Huotong Ancient Town

The lower street greets the eye, colorful iron branches; the blessed land produces true immortals, misty rain and crane forest present a scroll;

The past lingers in the heart, the string lions have spirit, the clear stream nurtures supreme goodness, green mountains and clear waters are poetic.

The main destination for the May Day trip was Xiapu. After checking the route, Huotong Ancient Town could serve as a halfway stop, a brief glance.

Huotong Ancient Town is a famous historical and cultural town, one of China's top ten most beautiful villages, a 3A scenic spot, with no admission fee.

The town was originally named Huoshan, because in the Western Zhou Dynasty, the immortal Huotong cultivated here, hence the name Huotong Mountain. In the sixth year of Tianbao of the Tang Dynasty (747), Huotong Mountain was renamed Huotong Mountain.

Wang Yingshan, a Ming Dynasty scholar from Fuzhou, wrote in "Record of Fujian": The mountains of Fujian are Wuyi in the west and Huotong in the east; one comprehends the Dao through landscapes, following nature's way.

A clear river winds around the village, in long summer the riverside village is quiet and peaceful. Swallows come and go freely on the beams, while waterfowls are close and affectionate in the waves.

The ancient village by the Huotong Stream, surrounded by mountains and embraced by water, reflects green waves. Ancient trees provide shade to complement the scenery, waiting for tourists to enter the painting.

At the entrance of the Huotong Visitor Center, there is a memorial archway inscribed with "Huotong Cave Heaven," and a stone carving reading "First Cave Heaven," which I didn't understand at first. From the archway to the entrance of the old street is about 300 meters, with a cultural corridor on both sides introducing Huotong's history, culture, and scenery—very good.

Sima Chengzhen, a high-ranking Taoist of the Tang Dynasty, in his "Map of Heavenly Palaces and Earthly Mansions," re-ranked the names of the cave heavens and blessed lands, placing Huolin Cave Heaven as the first among the thirty-six minor cave heavens: "The first Huotong Mountain Cave, spanning three thousand li, is named Huolin Cave Heaven, located in Changxi County, Fujian, governed by the immortal Wang Weixuan."

Du Guangting of the late Tang and Five Dynasties, in his "Records of Cave Heavens, Blessed Lands, and Famous Mountains," also listed Huotong Mountain as the first among the thirty-six minor cave heavens.

Historically, Taoists such as Huolin, Han Zhong, Zheng Siyuan, Zuo Ci, Ge Xuan, Chu Boyu, Deng Boyuan, and Wang Xuanfu cultivated on Huotong Mountain.

The famous Southern Song Taoist Bai Yuchan cultivated on Huotong Mountain twice. His poem records: Where are Wang and Deng now? Cloud screens and misty peaks lock the moss. In the great world of sands and kalpas, flying sandals, I visited the first cave heaven twice.

Literature records that Helin Palace was the place where the Taoist Chu Boyu ascended to immortality on a crane.

After the Yuan Dynasty, Taoism gradually declined. During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, a flood destroyed the Helin Palace Taoist temple, and Taoism further waned.

Huotong Ancient Town is located in a small basin surrounded by mountains, with the Huotong Stream winding around the town. The town is named after the mountain and enlivened by the stream. It was a key transportation route for timber and bamboo from Pingnan and Zhouning, reaching its peak of prosperity during the Ming and Qing dynasties. An ancient street from the Ming and Qing dynasties tells of its past bustle.

Its water is pure, with distant mountains and nearby forests, offering a broad view, transcendent and refined, much like Yangshuo to Guilin, with nine bends, eighteen turns, and twenty-seven shoals; its mountains are lively, with mountain shapes and scenes arranged in layers, gradually advancing, winding and twisting, with vivid formations like Laojun Rock, Lion Peak, Double Pinnacle Peak, and Sleeping Beauty.

Entering the old street, I was first struck by the stone-carved door gods at the entrance of Huayang Palace.

Huayang Palace: The temple shines anew, blessing Huotong; the Huayang gate is magnificent, shading the cave heaven.

The colorful paintings of the Eight Immortals on the caisson ceiling of Huayang Palace are very expressive.

The Merit Archway opposite Huayang Palace. "Wang Hou's incorruptibility sets an example; historic monuments commemorate his merits for centuries." It was erected during the Kangxi period by the people of Huotong for the county magistrate Wang Darun.

Wang Darun served in Ningde for eleven years, and he built Huotong Wenchang Pavilion.

This Merit Archway is in the style of a road pavilion, with "First Cave Heaven" hanging on the back, and a couplet: "Ninety li north of Ningde, the first pavilion south of Huotong."

Wenchang Pavilion: The place where the twelve villages flourish in culture, the first gate to ascend the pavilion.

