textile factory were gathered here. There were as many as 20,000 workers in the ancient town and it was known as ‘Little Hong Kong’. The ancient buildings are all tile-roofed houses with magnificent momentum, rigorous layout, connected corridors and crisscrossing streets and alleys. The ‘Nine Palaces and Eighteen Temples’ are well-known far and wide. The Dragon King Temple and Anfu Palace still have strong incense, and the Wanshou Palace and Guandi Temple still exist. Dayanshan Forest Park is full of lush forests and fragrant flowers, and the charm of the ancient town wharf still remains. Now, strolling in this quiet ancient town, with old houses and streets that have gone through vicissitudes of life, strolling on the street is like returning to the old days, with a strong atmosphere of fireworks. At the end of Longmen Ancient Town, there is the turbulent Jialing River and the magnificent wharf. Blow the evening breeze by the river and feel the nightlife of Longmen Ancient Town. There is also a planning museum in Linjiang New District nearby, which is worth visiting. Three must-eat food stores in Nanchong. Loving beauty is human nature, and loving delicious food is also a great pleasure for ordinary people. As we all know, Chengdu is the world’s food capital. In fact, people who really know how to eat will choose to go to every city in Sichuan to find delicious food. Every city in Sichuan has a memory point of taste buds, either sweet or spicy, or sour and spicy, or spicy and numbing, or spicy marinated… In Nanchong, a city by the Jialing River, there are naturally countless delicious foods. The most representative ones are northern Sichuan ice powder, guokui, spicy chicken and spicy fish. When you come to Nanchong, in addition to seeing ginkgo and strolling in the ancient town and walking along the Jialing River, you must eat guokui, Nanchong’s famous traditional specialty snack.
Golden crispy guokui is fragrant and delicious with unique characteristics. When eating Nanchong guokui, it must be filled with liangfen, which is the authentic way to eat. Walking in the streets and alleys, you can see many small shops and stalls selling guokui filled with liangfen. Among them, the most popular is Nanchong square guokui. The master who makes guokui has been making it for more than ten years. Using traditional oven baking, colored with rapeseed oil, and flavored with sesame seeds. After being baked by the fire, it turns into bulging ‘pockets’. Make a cut, mix in some liangfen and put it inside. It tastes crispy on the outside and smooth and delicious on the inside. In addition to guokui with liangfen, it can also be filled with cold pig ears, beef, etc. The best spicy chicken in Nanchong was created by the Li clan in the late Qing Dynasty. Dongguan spicy chicken is deeply loved by locals due to its unique local characteristics. In 2000, by chance, a Nanchong gourmet came here to taste spicy chicken and was full of praise after eating it. Later, through word of mouth, the reputation of Dongguan spicy chicken became greater and greater in Nanchong. Then this store gradually became a must-eat delicacy for many travelers coming to Nanchong. The store of Dongguan spicy chicken is on the first floor of a residential building. There is no luxurious environment, but at meal times, it is full of guests only because the spicy chicken here is too delicious. In addition to spicy chicken, there are also chicken soup, Nanchong liangfen, cold chicken gizzards, salted pork slices, shrimp steamed eggs and other flavorful dishes, suitable for all taste groups. Nowadays, Dongguan spicy chicken is already a characteristic delicacy on a par with Nanchong guokui and liangfen. When visiting Nanchong, you must try it and not miss it. Nanchong people who grew up by the Jialing River have a unique sentiment for fish. Therefore, locals are also very good at cooking fish. There is an old spicy cold pot fish restaurant that has been open for ten years. Locals go there every now and then just because the soup base is too rich and the spicy fish slices cooked are too delicious. This qualified old restaurant is Hongdenglong Fish Farm, a place where locals will choose to entertain guests. The store owner will cut the fish into slices or fish filigrees according to the selected fish species, and then add seasonings and cook until cooked. The dipping sauce is made of original soup separately. Before serving the cold pot fish, the proprietress will personally make the dipping sauce, which is slightly different from traditional cold pot fish…