Guangxi Newspaper Full-Page Feature: Zhongdu Ancient Town – Docks Worth Exploring

This newspaper’s final edition carries my full-page photo story

Guangxi Radio & TV Newspaper, Issue 2142, published on February 26 (previewing the week’s TV schedule), devotes the entire page 16 in its “Walk and See” column to my photo story. The headline is “Zhongdu Ancient Town: Docks Worth Exploring,” a detailed feature on the docksides of Zhongdu Ancient Town in Luzhai County, Liuzhou. Since many of you may not have seen the paper, I’m sharing it here. Below is the story:

Zhongdu Ancient Town: Docks Worth Exploring Text & photos: Liu Guoxiong

Nestled at the junction of Liuzhou’s Luzhai, Rong’an and Yongfu counties, Zhongdu Ancient Town is fringed by crystal-clear waters, where ancient banyan trees wrap their massive roots around old city walls and gates. Rolling hills rise in the distance. As I watch the near, middle and distant views shift through my lens, the poetic line “Hills are shaped like eyebrows, water like the waves of a glance” drifts into my heart.

But the real draw here is still the docks.

Zhongdu Ancient Town was founded in the first year of the Sun Ganlu era (AD 265), nearly 2,000 years ago. Ancient city gates, walls, docks and trading firms remain intact – clues to its once-thriving past. The docks are a standout feature, and they were exactly what lured me back here on another road trip.

The town boasts several historic docks: Rongyin Ancient Ferry, Middle Dock, Xiaojiayuan Dock, and Plane Cave Dock. They lie close together, varying in size, yet each retains its city wall and old banyan trees.

The ancient city wall hugs the banks of the Luo River. Built during the Qing Dynasty, it stretches about 500 meters, stands up to 6.5 meters high, and is 2.2 meters thick. Beyond the wall, along the Luo River, grow many ancient banyans – locals say they are over 400 years old. The roots of these venerable trees cling tightly to the city gates and towers. This is the power of time, surely.

Newspaper layout – below are the published photos and brief captions:

Plane Cave Dock is one of the best spots to photograph Luo River scenery.

Rongyin Ancient Ferry is the largest dock in Zhongdu Ancient Town. It served as the location for the 2018 CCTV Spring Festival Gala public service announcement “Families Prosper, the Nation Thrives.”

The author spreads his arms to give a sense of scale against the tree roots.

Locals say these banyans at Rongyin Ancient Ferry are four to five hundred years old.

Plane Cave Dock: It seems you can glance right through the centuries here.

Local people do their washing and chat at Xiaojiayuan Dock – their chatter threads out, wordier even than the roots.

Opposite Middle Dock: Golden bamboo groves reflect in the river; the Luo River has taken in every beautiful sight for a thousand years.

The gate of Xiaojiayuan Dock remains intact.

Like Xiaojiayuan Dock, the gate, city wall and watchtower at Middle Dock are well preserved.

The front page of Guangxi Radio & TV Newspaper, February 26, 2021, previewing the week’s TV programs from March 1 to 7.

Full page 16 carries my photo story.

The column is “Walk and See,” showing the upper part of the article.

The article and author bio.

Lower half with pictures and introductions.