A mountain flood during the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty revealed the "Tai Chi" topography of Huotong. Huotong's yang fish faces the yin fish on the opposite bank. During the Kangxi period, the county magistrate Wang Darun visited Huotong three times and mobilized the locals to build the "Wenchang Pavilion" at the eye of the fish, symbolizing the prominent yang eye. After the pavilion was completed, Huotong indeed prospered in literary style, with continuous imperial examination successes, and frequent reports of scholars and tribute students. During the Republic of China, it was converted into an elementary school. Despite frequent wars, a steady stream of college students and talents emerged.

Kuiguang Pavilion: The stars' brilliance soars to the Kui and Bi constellations; the local culture shines upon the Dipper and Ox.

Stepping through the archway carved with "Huotong Ancient Town" leads to the Ming and Qing ancient street, about one kilometer long. This is the most time-honored and historical part of the ancient town, with scattered blue bricks and black tiles houses, and simple, narrow blue stone slabs, giving the entire town an antique charm, showcasing its allure and wonder.

What left the deepest impression is that every house has an imposing gate. The delicate and fine gray sculptures on the horse-head walls often use bats as motifs, and the stone skirts of the gates are carved with pines and cranes. Above each door, inside and outside, there are ancient four-character plaques such as "Auspicious Clouds Shine in Varied Splendor," "Gazing at the Gathering Stars," "Blessed Fragrance Fills the Courtyard," "High Virtues of Liang and Meng," which probably represent the residents' principles of diligence and family management.

Yuyan Tea House: The door gods Shenshu and Yulü; the character "tea" consists of grass, wood, and person, and tea people; the taster takes three sips, and virtue is cultivated.

Huang Residence: Auspicious clouds shine in varied splendor; broad-mindedness brings spring everlasting, loyalty and honesty pass on blessings naturally.

Fang Clan Ancestral Hall: Eternal principles illuminate learning below; for a thousand autumns, sacrificial vessels extend clan merits.

Entering this temple, one feels close to the ancestor; facing this hall, reverent and respectful, as if hearing them.

Huotong Cultural Base, Three Haves Bookhouse.

Eternal peace and good fortune: The family heirloom of remonstrance leaves a far-reaching plan; the land connects to the imperial palace, granting abundant blessings.

"Three Haves": "Have feelings, have responsibility, have commitment," a platform of Fujian Rural Credit Cooperative.

For centuries, the old family's virtue lies in accumulating goodness; the best thing is to read books.

Window grille couplet: Dark and bright ornaments hold rare colors; lute and books emit ancient fragrance.

Window grille couplet: Sweet songs, the oriole surrounds the seat; auspicious words, the swallow peeks at the beam.

Tianshan Tea House: The cave heaven's air embraces the Western chess; the Jiangxia family stores Eastern View books.

Lu Family Residence: Blessings of peace and prosperity; the Yao sky forever bears the longevity of the Southern Mountain; the Shun sun long observes the height of the Big Dipper.

Huotong Revolutionary History Exhibition Hall, Yan Family Ancestral Temple: Wearing flowers, offering wine. The ancestral tradition of Jin spreads for ten thousand generations; the mountain child's legacy flows for a thousand autumns.

Huotong String Lions: Scheduled performances, ticket 60 yuan, first batch intangible cultural heritage.

Yanyi Hall: The leaves clear to make the flowers prosper; the plum's beauty lies in its fragrance before snow.

Hongjie Palace: Might shakes the child mountain, blessings extend for eternity; spirit shines upon Huotong water, sacrifices last for a thousand autumns.

In 1932, Ye Fei was dispatched by the Fuzhou Municipal Committee to inspect the Mindong area. Together with Yan Alan, they went deep among the masses to carry out revolutionary struggles and established the Huotong District Committee. On May 28, 1933, the Dragon Boat Festival, Ye Fei and Yan Alan led more than 50 people from the Workers' and Peasants' Self-Defense Force, setting out from Xiaoshi Banling, to attack the Huotong militia garrison—Hongjie Palace—confiscating 26 guns. This was the famous "Huotong Uprising" in the history of the Mindong Revolution. In June, the Mindong Workers' and Peasants' Guerrilla 3rd Detachment was established, later expanded into the Mindong Red Army Independent Regiment. In August 1934, it merged with the Lianjiang Red Army Independent Regiment 13th Regiment to form the Mindong Independent Division, with Feng Pintai as division commander and Ye Fei as political commissar. After the Long March of the Red Army, they persisted in guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines. In February 1938, they were reorganized into the 6th Regiment of the 3rd Detachment of the New Fourth Army, later becoming the 172nd Regiment of the People's Liberation Army. Known for their bravery and outstanding achievements, they were called the "Good Regiment."